Broker profile

Swissquote

Strictly regulated

A Swiss online bank whose forex and CFD accounts are offered by Swissquote Bank (FINMA) and by subsidiaries licensed in the UK, Cyprus, Hong Kong and Dubai. This profile covers the forex and CFD offer only; accounts start at $1,000 with spread-only pricing.

Facts last checked 20 October 2026. Always confirm on the regulator’s register. How we review brokers

Get an email when Swissquote's licence or key facts change.

Key facts

Founded
Not yet checked
Headquarters
Switzerland
Minimum deposit
$1,000
Max. retail leverage
1:30 on major pairs (UK, EU); 1:100 standard at Swissquote Bank
Cheapest cost per lot
$12 on EUR/USD
Regulators
FINMA (Switzerland), FCA (United Kingdom), CySEC (European Union), SFC (Hong Kong), DFSA (Dubai (DIFC), UAE)
Platforms
MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, CFXD, TradingView, FIX API
Last checked
How we review brokers

Client protection

  • No segregated client moneyWhat this means
  • No negative balance protectionWhat this means
  • Swiss depositor protection up to CHF 100,000 (Swissquote Bank); FSCS up to £85,000 (UK); ICF up to €20,000 (Cyprus)What this means

Regulation and entities

Your protection depends on which company holds your account, and that depends on where you live. Each row is one licensed company. What regulation means

RegulatorRegionCompanyLicence no.Clients coveredTierRegister
FINMACheck the register of the FINMA (opens in a new tab)SwitzerlandSwissquote Bank Ltd (Swissquote Bank SA)Bank licenceSwiss residents and international clients not served by a local Swissquote company StrictCheck on the register of the FINMA (opens in a new tab)
FCACheck the register of the FCA (opens in a new tab)United KingdomSwissquote Ltd562170UK residents StrictCheck on the register of the FCA (opens in a new tab)
CySECCheck the register of the CySEC (opens in a new tab)European UnionSwissquote Capital Markets Limited422/22Forex and CFD clients in EU and EEA countries StrictCheck on the register of the CySEC (opens in a new tab)
SFCCheck the register of the SFC (opens in a new tab)Hong KongSwissquote Asia LtdCE AZV127 (Type 3, leveraged foreign exchange trading)Hong Kong clients (leveraged forex) StrictCheck on the register of the SFC (opens in a new tab)
DFSACheck the register of the DFSA (opens in a new tab)Dubai (DIFC), UAESwissquote MEA LtdF001438Clients served from the Dubai International Financial Centre StandardCheck on the register of the DFSA (opens in a new tab)

Before you deposit: search the licence number on the register, then check that the website and phone number listed there match the ones you are using. How to check a licence

Websites

Official websites

  • swissquote.com
  • swissquote.ch
  • swissquote.co.uk
  • swissquote.eu
  • swissquote.cy

Type the address yourself or use a bookmark. Check it matches the website listed for the firm on the regulator’s register.

Watch out for look-alike sites

These addresses have used Swissquote’s name but are not run by it:

  • swissquotes.de(not official)
  • swissfuturefx.com(not official)
  • swissfuture-fx.com(not official)

A clone firm copies a real broker’s name, licence number and branding to take deposits. The register shows the genuine firm, so the surest check is the contact details: if the website, email or phone number you were given is not the one on the register, treat it as a clone. Check a broker step by step

Accounts and costs

AccountSpread fromTypical EUR/USDCommission per lotCost per lotMin. deposit
StandardSpread only, minimum trade 0.01 lot1.7 pips1.8 pipsNone$18$1,000
PremiumSpread only, minimum trade 0.1 lot1.4 pips1.5 pipsNone$15$10,000
PrimeSpread only, minimum trade 1 lot1.1 pips1.2 pipsNone$12$50,000

Cost per lot = typical EUR/USD spread × $10 + round-turn commission, for one standard lot (100,000 units) in busy hours. Swap and other fees are extra. Trading costs explained

Typical spreads by symbol

SymbolStandard accountPrime account
EUR/USD1.8 pips1.2 pips
GBP/USD2.2 pips1.6 pips
USD/JPY1.9 pipsNot checked
XAU/USD69 centsNot checked

Typical spreads in busy hours, before any commission. They widen overnight, at the weekly open and around news. XAU/USD is quoted in US cents per ounce: 69 cents is $69 on a standard lot of 100 ounces.

Leverage and margin

Leverage lets you open a position bigger than your deposit, so losses grow as fast as gains. The caps below are the most Swissquote allows; you can always use less.

Asset classRetail clients
Major currency pairs (UK1:30
EUR/USD and other major pairs (Swissquote Bank)1:100 (1% margin)
Gold (Swissquote Bank)1:50 (2% margin)
Margin call
100% (maintenance margin)When your equity falls to 100% (maintenance margin) of the margin your open trades use, you get a warning and usually cannot open new trades.
Stop-out
30%When your equity falls to 30% of your used margin, the platform starts closing your trades, usually the biggest loser first, until the level recovers.

Margin level = equity ÷ used margin × 100. Without negative balance protection, a fast market can gap past the stop-out and leave you owing money. Work out your margin level

Features

Strengths

  • Forex accounts held with a Swiss bank supervised by FINMA, with Swiss depositor protection up to CHF 100,000
  • Subsidiaries licensed by the FCA, CySEC and Hong Kong's SFC
  • Spread-only pricing with no commission on forex, and live spreads shown per account on its website

Watch out for

  • High entry level: $1,000 for Standard, $10,000 for Premium and $50,000 for Prime.
  • At Swissquote Bank, Swissquote warns that losses are in theory unlimited and you may have to pay in more if your balance falls below margin
  • Inactivity fee of 10 a month in the account currency after only 6 months
  • Says Swissquote South Africa (Pty) Ltd holds FSCA licence 43908 (advice and intermediary services); we could not confirm it on the FSCA register on 2026-10-20.

Overview

Swissquote is a Swiss online bank listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange. It offers shares, funds and crypto as well as forex and CFDs; this profile covers only the forex and CFD side. Forex and CFD accounts are spread-only, with three levels set by deposit size, and run on MetaTrader 4 and 5, Swissquote’s CFXD platform and TradingView.

Regulation and safety

We checked these on the regulators’ registers on 20 October 2026. Swissquote Bank Ltd is listed by FINMA as authorised as a bank; FINMA does not use licence numbers. Swissquote Ltd is FCA-authorised (562170), Swissquote Capital Markets Limited holds CySEC licence 422/22, Swissquote Asia Ltd holds an SFC Type 3 licence for leveraged foreign exchange (CE AZV127) and Swissquote MEA Ltd is DFSA-regulated (F001438). Swissquote says the Dubai company does not offer CFDs or rolling spot forex to retail clients. The Luxembourg bank, Swissquote Bank Europe, focuses on shares, ETFs, funds and crypto. We rate SFC strict because Hong Kong licenses and supervises leveraged forex dealers directly.

The FCA has warned about a clone firm using Swissquote’s name at swissquotes.de and swissfuturefx.com. See forex broker scams and forex broker regulation.

Costs

Pricing is all in the spread, with no commission on forex. Swissquote Bank quotes EUR/USD from 1.7 pips on Standard, 1.4 on Premium and 1.1 on Prime. The live spreads on its trading conditions page on 20 October 2026, in London hours, were 1.8, 1.5 and 1.2 pips, which we list as typical; they change through the day. On Standard that is about $18 per lot. Swaps apply overnight. The inactivity fee starts after six months. Use the trading costs guide to compare.

Platforms and tools

MetaTrader 4 and 5, CFXD, TradingView and a FIX API are offered. Expert Advisors and high-frequency trading are allowed. See MT4 vs MT5.

Deposits and withdrawals

Each account has an IBAN, so you fund it by bank transfer in one of 15 currencies. Because Swissquote Bank is a bank, cash in your account is a bank deposit covered by Swiss depositor protection up to CHF 100,000, rather than money in a segregated client account. Swissquote Bank publishes a stop-out level of 30% and a maintenance margin of 100%.

Who it may suit

The set-up fits traders who want a bank-held forex account and can meet a $1,000 minimum. Smaller accounts and scalpers looking for raw spreads may find other price structures cheaper. Practise first on a demo account.

How to open an account

The steps as we checked them. Never deposit until you have confirmed the licence.

  1. Check which company you will join

    UK residents join Swissquote Ltd (FCA) and EU forex and CFD clients Swissquote Capital Markets Limited (CySEC). Hong Kong clients deal with Swissquote Asia Ltd (SFC). Swiss and many international clients join Swissquote Bank Ltd (FINMA). The company is named in your account documents.

  2. Fill in the Forex and CFDs sign-up form

    Give your personal details and answer the questions about your experience and finances.

  3. Provide your ID

    Have a passport or ID card ready for the identity check.

  4. Choose an account level

    Standard from $1,000, Premium from $10,000 or Prime from $50,000. Higher levels have lower spreads but larger minimum trade sizes.

  5. Fund by bank transfer and practise

    Your account has its own IBAN for transfers. Try the demo account before trading live.

What changed on this profile

  1. Profile published. Licences checked on the FINMA, FCA, CySEC, SFC and DFSA registers. FSCA register could not be reached.

Swissquote: common questions

Is Swissquote regulated?

Yes. Swissquote Bank Ltd is authorised as a bank by FINMA, Swissquote Ltd is FCA-authorised (562170), Swissquote Capital Markets Limited holds CySEC licence 422/22, Swissquote Asia Ltd is SFC-licensed for leveraged forex (CE AZV127) and Swissquote MEA Ltd is DFSA-regulated (F001438). We checked each on 20 October 2026.

Which Swissquote company will I join?

Swissquote Ltd in the UK, Swissquote Capital Markets Limited for EU forex and CFDs, Swissquote Asia Ltd in Hong Kong, and Swissquote Bank Ltd in Switzerland and many other countries. Check the name on your account documents.

What is the minimum deposit?

$1,000 for the Standard forex account at Swissquote Bank, $10,000 for Premium and $50,000 for Prime.

Can I lose more than I deposit?

At Swissquote Bank, yes: its risk warning says losses are in theory unlimited and you may be required to make additional payments. Retail clients of the UK and Cypriot companies have negative balance protection under local rules.

Other brokers

All profiles →

Similar brokers

Other profiles with the same level of regulation or the same region. Listed in no particular order.

  • Admirals (Admiral Markets)Strictly regulatedFCA (United Kingdom), CySEC (European Union), CMA (Kenya), FSA Seychelles (Seychelles)Also serves United Kingdom and European Union
  • AvaTradeStrictly regulatedCentral Bank of Ireland (European Union), ASIC (Australia), JFSA (Japan), FSRA (ADGM) (United Arab Emirates (Abu Dhabi Global Market)), CMA (Kenya) (Kenya), FSCA (South Africa), FSC (BVI) (British Virgin Islands), CySEC (European Union)Also serves European Union
  • AxiStrictly regulatedASIC (Australia), FCA (United Kingdom), CySEC (European Union), DFSA (Dubai (DIFC), UAE)Also serves United Kingdom and European Union and Dubai (DIFC), UAE
  • CapitalXtendRegulatedFSC Mauritius (Mauritius)Also licensed by a standard-tier regulator
  • CG FinTechRegulatedFSC Mauritius (Mauritius)Also licensed by a standard-tier regulator
  • CMC MarketsStrictly regulatedFCA (United Kingdom), BaFin (European Union), ASIC (Australia), MAS (Singapore), CIRO (Canada), FMA (New Zealand) (New Zealand), DFSA (United Arab Emirates (DIFC))Also serves United Kingdom and European Union
  • CPT MarketsRegulatedFSCA (South Africa), Belize FSC (Belize (international clients)), UAE CMA (United Arab Emirates)Also licensed by a standard-tier regulator
  • ErranteStrictly regulatedCySEC (European Union), FSA Seychelles (International)Also serves European Union
  • eToroStrictly regulatedCySEC (European Union), FCA (United Kingdom), ASIC (Australia), FSRA (ADGM) (Abu Dhabi (ADGM), UAE), FSA Seychelles (Seychelles)Also serves European Union and United Kingdom
  • ExnessStrictly regulatedFSA Seychelles (Seychelles), FSC (BVI) (British Virgin Islands), FSCA (South Africa), CMA (Kenya) (Kenya), CMA (UAE) (United Arab Emirates), FCA (United Kingdom), CySEC (European Union)Also serves United Kingdom and European Union
  • FP MarketsStrictly regulatedASIC (Australia), CySEC (European Union), CMA (Kenya), FSA Seychelles (Seychelles)Also serves European Union
  • FXCMStrictly regulatedFCA (United Kingdom), CySEC (European Union), ASIC (Australia)Also serves United Kingdom and European Union
  • FxProStrictly regulatedFCA (United Kingdom), CySEC (European Union), SCB (The Bahamas), FSA Seychelles (Seychelles)Also serves United Kingdom and European Union
  • HYCMStrictly regulatedFCA (United Kingdom), DFSA (United Arab Emirates (DIFC))Also serves United Kingdom
  • IC MarketsStrictly regulatedASIC (Australia), CySEC (European Union), SCB (The Bahamas), FSA Seychelles (Seychelles)Also serves European Union
  • IFC MarketsRegulatedBVI FSC (British Virgin Islands), Labuan FSA (Labuan, Malaysia)Also licensed by a standard-tier regulator
  • IGStrictly regulatedFCA (United Kingdom), FCA (United Kingdom), BaFin (European Union), FINMA (Switzerland), ASIC (Australia), FMA (New Zealand) (New Zealand), MAS (Singapore), JFSA (Japan), CFTC / NFA (United States), DFSA (Dubai (DIFC), UAE), FSCA (South Africa)Also serves United Kingdom and European Union and Switzerland and Dubai (DIFC), UAE
  • Interactive BrokersStrictly regulatedCFTC / NFA (United States), CIRO (Canada), FCA (United Kingdom), Central Bank of Ireland (European Union), ASIC (Australia), MAS (Singapore), DFSA (Dubai (DIFC), UAE)Also serves United Kingdom and European Union and Dubai (DIFC), UAE
  • LiteFinance (LiteForex)Strictly regulatedCySEC (European Union)Also serves European Union
  • OANDAStrictly regulatedCFTC / NFA (United States), FCA (United Kingdom), KNF (European Union), CIRO (Canada), ASIC (Australia), MAS (Singapore), JFSA (Japan), FSC (BVI) (British Virgin Islands)Also serves United Kingdom and European Union
  • OneRoyalStrictly regulatedCySEC (European Union), ASIC (Australia), VFSC (Vanuatu (international clients))Also serves European Union
  • OrbexRegulatedFSC Mauritius (Mauritius (international clients)), FSA Seychelles (Seychelles (international clients))Also licensed by a standard-tier regulator
  • PepperstoneStrictly regulatedASIC (Australia), FCA (United Kingdom), CySEC (European Union), BaFin (Germany), DFSA (Dubai (DIFC), UAE), SCB (The Bahamas)Also serves United Kingdom and European Union and Dubai (DIFC), UAE
  • Plus500Strictly regulatedFCA (United Kingdom), CySEC (European Union), EFSA (Estonia) (European Union), ASIC (Australia), FMA (New Zealand) (New Zealand), FSCA (South Africa), MAS (Singapore), JFSA (Japan), CFTC / NFA (United States), DFSA (United Arab Emirates (DIFC)), CMA (UAE) (United Arab Emirates), SCB (Bahamas), FSA Seychelles (Seychelles)Also serves United Kingdom and European Union
  • SaxoStrictly regulatedDanish FSA (Finanstilsynet) (Denmark / European Union), FCA (United Kingdom), FINMA (Switzerland), MAS (Singapore), CONSOB (Italy), JFSA (Japan)Also serves United Kingdom and Switzerland
  • ThinkMarketsStrictly regulatedFCA (United Kingdom), CySEC (European Union), ASIC (Australia), DFSA (Dubai (DIFC), UAE), FSCA (South Africa), FSA Seychelles (Seychelles)Also serves United Kingdom and European Union and Dubai (DIFC), UAE
  • TickmillStrictly regulatedFCA (United Kingdom), CySEC (European Union), FSCA (South Africa), DFSA (United Arab Emirates (DIFC)), FSA Seychelles (Seychelles)Also serves United Kingdom and European Union
  • TrendoRegulatedFSC Mauritius (Mauritius (international clients))Also licensed by a standard-tier regulator
  • XMStrictly regulatedCySEC (European Union), DFSA (United Arab Emirates (DIFC)), FSCA (South Africa)Also serves European Union
  • XS.comStrictly regulatedFSA Seychelles (International), CySEC (European Union), ASIC (Australia), Labuan FSA (Malaysia (Labuan))Also serves European Union

This profile is factual information, not a recommendation or financial advice. Trading leveraged products such as forex and CFDs carries a high risk of losing money rapidly, and most retail accounts lose money. Read the full disclaimer.

BrokerCut on Telegram

Get the latest forex news and market analysis.

Join the channel