Overview
Swissquote is the trading arm of a Swiss online bank listed on the SIX exchange, based in Gland. It suits traders who'd rather pay a bit more to keep their money with a regulated bank than chase the tightest spreads. The bank itself is licensed by FINMA, and there are group companies regulated by the FCA in the UK, CySEC in Cyprus, the CSSF in Luxembourg, the DFSA in Dubai, the SFC in Hong Kong, MAS in Singapore and the FSCA in South Africa. It doesn't serve US residents.
Accounts and costs
Costs come down as your deposit goes up. In the UK, Premium needs 1,000 in USD, EUR, GBP or CHF and has spreads from 1.3 pips with no commission. Prime needs 5,000 and starts at 0.6 pips, and Elite needs 10,000 for raw spreads from 0.0 pips plus EUR 2.50 per side per lot. International clients start on a Standard account at $1,000 with spreads from 1.7 pips and leverage up to 1:100. UK retail leverage tops out at 1:30 on major pairs. There's an inactivity fee of 10 a month after six months of no trading, and no swap-free option.
Platforms and markets
You can trade on Swissquote's own CFXD platform, MT4, MT5 or straight from TradingView. EAs are allowed, and bigger traders can use FIX API. The forex and CFD account covers about 400 instruments: currency pairs, metals, indices, commodities, stock CFDs and government bonds. Depending on your region, the bank side also gives you real stocks, ETFs and crypto.
Money in and out
Funding is by bank transfer or card. Bank transfers in are free, but card deposits can cost 2.2% to 2.5%, and there are no e-wallets. Some entities charge around $10 per withdrawal.
Good
- Backed by a Swiss bank listed on the SIX exchange and licensed by FINMA
- Separate licensed entities in the UK, EU, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and South Africa
- Choice of CFXD, MT4, MT5 and TradingView, with EAs and FIX API allowed
- Around 400 CFDs including bonds, plus a huge securities range in some regions
- Negative balance protection and fast average execution
Watch for
- $1,000 minimum deposit on the cheapest account
- Spreads on the entry accounts are wider than most CFD brokers
- Inactivity fee of 10 units a month after six months without trading
- Card deposits can cost 2.2% to 2.5%, and no e-wallets
- No swap-free accounts, and the demo only lasts 30 days
Accounts and costs
What each account needs to open and what you pay to trade on it.
| Account | Min deposit | Pricing | Max leverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Premium (UK) | $1,000 | No commission, forex spreads from 1.3 pips; stock CFDs 0.15% per side, min USD 15 | 1:30 on major FX pairs (retail) |
| Prime (UK) | $5,000 | No commission, forex spreads from 0.6 pips; stock CFDs 0.12% per side, min USD 12 | 1:30 on major FX pairs (retail) |
| Elite (UK) | $10,000 | Forex spreads from 0.0 pips plus EUR 2.50 per side per lot; stock CFDs 0.09% per side, min USD 9 | 1:30 on major FX pairs (retail) |
| Standard (rest of world) | $1,000 | No commission, forex spreads from 1.7 pips; US stocks USD 0.03 per share | 1:100 |
Regulation
Which entity holds which licence. Your protection depends on the entity you open an account with.
Investor protection: Deposit protection up to £85,000 for UK clients if the company fails
Platforms and markets
Platforms
Markets
Deposits and withdrawals
- Methods
- Bank transfer, Card
- Minimum deposit
- $1,000
- Not available in
- US
What traders say
Scores from the sites traders use, and our summary of what they're saying, checked 6 October 2026.
Swissquote's reviews are mixed. It holds 3.5 on Trustpilot from about 4,300 reviews, with a clear split between long-term investors who value a Swiss bank and active traders unhappy with costs or service. Forex Peace Army, Myfxbook and TradingView all have pages, but none showed a score in what we collected. Reddit, mostly r/SwissPersonalFinance, is the other big source of opinion.
What traders like
A Swiss bank behind the account. Many reviewers say the banking licence and listing on the SIX exchange are why they chose it, and some on Forex Peace Army see it as a safe place to hold trading money.
Easy to use. Reddit users often call the interface simple and practical compared with Interactive Brokers.
Broad market access. TradingView reviewers, several from Latin America, like trading US stocks through a Swiss account.
Reliable day to day. Some Trustpilot reviewers describe it as dependable and responsive when they needed help.
Common complaints
Cost. The most common theme. Reddit and Trustpilot reviewers say custody, trading and transfer fees are higher than at IBKR, Saxo or Degiro, and several forex traders call spreads wide.
Account closure and withdrawals. Several Trustpilot reviewers say closing an account and getting the last funds out took weeks, and one says an account was blocked for two months without explanation.
Slow compliance checks. Reddit posters describe source-of-funds reviews lasting over a week without a reply, and EUR deposits bounced back.
Platform issues. A few say MetaTrader 4 froze around news releases, and one Forex Peace Army reviewer says a stop was hit on a price other charts never showed.
Recently
July to October 2026: BrokerChooser's summary of forum opinion for this period says account opening, KYC checks, withdrawals and login problems drew the most negative comments.
Early October 2026: the newest Trustpilot reviews at collection included a frozen account and a drawn-out account closure.
Where this comes from
Trustpilot: the main review page.
Forex Peace Army: trader reviews of the forex side.
Myfxbook: trader reviews.
TradingView: reviews from traders who connect an account.
Reddit: discussions in r/SwissPersonalFinance.
Verified reviews
Reviews from traders who've connected an account at Swissquote to Chartnaut, so you know they actually traded there. Opening soon.