Swissquote
Published: Updated:
- Trust score
- 5/10
- Legal simplicity
- 5/10
- Min. deposit
- 1000
- Payment systems
- Instruments
- Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, Metals, Energies, Bonds, ETFs, Options, Futures, Cryptocurrencies
- Legal entity
- Swissquote Bank Ltd
- Jurisdiction
- Switzerland
- Fees
- Swissquote prices forex on tiered spreads that tighten as account equity rises through its Standard, Premium, Prime and Professional levels. Securities trading carries per-order commission, and custody fees may apply. Pricing is higher than at offshore brokers, which is the cost of a Swiss banking counterparty.
- Withdrawals
- Withdrawals go by bank transfer to an account in the client's own name, typically processed within one to two business days with standard bank charges.
Features
- Seminars and training
- Daily analyst commentary
- Copy trading
- Islamic accounts
- Telephone trading
- MAM terminal
- Segregated accounts
- Affiliate program
- Wide range of trading instruments
Pros
- No specific advantages listed.
Cons
- No specific drawbacks listed.
Swissquote began in 1990 as Marvel Communications SA and launched its first online trading platform in 1996, evolving into a Swiss bank offering forex, CFDs, stocks, bonds, and crypto. Swissquote Bank Ltd holds a banking license from FINMA, and its international offices are regulated locally by the FCA, DFSA, MFSA, SFC, and MAS. Trading runs on MT4, MT5, and its proprietary Advanced Trader platform, alongside an Investment Account, robo-advisory, and crypto trading.
Swissquote offers seminars and training, daily analyst commentary, copy trading, Islamic and segregated accounts, telephone trading, MAM terminals, and an affiliate program across a wide range of trading instruments.
Swissquote is a Swiss bank and broker offering forex, CFDs, stocks, bonds, and cryptocurrencies through MT4, MT5, and its own Advanced Trader platform. It holds a Swiss banking license and sets a $1,000 minimum deposit on its standard forex account.
History and background
Swissquote started in 1990 as Marvel Communications SA, a financial software and web-application company. In 1996 it launched its first online platform, giving private investors free real-time access to Swiss stock exchange prices, and the Swissquote brand was born. The company, now Swissquote Group Holding Ltd, is headquartered in Gland, Switzerland, with offices in Zurich, Bern, Dubai, Malta, Hong Kong, London, Singapore, and Luxembourg.
Swissquote has held partnerships with financial institutions including PostFinance, Goldman Sachs, UBS, Commerzbank, and Vontobel, and has partnered with Manchester United since 2015.
Regulation and safety
Swissquote Bank Ltd holds a banking license from Switzerland's FINMA and is a member of the Swiss Bankers' Association. Its international subsidiaries are authorized by local regulators, including the FCA (UK), DFSA (Dubai), MFSA (Malta), SFC (Hong Kong), and MAS (Singapore).
Client funds are held in segregated accounts at top-tier banks, separate from company funds, and are insured against company insolvency. The broker undergoes regular internal and external audits and ongoing monitoring by its regulators.
Leverage
Standard leverage is 1:100. European clients are capped at 1:30 on major currency pairs under EU rules, while clients in Dubai and Hong Kong can access leverage of up to 1:200.
Account types
Swissquote offers four private trading accounts, all commission-free with costs built into the spread:
- Standard: spreads from 1.7 pips, $1,000 minimum deposit.
- Premium: spreads from 1.4 pips, $10,000 minimum deposit.
- Prime: spreads from 1.1 pips, $50,000 minimum deposit.
- Professional: individual spreads and minimum deposit based on trading volume.
Demo versions are available for all account types.
Trading platforms
Swissquote provides its proprietary Advanced Trader platform alongside MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5).
Trading instruments and tools
Available instruments include forex currency pairs, currency options, precious metals, stock indices, commodities, stocks, bonds, and cryptocurrencies. Beyond forex and CFDs, Swissquote offers:
- Investment Account: access to roughly 3 million products across 60 exchanges, including stocks, bonds, IPOs, ETFs, funds, options, futures, and commodities.
- Robo-Advisors: automated portfolios built from your stated risk tolerance, capital, and market preferences.
- Crypto-Assets: trading in 12 major cryptocurrencies.
Deposits and withdrawals
The minimum deposit for a standard forex account is $1,000. Supported base currencies are EUR, USD, JPY, GBP, CHF, CAD, AUD, TRY, PLN, SEK, NOK, SGD, and CZK. Deposits are made by bank transfer or debit/credit card. Swissquote generally charges no withdrawal fees, though an inactivity fee applies. Withdrawals are managed through the broker's e-banking service, and a Swissquote Card is available for ATM withdrawals and payments.
Account features
Swissquote offers Islamic (swap-free) accounts, segregated client funds, an affiliate program, scalping, automated trading, mobile trading, a web terminal, social trading, trading signals, and VPS hosting. PAMM accounts, deposit bonuses, and contests are not offered. Customer support is available 24/5.
Bottom line
Swissquote pairs a Swiss banking license and broad regulatory coverage with a wide product range spanning forex, stocks, bonds, and crypto. Its minimum deposits run higher than many forex-only brokers, from $1,000 on the Standard account up to $50,000 for Prime.
Trading conditions
Swissquote Bank is a listed Swiss bank and the country's largest online banking and trading group. Client money is held as bank deposits under FINMA supervision, covered by Swiss depositor protection up to the statutory limit — a materially different structure from broker segregation, and the reason its pricing sits above the offshore market.
The instrument list is one of the broadest available to a retail client: currencies, equities on dozens of exchanges, bonds, funds, options, futures and crypto in a single account.
Forex spreads are tiered by account level, so cost falls as equity rises. Retail leverage on the Swiss entity is capped at 1:100, above the European 30:1 and far below offshore levels.
Verification
Onboarding is a bank account opening: identity documents, proof of address, tax residency declaration, source of funds and an appropriateness assessment. Expect several business days and a minimum funding requirement that is substantial by retail broker standards.
What that buys is the account's legal character. A Swissquote balance is a deposit at a supervised Swiss bank, not a claim against a brokerage — which is the single strongest counterparty position available to a retail forex trader, and it is priced accordingly.
