Swissquote Bank In-Depth Review | A Complete Analysis of the FINMA-Regulated Swiss Online Bank and Trading Platform

1. Brand Background and Development History

Swissquote Bank Ltd was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Gland, Switzerland. It was listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (Ticker: SQN) in 2000.

• Bank attributes : Unlike most forex brokers, Swissquote is a real bank with dual business qualifications for deposits and transactions.

• Development trajectory :

• 1996: Launch of the first Swiss online trading platform.

• 2000: Listed on the Swiss Stock Exchange and became a fintech bank.

• 2010: Acquired MIG Bank to strengthen foreign exchange trading business.

• 2021: Collaborate with PostFinance to expand into the Swiss domestic retail market.

• Global presence : We have branches in Dubai, Hong Kong and London to serve customers worldwide.

👉 Official website: https://www.swissquote.com

II. Supervision and Compliance

Swissquote's compliance standards are far superior to those of general retail forex platforms:

• Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) → As a licensed bank, it is subject to the strictest banking and securities supervision.
  👉 FINMA official website

• UK FCA (Swissquote Ltd): Regulatory Number 562170
  👉 FCA registration check

• Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) : Holds Type 1, 4, and 9 licenses 👉 SFC Enquiry

• UAE DFSA : Licensed by Dubai International Financial Centre.

Investor Protection

• Client funds are protected by Swiss bank deposit insurance (up to CHF 100,000).

• Strict KYC/AML process.

III. Account Types and Product Coverage

Swissquote offers a variety of accounts:

• Retail Trading Account : Suitable for individual investors, with a minimum deposit of 1,000 USD.

• Professional Account : For high net worth and institutional clients.

• Bank accounts : deposits, transfers, bank cards.

Product Range

• Forex : 80+ currency pairs

• Stocks and ETFs : Covering 60,000+ securities

• Derivatives : Contracts for Difference (CFDs), Options, Futures

• Cryptocurrency : Supports 30+ cryptocurrencies including BTC, ETH, LTC, XRP, etc.

• Funds and financial products : including Robo-Advisory

👉 Reference: Swissquote product page

4. Trading Platform and Technology

Swissquote offers a variety of platforms to choose from:

1. Advanced Trader (independently developed)

• Support desktop, web and mobile

• Features: real-time charts, technical indicators, automated strategies

• Provides advanced order types (OCO, trailing stop, etc.)

2. MetaTrader 4 & 5

• Forex and CFD clients can use MT4/MT5

• Support EA automated trading

3. API

• FIX API is suitable for institutional and quantitative users

👉 Platform Introduction: Swissquote Advanced Trader

5. Fee and Commission Structure

Swissquote’s fee structure is transparent, but slightly higher than some pure forex brokers:

• Forex spread : EUR/USD average 1.2 pips

• Stock trading : Commission 9–50 CHF, depending on transaction size

• Cryptocurrency : 0.5%–1% fee

• Custody Fee : Some accounts require an annual fee

👉 Official rate table: Swissquote Pricing

VI. Fund Security and Deposits and Withdrawals

• Deposit methods : Bank transfer, credit card, cryptocurrency top-up

• Withdrawal time : 1–3 business days

• Fund protection : Swiss deposit insurance (up to 100,000 CHF)

Unlike offshore platforms, Swissquote's fund management has complete legal protection.

7. User Experience and Customer Service

Customer Service Channels

• Phone support (multi-language, including English, German, French, Chinese)

• Email support

• Live Chat

• Swiss and overseas branch counters

User feedback

• Positive comments : Fund security, bank background, high compliance

• Negative feedback :

• The spread is high, not suitable for high-frequency traders

• The platform interface is not as simple as some pure technology brokers

👉 Third-party reviews:

• Trustpilot Swissquote

• Investopedia Swissquote Review

8. Competitive Comparison

• and Saxo Bank : Both are regulated banks, but Saxo is stronger in Asia; Swissquote is more established in the Swiss market.

• Compared with IG Group : IG focuses more on CFDs; Swissquote offers more comprehensive banking services.

• Compared with Binance/OKX : Swissquote provides a compliant cryptocurrency investment channel rather than a simple exchange model.

IX. Risk Warning

1. Higher costs : Fees are higher than most retail forex brokers.

2. Geographical restrictions : Some products are only available to users in Europe or Switzerland.

3. Market Risk : Stocks, forex, and cryptocurrencies are subject to volatility.

10. BrokerHiveX Overall Rating

11. Conclusion

As a publicly listed bank regulated by FINMA , Swissquote Bank offers distinct advantages in fund security, regulatory compliance, and product diversity:

• Advantages : Compliance and transparency, bank guarantees, rich product offerings, and professional self-developed platform.

• Disadvantages : The transaction cost is relatively high, not suitable for high-frequency and low-cost investors.

BrokerHiveX recommends :

• Suitable for medium and long-term investors who value fund security and compliance

• Not suitable for speculative users who prioritize low cost

👉 Official website: https://www.swissquote.com