Swissquote review 2026

On the evidence we checked, Swissquote is a legitimate and regulated name. Our record describes it as a Swiss banking group and names its UK entity, Swissquote Ltd, as authorised by the FCA. The FCA is the financial regulator of the United Kingdom and is known for strict rules about how firms treat clients.

Safety has several layers, and it helps to understand them.

Layer one: a licence. A licence means an official body has authorised the firm. You can check it on a public register. Always do this yourself.

Layer two: which company holds your account. Swissquote is a group. The group has different companies for different countries. The licence we list is for the UK company. If your account is opened with another company, such as one serving international clients, that company has its own licence and rules. Our record mentions an international site for the leverage figure, so some terms apply to clients served from there.

Layer three: your own habits. Use a strong password, switch on two-step login, never share your login, and only type the broker's address into your browser by hand.

How to check the licence, step by step:

1. Open the FCA register at https://register.fca.org.uk/s/firm?id=562170.
2. Look for "Swissquote Ltd" and the number 562170.
3. Check that it says authorised.
4. Compare the company name with the one in your account agreement.

If the names differ, ask Swissquote in writing which company will hold your account and which regulator covers it.

FCA licence (Swissquote Ltd)

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulates financial firms in the United Kingdom. Swissquote's UK partner page says its UK entity is "authorised and regulated in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority", and our record lists licence number 562170 for Swissquote Ltd.

This licence matters most if your account is opened with the UK company. For clients elsewhere, the company can be different. The link in our record to the register is https://register.fca.org.uk/s/firm?id=562170, and you can search for the number there.

We do not list other regulators for Swissquote because our record does not contain sourced licence details for them. If you are told another regulator covers you, ask for the licence number and verify it yourself on that regulator's register.

Every trade has a cost. The three you will hear about most are the spread, the commission and the swap. Here they are in simple words.

Spread. For each market there are two prices: the price you buy at and the price you sell at. The gap is the spread. In forex it is measured in pips. A pip is the smallest usual step in a currency price, normally the fourth decimal place. A smaller spread costs less.

Commission. A fee charged per trade, often per lot. Our record shows no commission figure for Swissquote, so we cannot say whether one applies to each tier. Ask before you open an account.

Swap. A financing charge or credit for holding a trade overnight. Our record has no swap table. Look at it inside the platform before you keep a trade open past the end of the day.

What Swissquote shows for EUR/USD:

• Standard: 1.7 pips.
• Premium: 1.4 pips.
• Prime: 1.1 pips, with a USD 50,000 minimum.

You can see the pattern: the more money you bring, the tighter the spread. This is a common tier model. A beginner will usually be on Standard.

To put 1.7 pips in context, think of it as the toll you pay each time you open a trade on EUR/USD. If you trade often, the toll adds up. If you trade a few times a month, it matters less.

A fair way to judge: open a demo, watch the real spread on your pair at the hours you trade, and ask about commission and swaps. Add all three to see the real cost.

Other costs to ask about: currency conversion, fees for deposits or withdrawals, and charges on an unused account. Our record does not list these, so we do not claim anything either way.

Our record shows three tiers for forex and CFD trading: Standard, Premium and Prime. They are separated by the amount you bring and by the spread you get on EUR/USD.

Standard. The entry tier. The minimum deposit is USD 1,000 and the EUR/USD spread is 1.7 pips.

Premium. The middle tier with a EUR/USD spread of 1.4 pips. Our record does not show its minimum deposit, so please ask Swissquote or read the account types page.

Prime. The top tier, with a EUR/USD spread of 1.1 pips and a USD 50,000 minimum.

The source for these figures is the account types page on Swissquote's international site: https://www.swissquote.com/en-row/private/trade/pricing/forex-cfds/account-types.

How to choose:

• If you are new and starting around the minimum, Standard is the natural fit.
• If you trade often and hold a larger balance, compare how much the tighter spread saves.
• Do not move up a tier just to reach a better spread. A bigger deposit means more risk if a trade goes wrong.

Ask these questions before you pick:

1. Which company will hold my account, and in which country?
2. Is there a commission on my tier?
3. Is a demo account available?
4. Is there a swap-free option for my situation?
5. What are the rules for upgrading or downgrading tiers?

A demo account uses fake money and is the best way to test platforms and conditions before you pay anything.

Our record shows a minimum deposit of USD 1,000 for the Standard tier. That is a serious amount for a new trader, especially in countries where USD 1,000 is a month's salary or more.

Do not feel pressure to meet the minimum just because it exists. The right deposit is the one you can afford to lose entirely. Forex and CFD trading carries a high risk of loss, and most retail traders lose money.

What a high minimum means in practice:

• It filters out very small accounts, which can suit people who want a more bank-like service.
• It means you have more at stake from day one, so a careful plan is even more important.
• It makes demo practice more valuable. Try the platforms and the conditions on a demo before you fund anything.

If USD 1,000 is more than you are comfortable with, you have two good options. You can choose a broker with a lower minimum, or you can wait until you have saved an amount you can risk. There is no rush. Markets will be there next month.

If you do start, here is a simple plan:

1. Practise on a demo until you can follow a written plan for several weeks.
2. Fund the live account.
3. Risk only a small slice of the account on each trade, such as one or two percent.
4. Make a small withdrawal early to test the process.

Remember that Prime needs USD 50,000. Do not chase that tier unless you already manage money at that level.

Our record lists two ways to deposit: bank transfer and credit or debit card. For withdrawals it lists bank transfer, and it notes that card withdrawals are not offered. The source is the funding page of Swissquote's site.

The card point is important. Many brokers send withdrawals back to the card you used. Swissquote, per our record, does not. If you fund with a card, expect to withdraw by bank transfer. That means:

• You need a bank account that can receive the transfer.
• The account should be in your own name. This is a standard anti-fraud rule.
• You should check what your bank charges for incoming transfers, especially from abroad.

A checklist before you deposit:

1. Which method is available for my country? The general list may not match yours.
2. Is there a fee? Our record does not list fees for deposits or withdrawals, so ask in writing.
3. Which currency will the money arrive in? If it is different from your account currency, someone will convert it. Ask what rate is used.
4. Name matching. The name on your trading account, your ID and your bank account should be the same.
5. Bank rules. Some banks in Africa, Asia and Latin America question or delay forex-related transfers. Tell your bank what the transfer is for if they ask.

Tip: keep your bank details up to date and avoid changing them just before a withdrawal. A sudden change can trigger extra checks and slow things down.

Because only bank transfer is listed for withdrawals, plan your banking before you deposit. Make sure your bank can receive international transfers and ask what the intermediate bank charges may be.

We could not confirm a withdrawal time for Swissquote. Our record has no timed test and no sourced speed, so we do not give a number. A site that gives a precise figure without proof is guessing.

What we can say is that bank transfers have several steps, and any of them can add time:

1. You submit a withdrawal request.
2. The broker checks your identity and the destination account.
3. The broker approves and sends the transfer.
4. Intermediary banks may handle the money, especially across borders.
5. Your bank credits your account.

The broker controls the first three steps. The last two are outside its control. International transfers can be slower than local ones, and public holidays in either country can add delay.

How to make withdrawals smoother:

• Complete identity checks as soon as you open the account.
• Withdraw to a bank account in your own name.
• Use the same details each time.
• Do not request a withdrawal that would leave open trades without enough margin.
• Save the request confirmation and any emails.

If a transfer seems late, check the request status in your account, then ask your bank whether anything has arrived or is held, and then contact support with the date and amount.

We plan to add timed withdrawal tests to our reviews as we complete them. For now, treat any speed claim as unconfirmed, and run a small test withdrawal yourself.

Swissquote lists four platforms: "4 award-winning trading platforms to choose from: CFXD, TradingView, MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5". That sentence is how its own page describes the choice. We cannot verify the awards, so we simply report that the broker says so.

• CFXD: Swissquote's own platform. Our record gives no more detail, so test it on a demo to see whether the layout and order tools suit you.
• TradingView: a popular charting website and app with many indicators and drawing tools.
• MetaTrader 4 (MT4): a long-established platform used by millions of traders. It is known for automated trading programs and indicators.
• MetaTrader 5 (MT5): the newer MetaTrader, with more order types and a built-in strategy tester.

How to choose:

• Prefer a platform made by the broker for a tidy, integrated experience? Try CFXD.
• Mainly care about charts? Try TradingView.
• Want automation or to use existing programs? Try MT4 or MT5.

Practice tip: whichever platform you choose, learn on a demo how to place a market order, set a stop loss (an order that closes your trade if the price moves against you by a set amount), set a take profit and close a trade. Learn where to see your margin and open profit.

Also ask whether prices, spreads and conditions are the same on every platform. Sometimes they are, but not always.

Leverage lets you control a larger position than your own money would allow. Swissquote's international page, as recorded, shows "Standard Leverage: 1:100". That means that one unit of your own money can control 100 units in the market.

It sounds powerful, but it works both ways. A small price move against you can cause a big loss. Many traders lose their account because they use too much leverage.

Terms to know:

• Margin: the portion of your money the broker holds while your trade is open.
• Margin call: a warning that your free money is getting low.
• Stop-out: the point at which the broker starts to close trades automatically. Our record gives no Swissquote level, so find it in the terms.
• Negative balance protection: a rule that stops you from losing more than you deposited. Our record does not say whether it applies to you, so ask.

Important: the 1:100 figure is for the international site. Other companies in the group may apply different limits. UK clients, for example, are subject to UK retail caps. Always confirm the leverage in your own agreement.

We did not find a figure for the share of retail accounts that lose money at Swissquote in our record. Most regulated brokers must publish one. Look for it on the broker's site before you open an account, and treat it as a reminder that most retail traders lose.

Simple risk rules:

1. Use a stop loss on every trade.
2. Risk a small part of your account per trade, such as one or two percent.
3. Use less leverage than the maximum.
4. Never add to a losing trade to win it back.
5. Only trade with money you can afford to lose.

Swissquote is best for:

• Traders who want a bank-backed name. It is described as a Swiss banking group.
• Better-funded beginners. The USD 1,000 minimum on Standard suits those who have a larger starting balance.
• Chart lovers and automation fans. TradingView, MT4 and MT5 are all listed.
• Traders who want clear tiers. The Standard, Premium and Prime spreads are published on the account types page.
• Traders who prefer moderate leverage. 1:100 is lower than the extreme figures at some offshore brokers.

It may be less suitable for:

• Traders with a small budget. USD 1,000 is high compared with many brokers.
• Anyone who wants card withdrawals. Our record says they are not offered.
• Anyone who needs proven fast withdrawals now. We have no timed test.
• Traders who want the tightest spreads from day one. The 1.1 pip tier needs USD 50,000.

If you live in Africa, Asia or Latin America, ask early which Swissquote company will hold your account and whether your country is accepted. Do not assume.

Screens change, but the steps are usually:

1. Go to the official site by typing https://www.swissquote.com into your browser. Do not follow links from messages or ads.
2. Choose the correct country or region page.
3. Start the sign-up and enter your name, email and phone number. Use details that match your ID.
4. Choose your account tier. Most beginners start with Standard.
5. Choose your platform: CFXD, TradingView, MetaTrader 4 or MetaTrader 5.
6. Upload your ID and proof of address. This is called KYC (know your customer) and it is a legal requirement for regulated firms.
7. Read the agreement and find the company name. Check it on the regulator's register.
8. Try a demo if offered. Then fund the account by bank transfer or card, with money you can afford to lose.

Read these points before you deposit.

• Tier rules. The Standard, Premium and Prime spreads are tied to account size. Prime needs USD 50,000.
• Withdrawals. Only bank transfer is listed, and card withdrawals are not offered.
• Leverage. The 1:100 figure is for the international site. Other entities may differ.
• Entity. The FCA licence 562170 belongs to Swissquote Ltd in the UK. Your account may be with another company.
• Items we could not confirm. These are commission, swap rates, withdrawal times, withdrawal fees, inactivity fees, conversion fees and the broker's own loss percentage. Our record does not list them, so we do not claim anything.
• Awards. The broker calls its platforms award-winning. We cannot verify awards and do not rely on them.

A good habit: on the day you sign up, save the client agreement, the fee schedule and the account types page as files. If rules change, you can prove what was true when you joined.

Our facts for this review were last checked in October 2026 from Swissquote's own pages. The FCA register link is above so you can verify the licence yourself.

Swissquote is a credible, bank-style broker with a clear tier structure and four solid platforms. The FCA licence 562170 for Swissquote Ltd is easy to check, the Standard, Premium and Prime spreads are published, and the 1:100 leverage is moderate.

The trade-offs are plain. The USD 1,000 minimum is high for a beginner. The 1.7 pip EUR/USD spread on Standard is not the tightest you can find, and card withdrawals are not offered. We could not confirm commission, withdrawal times or the broker's own loss figure.

Our advice: if you have a larger starting budget and like the idea of a bank-backed group, put Swissquote on your shortlist. Check the FCA register, ask which company will serve you, try a demo if it is available, and start with an amount you can afford to lose. Make a small withdrawal early to confirm that your bank receives the money smoothly.

If your budget is small, look at brokers with lower minimums first, and come back later.