Three million digital letters in six months

Swiss city skyline with digital elements symbolizing modern Post communication

La Posta presented the first interim report on the digital letter, recording seven million digital mailings in six months, three million of which were letters.

Context

TL;DR

  • Seven million digital mailings in six months
  • Three million were letters
  • 960'000 accounts for receiving letters in the Posta app
  • An app update is planned for November

Key facts

  • Report date → 15 October 2026
  • Period under review → six months since introduction
  • Digital mailings → 7 million
  • Digital letters → 3 million
  • Accounts opened → 960'000
  • Consultations on the app → 3'000 per month
  • New feature → legally valid electronic signature

On 15 October 2026, La Posta presented the first interim report six months after the introduction of the digital letter. According to reports, this is the first experience of this kind in its 177-year history. The overall figure is seven million digital mailings, three million of which were letters.

The service's first report

Nicole Burth, head of La Posta's Digital Service unit, explained to Radiogiornale that 960'000 customers had decided to receive digital letters in La Posta's app. The number is growing, but the figure should be read as the number of accounts opened. It therefore does not mean that all customers have already actually used the service.

La Posta considers the report positive, while indicating some developments that should proceed more quickly. The point concerns above all the amount of mail available through the platform. For private users, Burth explained, the service becomes interesting when a lot of correspondence passes through it. Large companies are also needed to achieve this result.

The first major users have already switched to digital letters, while considerable potential remains among banks and insurers. The report thus compares recipient adoption with platform use by major senders.

Among the announced new features is the legally valid electronic signature. The example cited is that of a real-estate agency sending a rental contract: the future tenant will be able to sign it electronically. It will also be possible to modify and resend forms online, for example.

The app will be updated in November. The improvements were also developed based on customer feedback, with customers currently submitting 3'000 requests for advice about the app each month. On the subject of security, Burth described digital protection as an ongoing process: La Posta must keep updating and improving, but theft cannot be completely ruled out, just as a letter can be stolen in the real world.

Operational details

For anyone considering the digital letter, the practical point is not simply having an account. The service becomes more attractive when a significant amount of mail passes through the same platform: this is the condition identified by the head of Digital Service. Individual users therefore face a value proposition that depends on senders' behavior, not just on their own enrollment.

Value depends on senders

The arrival of the first major users confirms that organizations have already begun using it, while Posta points to considerable potential still remaining. Banks and insurance companies are specifically cited as sectors in which the digital letter could gain further ground. For the recipient, the practical consequence is that the account is the point of access, while its practical usefulness increases when more communications are actually sent through the application.

Electronic signatures introduce a second level of use. It is not merely a matter of receiving a document: in the example given of a lease sent by a real estate agency, the future tenant will be able to sign it with legal validity. The same platform will also allow users to edit and resend forms online. The operational promise described by Posta is therefore to simplify and streamline document-related processes.

This feature should not, however, be confused with an absolute guarantee against digital risk. Questions about security were asked in connection with cyberattacks and data theft. Nicole Burth's answer presents security as a continuous process requiring constant updates and improvements. Posta considers itself at the forefront on this issue, but acknowledges that theft cannot be ruled out completely. The comparison with a physical letter is explicit: even in the real world, a letter can be stolen.

To understand the service correctly, it is therefore useful to distinguish three aspects: access to the application, the presence of senders and usable documents, and the level of security, which remains the subject of ongoing work. Posta does not present digitization as perfect protection, but as an evolving channel, with features intended to make certain operations more straightforward.

Key points

To use the service based on the functions described, the operational sequence can remain concise and faithful to what La Posta has announced.

From the account to document functions

1. Choose digital receipt in the La Posta application. The account figure concerns customers who have decided to receive letters digitally in the app: this is the step described for joining the service.

2. Distinguish opening an account from actual use. La Posta specifies that the count of opened accounts does not mean that all of them have already used the service. The check to carry out is therefore tied to actual use of the function, not just registration.

3. Consider the update announced for November. La Posta linked the app's evolution to improvements that also arose from customer feedback. The time reference provided for this update is November.

4. Use the electronic signature when the new function becomes available. The publicized scenario concerns a rental contract sent by a real estate agency: the future tenant will be able to affix a legally valid electronic signature.

5. Manage forms online. The announced function will allow documents to be edited and sent back online, rather than merely received.

The final check

Before considering an operation complete, the practical criterion is to verify which of the announced functions applies to the document: receipt, signing, editing or resending. La Posta's announcement describes these possibilities as developments of the service intended to make it easier to use.

On the security front, the practical rule is to keep expectations realistic. La Posta defines digital security as an ongoing process and acknowledges that theft cannot be completely ruled out. This serves as a warning about using the channel, without erasing the fact that even a letter in the real world can be stolen.

For support, the reference provided is the flow of customer requests: there are currently 3'000 requests for advice about the app per month. The figure shows that support is part of the service experience, while the November update will be the next step indicated by La Posta.

Source: rsi.ch

Frequently Asked Questions
How many digital mailings did La Posta record in the first six months?
During the first six months after the introduction of the digital letter, La Posta recorded a total of seven million mailings in digital format. Of these, three million were specifically digital letters. The results were presented on 15 October 2026, marking the first experience of this kind in the institution's 177-year history. Head Nicole Burth highlighted the service's growth.
How many customers opened an account to receive digital letters in La Posta's app?
Approximately 960'000 customers decided to open an account to receive digital letters through La Posta's application. It is important to note that this number represents accounts opened and does not necessarily indicate that all these customers have already actively used the service. La Posta considers the results positive, but wants an acceleration in adoption by large senders.
What new features are planned for La Posta's app, and when is an update expected?
Among the new features announced for La Posta's application is the introduction of a legally valid electronic signature, which will make it possible to sign documents such as rental contracts online. It will also be possible to edit and resend forms digitally. An update to the app, which includes improvements based on customer feedback, is scheduled for November. La Posta receives approximately 3'000 requests for advice per month.
Is the security of the digital letter 100% guaranteed?
Nicole Burth described digital protection as a continuous process that requires constant updates and improvements. La Posta is committed on this front, but admits that theft cannot be completely ruled out, just as a physical letter can be stolen in the real world. Security is an evolving aspect, not an absolute guarantee.
What is the main condition for the digital letter service to become appealing to private users?
For the private user, the digital letter service becomes interesting when a significant amount of correspondence passes through the platform. This depends largely on the adoption of the service by major senders, such as banks and insurance companies, which still have considerable potential to join. The practical usefulness for the recipient grows in proportion to the volume of communications sent through the application.

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