Swissquote is an online brokerage founded in 2000. It is based in Luxembourg. The company provides traders with access to over 20 stock exchanges worldwide, with the ability to trade stocks, forex, CFDs, cryptocurrencies, mutual funds, and exchange-traded funds (ETFs). The firm provides low-cost automated accounts in the form of Smart Portfolios or the option to trade independently.
Clients have access to more than 20,000 ETFs from respected global fund managers such as iShares and Vanguard, over 130 forex and CFD instruments, and 12 cryptocurrencies. There is no minimum investment for stocks or ETFs and low trading commissions on all markets. Forex and CFD trading are commission-free with competitive spreads, starting at 0.8 pips, depending on account type. CFDs are available on a variety of instruments, including stock indices, bonds and commodities.
Swissquote pricing is transparent, with all costs and conditions laid out clearly on the website. Also, the brokerage offers clients access to a comprehensive education portal to help traders build and improve their trading strategies, along with market news and data to keep customers updated on changing market conditions.
Opening an account at Swissquote is relatively quick and easy to do, and a variety of instruments can be traded, all under one roof. The broker is fully regulated by the Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF) and governed by the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID). All relevant legal documents are available on the broker’s website. Included are investment and risk warnings, complaints procedures, privacy policy and legal disclaimers. Client assets are held securely by a custodian, and clients’ cash funds are protected, up to €100,000.
Broker Features
Swissquote offers clients a reliable, well-regulated, multi-asset brokerage. A wide variety of tradable instruments is available, including forex, single stocks, indices, commodities, bonds, ETFs, mutual funds and cryptocurrencies. A broad range of forex pairs is also offered, including major, minor and exotic pairs. Indices, commodities and bonds can be traded as CFDs with leverage of up to 30:1. Indices include the US500, US100, and DE30, among many others. The broker provides competitive trading conditions, a zero-commission trading model on CFDs, and few hidden costs.
Trading with this broker presents a range of trading strategies, including scalping, hedging, day trading and swing trading. Swissquote relies on the popular, award-winning MetaTrader Platform, with both MT4 and MT5 trading available. As traders already familiar with this platform will be aware, it allows for several integrated technical indicators, along with copy trading, hedging capabilities, customisable time frames and many other features. MetaTrader software also provides traders with the ability to use various third-party plugins. One of them is the ever-popular AutoChartist, a sophisticated market scanning tool that provides automated trade alerts.
Swissquote also provides advanced technical analysis powered by Trading Central, which includes pattern recognition software, allowing traders at all levels to build trading strategies informed by real-time market data.
The broker’s Smart Portfolio facility allows for low-cost automated trading with no set-up fees, rebalancing fees or exit fees. There is an administration charge for this type of portfolio which covers all transaction costs associated with your automated investments, along with a small management fee. Overall, Swissquote’s charges on general trading accounts are reasonable and transparent, with all costs laid out on the website. There is no maintenance fee for active account holders who trade at least once a month. Inactivity fees are charged on accounts that are inactive for two years or more. It is important to remember that, at any broker, fees and conditions are liable to change at any time. Consequently, there may be fees that apply to your account that are not mentioned in this Swissquote review.
Trader Accounts
Swissquote offers various account types, according to your circumstances as a trader. If you are trading stocks, ETFs, or mutual funds, you will be offered a Classic, Platinum, or Apex account, depending on the funds you have available to trade. However, it is also possible to be eligible for VIP status as a Swissquote trader if you hold a Platinum or Apex account. Eligibility depends on the value of your trading account and your trade volume. Platinum account holders qualify for VIP status when the account value reaches €1m or more (or the equivalent in another currency). Apex accounts with a value of €5m or more or a trade volume of €25m over 12 months (or both) will also qualify for VIP status. If you are trading forex or CFD instruments, you will have the choice of a Standard, Premium, or Prime account, depending on deposit size (as discussed below). All these accounts are commission-free, with all broker profits being taken from the spreads. Spreads start at 1.5 pips on the Standard Account, from 1.0 pips on the Premium Account, and 0.8 pips on the Prime account. Spreads vary greatly between instruments, of course. It is also possible to open an account specifically to trade cryptocurrencies and crypto-asset products.
An exciting feature at Swissquote is the facility to open a Smart Portfolio. It requires a deposit of €5,000 ($5,000 or £5,000) and is a different kind of investment account in that you will not have to be involved in day-to-day trading decisions. You fund your account, choose a risk profile, and the account is fully managed for you. You can access your account valuation online at any time and top-up the account as it suits you. There are four well-explained risk profiles to choose from, including a sustainable multi-asset profile enabling you to build a portfolio taking into account environmental and social issues. Smart Portfolios have no trading or transaction fees, just percentage-based account costs that depend on your portfolio’s value and the type of risk profile selected. Swissquote also has the option to open a Robo Advisory account, which creates a bespoke investment portfolio according to parameters you set regarding your appetite for risk and the types of securities in which you would like to invest. You can even open a Robo Advisory demo account and test the account’s performance risk-free, using virtual money.
Deposits
The minimum deposit required varies according to account type. When trading Forex and CFDs, the required deposit is $1,000 for a Standard Account, $5,000 for a Premium Account and $50,000 for a Prime account. A Smart Portfolio requires a minimum deposit of $5,000. There is no broker levied deposit fees, although you should always be aware that your bank or payment processor may deduct a fee. Deposits should be made by bank transfer from an account in your name. If using a currency exchange service, it may be necessary to provide proof that the transfer originates from an account in your name. Third-party transfers cannot be used to deposit into your Swissquote account. It is also only possible to transfer from certain countries. The list of accepted countries is displayed on the Swissquote website and includes around 45 countries, including the UK, USA, Australia, and most European countries. If you do not hold an account in one of these countries, you will need to contact Swissquote and include a certified copy of your passport or ID card.
Withdrawals
To withdraw money from your Swissquote trading account, you will need to log in to your account, select Payments/Transfers, and select Withdraw Funds. You enter the amount you intend to withdraw and confirm it, at which point your withdrawal will be processed. The withdrawal must be made to an account in your name. It is not possible to transfer funds directly from your Swissquote trading account to a third party. Withdrawals can take one to three business days to process.
The length of time it takes for your funds to clear into your bank account will depend on various factors, including your bank’s procedures and processing times. There are no broker levied withdrawal fees, although your bank may charge a fee, especially if a transfer includes converting funds to a different currency. To avoid delays, it is vital to ensure that all required client documentation is up-to-date before requesting a withdrawal. Occasionally, withdrawals can be delayed due to missing or incorrect payment details or the fact that necessary documentation is missing from your client profile.
Trading platforms
Swissquote offers a choice of trading platforms, which will suit different traders for various reasons. The broker’s proprietary eTrading platform is intuitive and easy to navigate, with a fully customisable workspace and features to make trading easier and more convenient. It includes a quick search function to find any instrument, the ability to create custom lists to monitor your preferred securities, and a handy market overview section to help clients stay updated on market developments. There are more than 100,000 products available via this single platform.
Forex and CFD traders can access MetaTrader software, with both MT4 and MT5 options available. The MetaTrader platform is a popular choice with forex traders worldwide due to its advanced features and flexibility. The software integrates well with third-party tools, charts and indicators, and a range of integrated features. It also allows for advanced technical analysis, backtesting facilities, and automated trading. MT4 and MT5 traders at Swissquote can access AutoChartist, a sophisticated market scanning tool that provides automated trade alerts via their MetaTrader account.
Mobile apps are also available for iOS and Android devices and can be downloaded free from the App Store or Google Play. The apps provide traders with a personalised interface, detailed real-time financial information, technical analysis, and price notifications. The apps work well and incorporate all the most essential functions of the main platform. However, as with most trading apps, it may take some time to adapt to a different layout and navigation options if you are already used to using the main platform.
Customer Support
There are many customer support channels available at the brokerage. Swissquote customer service representatives can be contacted by email, dedicated phone line, or by live chat. The email for customer enquires is [email protected]. The broker also maintains active social media accounts on Twitter and Facebook and a LinkedIn account and a YouTube channel, giving clients a range of convenient options to stay connected and ask questions. All customer support channels can be accessed by both potential and existing clients. There is also lots of information for customers on the website, which is clean, uncluttered, and clearly laid out. It includes a reasonably comprehensive FAQ page, broken into convenient sections such as products and services, account opening, account management and pricing.
Another way in which this broker supports its clients is by providing an education portal, which provides online courses, eBooks, and free demos. The education section is primarily aimed at newer and less experienced traders, with introductory video courses on general trading and forex principles. Short eBooks cover topics such as chart patterns and technical analysis and how to manage risk in forex. eBooks are all easily downloadable in PDF format. A tutorials section covers how to use the eTrading platform and make the most of the various features available. These tutorials take the form of short, bite-size YouTube videos that are easy to watch and digest. On the same page, there is the opportunity to view or download a very comprehensive User Guide to the platform, accessed in PDF format.
Safety
The broker is fully regulated and licenced by the Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF). It is also governed by the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID). That European regulation aims to increase transparency across the European Union’s financial markets to standardise the regulatory disclosures required of firms that operate within the region. Swissquote Ltd is also authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Brokers registered with regulating bodies carry the obligation to adhere to specific standards. Any client can lodge a complaint if they suspect the broker may be acting illegally or unethically.
Swissquote seems to adhere to all best practices when it comes to online trading. Client assets are held securely by a custodian, and the broker offers protection of client funds held in cash up to a value of €100,000. All relevant legal documents can be found on the broker’s website, including investment and risk warnings, complaint procedures, privacy policy and legal disclaimers. It is, of course, essential to remember that all trading carries inherent risk, and CFD trading is considered a particularly high-risk form of trading. Swissquote provides educational resources regarding risk management and publishes a risk warning stating that:
“CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 74% and 89% of retail client accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs, FX or any of our other products work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.”
If you are considering investing in cryptocurrencies and other crypto-assets with this broker, you should also consider their specific risk warning for those instruments, which states:
“Investments in Digital Assets and in cryptocurrencies are deemed highly speculative investments and subject to high volatility, and therefore may not be suitable for investors seeking a safe or stable return. The bank strongly recommends that the client seeks professional advice before taking investment decisions with regard to Digital Assets.”
Conclusion
As our Swissquote broker review has revealed, this is a brokerage worth considering for several reasons. It has a wide range of asset classes and a large number of financial instruments. The brokerage offers more forex pairs than many of its competitors and the ability to trade cryptocurrencies alongside them. The proprietary platform provides a range of desirable features, and those trading forex and CFDs have the option of the ever-popular and highly versatile MT4 and MT5 platforms. Mobile trading, copy trading and automated trading are also available, and most trading strategies are permitted. A good range of technical indicators and a comprehensive education centre also make this a desirable brokerage. The broker is fully licenced and regulated, and there is a choice of account types, although the minimum deposit on some account types is relatively high. Another potential drawback is that the payment methods available for deposits and withdrawals are very limited. Clients must fund their accounts via a bank transfer, and there is no instant funding option, as with some brokers. However, the drawbacks are few, and Swissquote is a versatile and reputable broker with various advantages, especially for multi-asset traders.