Swissquote is an online financial services provider based in Gland, Switzerland. The firm was launched in 1996 and has grown to become one of the leading online trading brokers in Switzerland, with over 1,200 employees and serving more than 650,000 clients across the globe. Swissquote is committed to providing retail and professional clients with competitive trading conditions to help them get the most out of their trading journey.
The broker offers multiple financial instruments across different asset classes, including Forex, commodities, cryptocurrencies, stocks, indices, metals, energies, options, futures, bonds, and ETFs. Most of these markets are tradable through contracts for difference (CFDs), although buying and holding physical stocks and ETFs is also an option for customers from certain countries. In this broker review, we will pay attention to the critical aspects of Swissquote, which you should consider when deciding whether to trade with this online broker. Swissquote has achieved an average Trustpilot score of 3.4 out of 5 stars based on 3,035 consumer reviews in total. As much as 41% of all customers have assigned a 5-star rating to Swissquote, compared to 21% who gave it a 1-star rating.
Swissquote Overall Summary Table | |
---|---|
Year Founded | 1996 |
Minimum Deposit | $1,000 |
Tradable Instruments | Forex, soft commodities, cryptocurrencies, stocks, indices, metals, energies, options, futures, bonds, ETFs, CFDs |
Open an Account | How to Open an Account at Swissquote |
Trading Costs | Spreads, Fees, and Commissions at Swissquote |
Key Pros and Cons
First, let us briefly look at Swissquote’s main strong points and weaknesses.
Key Pros
- Sophisticated trading platforms, including MT4 and MT5
- Strictly regulated in multiple jurisdictions
- A varied range of tradable markets across all major asset classes
- Zero commissions on Premium and Prime Accounts
- Tight spreads on major currency pairs
- A proprietary trading platform (CFXD)
- AutoChartist and other useful trading tools
- A rich selection of educational resources
- A knowledgeable clients support team
Key Cons
- High initial deposit requirements ($1,000)
- Does not accept US, Canadian, and Japanese clients
- No fixed-spread accounts
Company Information
The Launch of Swissquote
Swissquote is an online financial services provider that was launched in 1996 to provide traders with superior conditions, including zero commissions, tight spreads, multiple account options, and more. The broker allows traders to buy and sell multiple financial assets, including forex, commodities, cryptocurrencies, stocks, indices, metals, energies, options, bonds, futures, ETFs, and CFDs, using a range of advanced trading platforms that are available in desktop, web, and mobile versions. The minimum deposit required to start trading is $1,000 for entry-level Standard accounts.
A Broker with a Global Reach
Since its launch in 1996, the broker has continued to expand its reach and currently has offices in London, Zurich, Bern, Dubai, Malta, Hong Kong, Bucharest, Cape Town, Cyprus, and Singapore. In May 2000, Swissquote Group Holding Ltd (SQN) was listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange. The brand has grown into a global financial brokerage powerhouse, employing more than 1,200 people and serving over 650,000 clients from different parts of the world. Swissquote focuses on using the latest technologies to offer superior trading services to its clients across the globe. The broker is an official partner of Manchester United, the ZSC Lions, the Genève‑Servette Hockey Club, and the UEFA Conference League.
The Swissquote Group is comprised of the following corporate entities with their respective regulated offices:
- Swissquote Bank Ltd, regulated by the FINMA and SFBC, with headquarters located at Chemin de la Créteaux 33 1196, Gland, Switzerland
- Swissquote Ltd, regulated by the FCA, with registered offices at Boston House, 63‑64 New Broad Street, London EC2M 1JJ, the United Kingdom
- Swissquote MEA Ltd, regulated by the DFSA, with an office address at Al Fattan Currency House, Level 9, Office 904, Tower 2, DIFC, P.O. Box 121364 Dubai, the United Arab Emirates
- Swissquote Asia Ltd, regulated by the SFC, with offices located at Suites 3202-04, Level 32/F, ICBC Tower, 3 Garden Road, Central Hong Kong, China.
- Swissquote Financial Services, regulated by the MFSA, with registered address at Pender Gardens, St. Andrew’s Street, Saint Julian’s, STJ 1901, Malta
- Swissquote Pte. Ltd, overseen by the MAS, with registered offices at One Raffles Quay, North Tower, Singapore
- Swissquote Bank Europe Ltd, authorized by the CSSF, with an office location at 2 Rue Edward Steichen, L-2958 Luxembourg
- Swissquote Tech Hub Bucharest S.R.L, the software and tech division of the Group, located at Opera Center One Building, 1-5 Costache Negri Street, 5th floor, 5th District, Bucharest, Romania
- Swissquote Capital Markets Ltd, operating with a CySEC license and located at Spyrou Kyprianou 42, Emerald House, Floor 1, 3076, Limassol, Cyprus
- Swissquote South Africa (Pty) Ltd, regulated by the FSCA, with offices located at 183 Albion Springs, Cnr Albion Springs, Close & Main Road, Rondebosch, Cape Town 7700, South Africa
Note that Swissquote does not offer its services to residents of certain jurisdictions, such as North Korea, Japan, the United States, Canada, and other regions.
Why Trade with Swissquote?
Now, let us provide a quick list of the key features that we like about Swissquote.
Aspect | What We Like |
---|---|
Regulation | A reputable broker, licensed in multiple jurisdictions by some of the most stringent financial regulators, including FINMA, SFBC, FCA, CySEC, and SFC |
Pricing | Tight spreads and zero commissions on most account types |
Execution | A proprietary hybrid agency/principal model, ensuring swift order execution |
Trading | Multiple financial instruments across different asset classes, including forex, commodities, cryptocurrencies, stocks, indices, metals, energies, options, bonds, futures, ETFs, and CFDs |
Platforms | MT4, MT5, and a proprietary trading platform called CFXD, plus various advanced trading tools |
Customer Support | Responsive support representatives who are always ready to help clients via various contact channels |
Regulation
Swissquote is authorized and regulated in multiple jurisdictions.
In Switzerland, Swissquote Bank Ltd. is regulated by the Swiss Federal Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA). The entity is also a member of the Swiss Bankers Association.
In the UK, Swissquote operates as Swissquote Limited, a subsidiary that is authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The FCA is a strict regulatory body that ensures its licensees uphold the highest possible standards of transparency, security, and ethics.
In Dubai, Swissquote operates a subsidiary known as Swissquote MEA Ltd. It holds a category four license from the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA).
The Asian arm of Swissquote has a type 3 license for leveraged foreign exchange trading from the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) of Hong Kong. Another license has been granted by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).
In other parts of Europe, Swissquote operates with licenses granted by the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA), the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), and the Financial Sector Supervisory Commission (CSSF) of Luxembourg.
A breakdown of all licenses currently held by Swissquote is presented below.
Region | Entity | Authority | License Number |
---|---|---|---|
Switzerland | Swissquote Bank Ltd | Federal Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) | N/A |
The United Kingdom | Swissquote Ltd | Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) | License No. 562170 |
Dubai | Swissquote MEA Ltd | Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA). | License No. F001438 |
Hong Kong | Swissquote (Asia) | Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) | License No. AZV127 |
Malta | Swissquote Financial Services (Malta) Ltd | Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) | Registration Code C 57936 |
Cyprus | Swissquote Capital Markets Ltd | Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) | License No. 422/22 |
Singapore | Swissquote Pte. Ltd | Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) | License No. 226182 |
Luxembourg | Swissquote Bank Europe Ltd | Financial Sector Supervisory Commission (CSSF) | N/A |
South Africa | Swissquote South Africa (Pty) Ltd | Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) | License No. 43908 |
The broker’s licenses from key regulators like FINMA, FCA, DFSA, CySEC, and MFSA ensures a high level of trust as the broker complies with the regulatory requirements of multiple jurisdictions.
The FCA is a strict regulatory authority that ensures that UK-based clients are covered under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) if the broker fails to meet its financial obligations in the United Kingdom. The CySEC-regulated entity is also required to contribute to an investor compensation scheme.
Swissquote cannot provide its services to citizens or residents of the United States because it presently lacks authorization from the CFTC and offering CFD products is illegal under the US regulatory framework.
KYC Procedure for Account Creation and Depositing
Opening a new live account with Swissquote can be completed in a few minutes. Upon completing the account application process, you can fund your account and start trading. Overall, the Swissquote account creation process involves the following steps:
- Creating your secure login: You enter a valid email and choose a solid password.
- Completing the application form with your details: You enter your name, date of birth, city of residence, address, postcode, and phone number.
- Choosing your trading account: Choose your preferred trading platform and account type (Standard, Premium, Prime, and Professional).
- Checking your suitability status: You will be required to disclose information about your employment status and sources of income, as well as your trading experience. Based on your answers, if you are approved, you can proceed to the next step of the process. Your application will be rejected if you fail to provide accurate answers to some of the questions.
- Agree to the terms: You need to tick the box at the bottom of the registration form to indicate that you agree to Swissquote’s Terms and Conditions.
- Verifying your documents: When your online application is approved, you must upload some relevant documents, such as your proof of identity (a passport, national ID card, or driver’s license) and proof of residency (a utility bill or bank statement issued in the past three months) to verify your account.
While the account application process can be completed within a few minutes, account verification may take up to 24 hours. Also, you must fund your account using any available payment methods before you can start trading.
Account Types
The broker offers four main live account types: Standard, Premium, Prime, and Professional. All account options give you access to the full range of products at Swissquote. The main differences between the account types lie in the spreads, initial deposit requirements, and the minimum and maximum trade size. Now, let’s take a closer look at each of the available account options.
Standard Account
Premium Account
Prime Account
Professional Account
Feature | Standard | Premium | Prime | Professional |
---|---|---|---|---|
80 FX Pairs | ||||
CFDs on Major Stocks, Commodities, Metals, and Bonds | ||||
ECN Execution | ||||
Minimum Account Balance | $1,000 | $10,000 | $50,000 | Custom |
Web and Desktop Platforms, MT4, and Mobile apps | ||||
Unlimited Free Wire Transfers | ||||
No Requotes | ||||
Negative Balance Protection | ||||
Fully Automated Execution | ||||
24/7 Support | ||||
Variable Contract Sizes (from 1 Unit) | ||||
Joint Account | ||||
Corporate Account |
Islamic Account (Swap-Free)
Swissquote offers swap-free trading on the available trading account options. The Islamic account is best suited for traders of the Muslim faith who cannot pay swaps due to their religious beliefs. However, while the Islamic account does not incur any swaps or interest charges on overnight positions, the account holder is charged an administrative fee on the trading positions. Existing forex trading accounts can be converted to swap-free accounts but customers must contact the broker’s back office team or the forex front desk for this purpose.
Demo Account
The broker provides traders with a demo account that comes preloaded with virtual funds for practice purposes. The demo account allows onboarding customers to test their trading strategies before implementing them on the live account.
Trading Fees and Other Costs
As a trader, you will always have to consider a broker’s trading fees and other costs before deciding whether to trade with them. As with other CFD brokers and forex brokers, there are two main types of trading fees to keep in mind when joining Swissquote.
- Trading Fees: spreads, commissions, and overnight financing charges (swaps)
- Non-Trading Costs: account management fees, deposit and withdrawal fees, inactivity and currency conversion fees
Here is a breakdown of the two categories to give you an idea of how Swissquote positions itself on this front.
Costs/Fees | What is This? | With Swissquote |
---|---|---|
Spreads | The cost is incorporated into the price of what you trade. A wider bid-ask spread translates into higher costs. |
|
Commission | A flat fee paid upon opening and closing a position as an alternative to charging via the spread |
|
Financing Charges | The cost of holding a position open overnight | The broker does not charge an extra fee on top of the daily swap rates. |
Deposit Fees | Fees charged by the broker to fund your account | None |
Withdrawal Fees | Fees charged by the broker to withdraw money from your account | Bank transfers may incur additional fees. |
Inactivity Fees | Fees charged on dormant trading accounts | A monthly inactivity fee of $10 after 6 months |
Spreads
Swissquote offers relatively high spreads across all account types as follows:
- Standard Account: Spreads start from 1.7 pips with no commissions
- Premium Account: Spreads start from 1.4 pips with no commissions
- Prime Account: Spreads start from 1.1 pips with no commissions
Let us take a look at the minimum spreads offered for the three retail accounts.
Instrument | Standard Account | Premium Account | Prime Account |
---|---|---|---|
EUR/USD | 1.7 pip | 1.4 pip | 1.1 pips |
GBP/USD | 2.0 pips | 1.7 pips | 1.4 pips |
USD/JPY | 1.6 pips | 1.4 pips | 1.2 pips |
USD/CHF | 2.0 pips | 1.8 pips | 1.6 pips |
AUD/USD | 1.6 pips | 1.4 pips | 1.2 pips |
USD/CAD | 2.7 pips | 2.4 pips | 2.2 pips |
NZD/USD | 2.3 pips | 2.2 pips | 1.8 pips |
Since the broker does not charge commissions, it generates revenue from the spreads alone, adding a markup to cover its trading costs.
Now, let us compare the trading costs for the three account types. We shall provide an example with a position of one standard lot in EUR/USD, where a price change of a single pip equals $10, and assume that the trade is opened and closed at the same price. With these minimum spreads, the trading costs for the three accounts will be:
Standard Account
- Spread: 1.7 pips
- TOTAL COST: 1.7 x $10 = $17 per side and $34 per round turn
Premium Account
- Spread: 1.4 pips
- TOTAL COST: 1.4 x $10 = $14 per side and $28 per round turn
Prime Account
- Spread: 1.1 pips
- TOTAL COST: 1.1 x $10 = $11 per side and $22 per round turn
It turns out the Prime Account offers the lowest trading costs.
Finally, let us compare the minimum spreads for the Standard Swissquote account with those offered by other major brokerages for the most actively traded currency pairs.
Instrument | Swissquote | IC Markets | Fusion Markets | IG Markets |
---|---|---|---|---|
EUR/USD | 1.7 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 0.6 |
GBP/USD | 2.0 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 0.9 |
USD/JPY | 1.6 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 0.7 |
USD/CHF | 2.0 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 1.5 |
AUD/USD | 1.6 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 0.6 |
USD/CAD | 2.7 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 1.3 |
NZD/USD | 2.3 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 1.8 |
* Minimum spreads on Standard Accounts
As the table above shows, the spreads offered for the Swissquote Standard account are considerably higher than those offered by other big names in the industry like IC Markets, Fusion Markets, and IG. It follows that trading with Swissquote is nearly as twice as expensive compared to other brokers.
Commissions
Swissquote does not charge any commissions on trades conducted via Standard, Premium, and Prime accounts. Only positions in stocks attract commissions with these account types as we discussed earlier. The broker mainly profits from the spread, adding a markup to cover its trading costs.
When trading EUR/USD, for example, you will notice that the difference between the buy and the sell rates is higher with this broker than it is with other brokers. This shows that the trading costs have been added to the spread, which is why Swissquote does not charge separate commissions. The markup on the spread is how the broker is compensated for the absence of commissions.
Financing Charges
Forex swap rates are affected by market conditions and the interest rate differentials of the currencies involved in the forex pairs.
Swissquote’s institutional partners calculate the daily interest rates using risk-management analysis. As a result, each currency pair has a different swap rate. Interest is paid on the currency sold and received on the currency bought.
You can see the swap charges for a currency position by logging into the MT4 platform and taking the following steps:
- Locate the asset class in the ‘Market Watch’ window. Right-click and select ‘Symbols.’
- Select the currency pair you wish to check and then click on ‘Specifications’.
- You will see the swap rates for long and short positions.
Alternatively, you can check the current swap rates in the Trading Conditions section on the Swissquote website by clicking on your preferred currency pairs.
Deposit Fees
Just like most online brokerage firms, Swissquote does not charge any deposit fees. This is standard practice for brokers.
Withdrawal Fees
Swissquote also does not charge any fees for withdrawals via domestic (SEPA) bank transfers. However, payments to and from overseas banking institutions may attract intermediary fees when customers withdraw via international bank transfers. Another downside is that the broker does not enable withdrawals with other methods, such as the e-wallets PayPal, Skrill, and Neteller.
Inactivity Fees
Swissquote charges an inactivity fee, which applies if you have no open positions and have not traded for 6 months or more. The fee is set at a maximum of 10 units of your base currency (CHF, USD, EUR, or GBP) or the equivalent of your remaining balance, whichever is lower. The inactivity fee will be deducted monthly until you resume trading, close your account, or your balance drops to zero.
This fee will not take your balance into the negative but can bring it down to zero if no further trading activity occurs. For accounts in other currencies, the fee will be equivalent to CHF 10.
The inactivity fee only applies to retail clients. Introducing brokers, money managers, institutional and corporate clients are exempt from this fee.
Overall on Fees
Swissquote offers marked-up spreads on its retail account types. However, it charges zero commissions on those account types. The broker now imposes an inactivity fee after 6 months of no trading activity, capped at 10 units of your base currency.
Overall, while Swissquote offers zero commissions, its spreads are wider than those of its closest competitors, particularly of IC Markets, IG, and Fusion Markets. The addition of an inactivity fee may also be a point to consider for casual and low-volume traders.
Desktop Trading Platforms
At Swissquote, all forex and CFD trading activities are carried out using four main trading platforms, namely MT4, MT5, TradingView, and the proprietary CFXD software. Let’s examine each option up close to see its main merits.
MetaTrader 4
MetaTrader 4, or MT4 for short, is an advanced trading platform that was developed in 2005 by the Cyprus-based software company MetaQuotes. Thanks to its user-friendliness, MT4 has established itself as the most commonly implemented platform for forex and CFD trading in the world.
The platform has an abundance of tools and features to satisfy even the most demanding traders. Some of the essential features of MT4 include a one-click trading panel, drawing tools, technical indicators, Expert Advisors (EAs) for automated trading, and many others. The extensive charting suite also includes 30 built-in indicators, 24 analytical objects, 9 timeframes, and a varied range of order types.
The MT4 trading platform is available as a desktop application for Windows and Mac computers. It has a browser-based version (WebTrader) and native mobile applications for Android and iOS devices. WebTrader can be accessed through all popular browsers, including Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Edge.
MetaTrader 5
As a result of the worldwide adoption of MT4, MetaTrader 5 (MT5) was introduced in 2010 as its more advanced successor. MT5 maintains all the core features of the MT4 platform but has additional functionalities, including more timeframes, technical indicators, and graphical objects. This is a multi-asset platform that enables trading in more complex instruments like stocks, futures, and options, while MT4 was primarily intended for forex and CFD trading. It also features a built-in economic calendar, a multi-threaded strategy tester, and additional pending order types. It supports both netting and hedging, unlike its predecessor that enables hedging only.
The Depth of Market (DoM) feature shows the best bid and ask prices at different liquidity levels for a given instrument. The extra tools of MT5 allow for greater flexibility. MT5 has a good selection of 38 technical indicators to detect trends and help predict the future price direction. Users can additionally create their own indicators and trading bots using the MQL5 coding language. MT5 charts are fully customizable, with 21 timeframes to choose from compared to 9 timeframes in MT4. The MT5 trading platform is available for desktop computers, web browsers, and mobile devices.
CFXD
Swissquote provides traders with the option to use CFXD, a proprietary trading platform developed in-house by the broker’s team of fin-tech experts. The platform is replete with powerful built-in features, such as over 50 charting tools, 80 technical indicators (including Moving Averages, MACD, Bollinger Bands, Stochastic, RSI, and Heikin-Ashi) and an integrated real-time news feed from Bloomberg. CFDX is suitable for traders at all levels thanks to its intuitive user interface. It is designed to meet clients’ ever-growing demands in a fully customizable environment for convenient and efficient trading.
The platform supports multiple order types, including stop and limit orders. There is no need to download any additional software as CFDX is available purely as a browser-based platform. The mobile versions of the platform can be very useful if you need to trade while on the move. Native mobile apps are available for all iOS and Android devices from the relevant app stores. The web version allows you to trade directly within your web browser without the need to download and install an app.
Additional Platforms and Tools
eTrading
This is a multi-asset trading platform developed to help traders reach their investment goals with ease. The eTrading platform comes with multiple functions, including widgets, integrated watchlists, a trend radar, financial news, and quick search, which can optimize your overall trading experience.
Swiss DOTS
Swiss DOTS (Swiss Derivatives OTC Trading System) is an exclusive specialized system that allows Swissquote clients to trade thousands of leveraged products directly with the issuer. You can easily create a Swiss DOTS trading account, whether you are a Swissquote customer or not.
Themes Trading Platform
The Themes Trading system is a feature within Swissquote’s platform ecosystem that allows clients to invest in thematic portfolios that align with global trends like green energies, for example. It is embedded as an investment tool rather than a distinct platform.
TradingView
Swissquote additionally offers seamless integration with the TradingView platform, enabling clients to trade forex and CFDs directly from its advanced charting interface. This platform is renowned for its industry-leading charting tools, extensive library of over 400 built-in indicators, and vibrant social community whose members can exchange ideas and insights. Traders also benefit from real-time analysis, customizable layouts, and the ability to connect with a global network of investors to inform their decisions.
Mobile Trading Platforms
All platforms supported by Swissquote are compatible with smartphones and tablets. Dedicated mobile apps are available for Android and iOS devices and can be downloaded for free from the relevant app stores. They can be used to place trades and check trading positions while on the move, as long as you are connected to the internet.
Swissquote’s native CFDX mobile app is easy to use, and even has a good selection of over 25 educational videos. It offers charts with 27 indicators for precise technical analysis. The dedicated app provides users with access to prices for hundreds of financial markets, allowing them to create personalized watchlists with their preferred symbols. Customers can safely access their trading accounts with biometric authentication for enhanced security.
Swissquote Mobile Trading Platform | ||
---|---|---|
Android | iOS | |
Minimum System Requirements | Android 8.1 and up | iOS 15.0 or later |
User Rating | 3.4/5 | 4.4/5 |
User Reviews | 5,632 votes | 103 ratings |
Supported Languages | English, French, German, Italian, Russian, Spanish, Arabic, and Chinese | English, French, German, Italian |
Forex Pairs | 80+ | 80+ |
Other Tradable Assets | Stocks, crypto, precious metals, soft commodities, indices, bonds | Stocks, crypto, ETFs, mutual funds |
Features | Customizable charts, low latency, educational videos, sophisticated order types | Dedicated Swissquote wallet, graphics and information for more than 100,000 financial instruments, trading alerts, charts with technical analysis indicators |
Biometric Authentication | Yes | Yes |
2-Factor Authentication | Yes | Yes |
Trading Instruments
Swissquote offers a generous selection of trading instruments across various asset classes, including forex, stocks, cryptocurrencies, bonds, commodities, and indices.
This is comparable to what its closest rivals like IC Markets and Fusion Markets offer.
Asset Class | Swissquote Rating | IC Markets | Fusion Markets | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Forex | 80 | Excellent | 61 | 90+ |
Stocks | 300+ CFDs | Fair | 2,100 | 110 |
Commodities | 16 | Good | 28 | 17 |
Cryptocurrencies | 2 | Fair | 18 | 13 |
Bonds | 3 CFDs | Fair | 9 | 0 |
Indices | 26 | Excellent | 25 | 15 |
ETFs | 20,000 | Superb | 0 | 0 |
Let us now take a closer look at the product list.
Forex
Swissquote offers access to the highly liquid forex market, allowing customers to trade 80 or so forex pairs, including major, minor, and exotic pairs. It offers leverage of up to 1:100 to customers outside Europe, which means you can open a position worth $10,000 with as little as $100. However, EU retail traders are limited to leverage of 1:30 for major and 1:20 for non-major pairs.
Being a market maker, the broker offers ultra-fast order execution, but the spreads are on the high side. For example, the spreads for major pairs start from 1.7 pips on the Standard account, which is quite high when compared to other big brokers.
Stocks
Customers looking to profit from some of the world’s most popular stocks can consider trading stock CFDs with Swissquote. Currently, the broker offers over 300 stocks of large-cap companies like Alphabet, Apple, Tesla, and Meta. You can speculate on the price movements of stocks from the United States, the UK, and Europe. The broker offers favorable trading conditions, including nominal commissions of $0.03 per US share with Standard accounts. Swissquote also provides real-time pricing feeds from major exchanges and a Stock Finder with daily market analysis.
ETFs
At Swissquote, traders can choose from more than 20,000 exchange-traded funds but this asset class is available only at the Luxembourg and Switzerland-based entities only. ETFs are best-suited to clients who qualify as professional traders. The available ETFs include over 300 IShares by BlackRock, 90 ETFs from LYXOR by Société Générale, Vanguard, UBS, Amundi, ComStage, and many more.
Commodities
Swissquote prices up markets for precious and base metals like gold, silver, palladium, and copper. The broker also allows clients to trade CFDs on several energies, such as gasoline, natural gas, and crude oil. Soft commodities like soybean meal, cocoa, sugar, and coffee are available as well. You can use leverage of up to 1:50, or 1:10 if you are based in Europe and the UK. Professional traders have access to considerably higher leverage of up to 1:400. To manage your trades, you can also use the available tools, such as ‘Close at Profit’ (Stop Limit) or ‘Close at Loss’ (Stop loss). To avoid slippage, you can also set a Guaranteed Stop.
Cryptocurrencies
At Swissquote, you can trade two of world’s most popular cryptocurrencies, namely Bitcoin and Ethereum. In addition to zero commissions and flexible leverage, Swissquote offers competitive spreads to keep your trading costs to the minimum.
Options and Futures
Trading options and futures at Swissquote comes with the following benefits but is available only at the Swiss and Luxembourg entities.
- Exhaustive offer: Direct access to nearly a million derivatives
- Trading desk at your disposal for advanced strategies
- Extended trading hours: Trade anytime, 5 days a week
Mutual Funds
Swissquote allows clients to invest in funds, which means investing in a basket of assets together with other investors. Mutual funds are a great option for traders who seek long-term passive capital growth. The funds offered by Swissquote are managed by highly experienced professionals. The broker offers more than 20,000 funds from over 200 renowned investment banks and financial institutions. Against, this asset class is generally tradable only at the Switzerland and Luxembourg-regulated divisions of the broker.
Trade Execution
Swissquote primarily operates as a market maker broker. It acts as the counter-party to clients’ trades, providing liquidity by quoting two-sided prices (bid and ask) and earning profits through the spread markup. Swissquote’s market-making model enables fast execution with minimal slippage and no commissions on trades, as all costs are incorporated into the spreads.
It is worth mentioning, however, that the broker relies on a proprietary hybrid agency/principal execution model. This hybrid approach combines elements of agency execution, where client orders are routed to external liquidity providers such as Tier 1 banks and regional non-bank liquidity source, and principal execution, where Swissquote acts as the counter-party. This infrastructure ensures deep liquidity, low latency, and competitive market conditions for clients.
In brief, Swissquote is not a pure No Dealing Desk (NDD), ECN, or Straight Through Processing (STP) broker but rather a market maker with a hybrid execution model that leverages external liquidity pools to optimize trade execution.
Deposits
The broker allows traders to set up accounts in the following base currencies: EUR, USD, JPY, GBP, CHF, CAD, AUD, TRY, PLN, SEK, NOK, SGD, XGD, HUF, and CZK. This prevents customers from incurring additional currency conversion fees.
The available funding options at Swissquote are designed with your convenience and security in mind. This is why the broker accepts both bank wire transfers and credit/debit cards for deposits. While Swissquote does not charge any deposit fees, you should remember that your bank or card issuer may impose additional charges for transactions.
The time required to process transactions varies based on the payment method. Bank transfers, for example, may take a few business days to clear, while credit/debit card deposits are processed almost instantly. The minimum deposit amount depends on the account type you register. For instance, the Standard account requires a minimum deposit of $1,000, while Prime users must transfer at least $50,000 to their balance to get started.
Swissquote does not accept third-party payments, a standard practice among regulated brokers. All funds deposited into your trading account must come from a method registered in your name. The broker offers the following deposit methods.
Method | Processing Time |
---|---|
Bank Wire Transfer | A few days |
Credit/Debit Card | Instant |
Please note that the broker does not offer any deposit bonuses at the moment.
Withdrawal Methods
At Swissquote, bank wire transfers and credit/debit cards can also be used for withdrawals. Generally, it is recommended to use the same payment method for both deposits and withdrawals. Note that cards have a limited availability and bank transfers are the primary withdrawal method at Swissquote.
To initiate a withdrawal request from your Swissquote account, you should log in to your secure client area and select the withdrawal tab from the menu. All withdrawal requests are processed via the payment method that was used to make a deposit. For instance, card withdrawals can only be used by customers who initially deposited with cards.
Swissquote does not charge any internal fees for deposits or withdrawals. However, payments to and from overseas banking institutions may attract intermediary fees.
Due to AML/CTF laws, Swissquote does not allow withdrawals to third parties. As a result, all money withdrawn from your account must go to a bank account registered in the same name as your Swissquote trading account.
The broker cannot guarantee same-day withdrawals, as processing times depend on the payment method used. In most cases, the processing times are subject to the receiving bank processes, which is outside Swissquote’s control. For instance, bank wire transfers may take between 1 and 3 days.
Swissquote offers the following withdrawal methods:
Method | Processing Time |
---|---|
Bank Wire Transfer | A few days |
Credit/Debit Card | A few days |
Customer Support Contacts
Swissquote has a multilingual support team with offices in London, Gland, Zurich, Bern, Dubai, Malta, and Hong Kong. The support team is available to respond to clients’ general, technical, and account-related queries. The team is available 24/5 and can be reached via live chat, telephone, and email.
Support Contact | Availability | Response Time |
---|---|---|
Live Chat | 24/5 | Less than 30 seconds |
Telephone Contact | 24/5 | Within several minutes |
Email Contact | 24/5 | Within several hours |
FAQs | 24/7 | On the website |
- Live Chat: This support channel allows you to chat directly with the broker’s support team. It offers real-time answers to your trading inquiries. The live chat button is located in the lower-right corner of the website. When you click on the icon, you must input your name and email address. Next, type your message in the box to interact with the customer support team in real time.
- Telephone contact: You can also contact the broker’s support team over the phone on weekdays, using any of the following phone numbers:
- Luxembourg: +352 2603 2003
- International: +41 44 825 88 88
- Europe: +357 25 258 250
When we contacted the broker’s office during local business hours, we got a response within a few minutes. The response from the customer support team was polite and offered all the information we were looking for.
- Email Contact: You can send specific inquiries to fx@swissquote.com
From our experience, the support team responded within a few hours when we contacted them via email. - FAQ: This is a comprehensive list of Frequently Asked Questions, arranged in different categories like account application, account management, fund management, trading with Swissquote, and trading platforms.
- Social Media: In addition to traditional contact channels, the broker’s support team can be reached through social media platforms like X, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. These social media channels come with the added advantage of allowing clients to easily interact with the support team through the comment sections.
Research and Educational Materials
To help traders improve their knowledge, Swissquote provides a good selection of learning resources on its website. These educational materials cover several aspects of trading, including market analysis, trading strategies, and how to use the platforms provided by Swissquote. The educational resources are available in the following formats:
Trading Videos
The Swissquote learning center has a section dedicated to trading tutorials covering various topics with a series of well-explained and visually appealing videos. The videos are available in English and cover trading tools, platforms, market analysis, risk management, and more. There are also some PDF user guides available within this section.
Webinars
Swissquote offers frequent live and on-demand webinars hosted by experts. The webinars enable you to improve your trading knowledge from the comfort of your surroundings. They are available in English, French, German, Spanish, and Arabic.
Market Analysis
Swissquote has a team of expert analysts and researchers who post live daily and weekly market reports. These exclusive market insights can be used as part of an overall technical and fundamental analysis.
News
The broker’s website contains a news section that is dedicated to informing traders of the latest happenings in the financial market. The publications are arranged in chronological order, with the latest news articles at the top, to keep traders in the loop.
Swissquote Magazine
Swissquote publishes a magazine that contains interviews and in-depth articles on key market players from around the globe, allowing readers to draw upon a range of innovative ideas for their strategies.
Ebooks
The broker offers various ebooks covering specific trading topics. These are available in various easily accessible formats, such as PDFs.
Security and Money Guarantees
Here at Bestbrokers.com, we focus on ensuring that our readers trade only with reputable brokers who are well-regulated by top-tier financial authorities. Swissquote is one of such broker with a strong regulatory track record of compliance and ethical practices. Here are our key findings about Swissquote:
- Nearly three decades of business history and growth
- Licenses from the FCA, CySEC, FINMA, and other prominent regulators
- FSCS compensation for UK clients
The brokers’ regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the United Kingdom shows that it is a reputable brand that upholds high regulatory and ethical standards. Also, Swissquote’s regulation in multiple jurisdictions is a strong indication that the broker can comply with the regulatory frameworks in different countries and can be trusted by clients around globe. Traders’ funds are kept in segregated bank accounts so that the broker does not use them to fund their operations. The data on the broker’s website is secured using the SSL encryption technology, which ensures that the risk of hacking is kept at a minimum. However, the broker is not regulated by the CFTC, so it does not accept clients from the United States of America.
Entity | Regulator | Amount Covered | Negative Balance Protection |
---|---|---|---|
SwissQuote Bank Ltd | Federal Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) | N/A | |
Swissquote Ltd | Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) | £85,000 | |
Swissquote MEA Ltd | Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA). | N/A | |
Swissquote (Asia) | Securities & Futures Commission (SFC) | N/A | |
Swissquote Financial Services (Malta) Ltd | Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) | €20,000 | |
Swissquote Capital Markets Ltd | Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) | €20,000 |
Conclusion
Overall, it is safe to say that Swissquote is a good choice for beginners and professional traders insisting on a secure trading environment rather than favorable conditions. Apart from its relatively high trading costs, the broker performs well in other areas. Some of the reasons to use this broker include:
- Regulation in multiple jurisdictions
- Advanced trading technology
- Sophisticated trading platforms like MT4, MT5, and TradingView
- Responsive customer support team
- A good selection of learning resources
- Three decades of industry experience