(FORTUNE Magazine) – Swiss bank accounts, formerly reserved for the privileged classes, are now as attainable as Ricola lozenges and Swatch watches. Swissnetbank.com--an incarnation of Zurich's respected BWO Bank--introduced an account that can be opened without the once standard trip to Switzerland or hefty minimum balance. The new "Emoney" accounts are available over the Internet for a minimum deposit of just 200 dollars, euros, or Swiss francs.

Make no mistake: These are real Swiss bank accounts, which means that they must abide by the famously strict Swiss banking regulations. Customers can request an anonymous "numbered account"; if bank officials reveal a client's personal or financial information, they are subject to criminal charges.

Of course, the cachet alone might be worth the price: For a couple of hundred bucks, any Joe Six-Pack from Milan to Milwaukee can brag to his friends that he's got a Swiss bank account. Then again, if anyone with a Velcro wallet can afford one, what's the point?

--Noshua Watson