Is Swissquote Legit?
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Our experts continuously verify broker data to provide the most up-to-date information.
- Best for Swiss bank safety
- Best for Multi-asset coverage
- Best for EU traders
- Min deposit
- $1000
- Spread from
- 0.6 pips
- Max leverage
- 1:100
- Regulation
- FINMA · FCA
Quick answer
Yes, Swissquote is a legitimate broker. It holds six active regulatory licences: a FINMA Swiss banking licence (granted 2001), FCA UK FRN 562170, CSSF Luxembourg, DFSA Dubai, MAS Singapore and SFC Hong Kong. It has operated since 1996 and is publicly listed on SIX Swiss Exchange under ticker SQN. No enforcement action is recorded against any entity. Swissquote is not a scam.
Is Swissquote legit and regulated?
Is Swissquote legit? Yes.
I opened a live Swissquote funded account and tested four SEPA (EU bank-transfer system) withdrawal cycles in 2026. All four settled within 1 to 2 business days, confirming the platform delivers on its published timelines.
Six active regulatory licences and a publicly listed parent confirm this is a legitimate broker, not a scam.
The six Swissquote entities, verified against public registers in June 2026:
- FINMA (Switzerland’s financial regulator): Swiss banking licence, granted 2001. esisuisse deposit guarantee covers CHF 100,000 per client, at the same legal tier as a Swiss savings account.
- FCA (UK financial regulator): licence FRN 562170, granted 2012. FSCS (Financial Services Compensation Scheme) covers GBP 85,000 for UK retail clients.
- CSSF (Luxembourg financial regulator): credit institution licence, granted 2014. Luxembourg Deposit Guarantee Scheme covers EUR 100,000, plus the Investor Compensation Scheme covers EUR 20,000.
- DFSA (Dubai Financial Services Authority): Category 3A licence, granted 2019. Segregated client money and DFSA conduct rules apply.
- MAS (Monetary Authority of Singapore): Capital Markets Services Licence, granted 2017. Singapore Securities and Futures Act segregation applies.
- SFC (Securities and Futures Commission, Hong Kong): Type 1 and Type 4 regulated activities licences. Segregated client account rules apply.
None of the six entities carries an active enforcement action, fine or public warning on any public register as of June 2026.
One further legitimacy signal: Swissquote Group Holding Ltd is publicly listed on SIX Swiss Exchange under ticker SQN since 2000. Quarterly financial reports are audited under Swiss listing rules.
Capital adequacy, liquidity and risk exposures are publicly disclosed. Most retail forex brokers are privately held, meaning the audit picture stays private.
Client funds are held in segregated accounts (accounts kept separate from the broker’s own money). Negative balance protection applies on all retail accounts under FINMA, FCA, CSSF and DFSA frameworks.
Key facts
| Detail | Swissquote |
|---|---|
| Regulation | FINMA, FCA, CSSF, DFSA, MAS, SFC |
| Licence | FCA FRN 562170; FINMA Swiss banking licence (2001); CSSF Luxembourg credit institution |
| Deposit protection | esisuisse CHF 100,000 (Swiss entity); FSCS GBP 85,000 (UK entity); Luxembourg Deposit Guarantee EUR 100,000 (EU entity) |
| Founded | 1996 |
| Headquarters | Gland, Switzerland |
Should you trade with Swissquote?
Swissquote is the right choice for traders in the UK, EU, UAE, Singapore and Hong Kong who treat their trading account as long-term capital and want bank-grade safety. The FINMA Swiss bank entity is the strongest depositor-protection tier in my 2026 forex broker sample.
The publicly listed parent means quarterly finances are audited and publicly disclosed.
The $1,000 entry minimum positions this as a second account or long-term capital move rather than a learning account. If you are starting with a smaller amount, XM and Exness open from $5 and $10 respectively.
US and Canadian residents cannot open an account on any Swissquote entity. Availability varies by region.
Check which of the six entities covers your country in the onboarding flow, and confirm the exact compensation-scheme limit that applies. Protection ranges from CHF 100,000 on the Swiss bank entity to segregated-only on the MAS and SFC entities.
For full spread data, platform comparisons and 30 live test cycles, see the Swissquote review. For a comparison of the full regulated broker peer set, see the best regulated forex brokers guide.
Frequently asked questions
Which Swissquote entity will hold my account?
Swissquote routes accounts to the entity matching your country of residence. UK clients open with Swissquote Ltd, regulated by the FCA (UK financial regulator) under licence FRN 562170, with FSCS (Financial Services Compensation Scheme) cover up to GBP 85,000. EU clients open with Swissquote Bank Europe SA, regulated by the CSSF (Luxembourg financial regulator) as a credit institution, with the Luxembourg Deposit Guarantee Scheme up to EUR 100,000 and the Investor Compensation Scheme up to EUR 20,000. Swiss high-net-worth clients can request booking to Swissquote Bank SA, the parent FINMA-regulated Swiss bank entity, with esisuisse depositor protection up to CHF 100,000. UAE and Gulf clients open under Swissquote MEA Ltd, regulated by the DFSA (Dubai Financial Services Authority). Singapore clients open under Swissquote Pte Ltd, holding a MAS (Monetary Authority of Singapore) Capital Markets Services Licence. Hong Kong clients open under Swissquote Asia Ltd, holding SFC (Securities and Futures Commission) Type 1 and Type 4 regulated activities licences. Residents of the United States, Canada, Russia, Belarus, Iran and North Korea are not accepted on any entity.
Does Swissquote protect client funds?
Yes. Client funds are held in segregated accounts (accounts kept separate from the broker's own money), with the balance entirely separate from Swissquote's own operating capital. The FINMA Swiss bank entity offers the strongest protection: esisuisse depositor cover up to CHF 100,000 per client, at the same legal tier as a Swiss savings account. UK clients on the FCA entity receive FSCS (Financial Services Compensation Scheme) protection up to GBP 85,000. EU clients on the CSSF Luxembourg entity receive the Luxembourg Deposit Guarantee Scheme up to EUR 100,000 and the Investor Compensation Scheme up to EUR 20,000. Negative balance protection applies on all retail accounts under FINMA, FCA, CSSF and DFSA frameworks, meaning your losses cannot exceed your deposit.
Is Swissquote a scam?
No. Swissquote is a legitimate, regulated broker with a 30-year operating history. The parent company, Swissquote Group Holding Ltd, is publicly listed on SIX Swiss Exchange under ticker SQN, with quarterly financial reports audited under Swiss listing rules. No enforcement action, fine or public warning is recorded against any of the six entities on any public register in the past decade. All six licences were verified in June 2026 and show active status. See also: [Is Swissquote safe?](/swissquote-is-swissquote-safe/)
What is the minimum deposit for Swissquote?
The minimum deposit is $1,000 on the Standard Forex account. This is higher than most offshore-leaning competitors where entry starts at $5 to $100, but it reflects the Swiss banking operational cost and the FINMA regulatory tier. In my testing, SEPA (EU bank-transfer system) bank wire withdrawals settled in 1 to 2 business days across four cycles. SWIFT (international bank wire network) international wires took 2 to 3 business days at a CHF 20 passed fee. An inactivity fee of $10 per month applies after 6 months without a trade.
Is Swissquote available in the USA and other countries?
Swissquote does not accept residents of the United States, Canada, Russia, Belarus, Iran or North Korea on any of its six entities. US traders can consider OANDA, Forex.com or IG US, all of which hold NFA (National Futures Association) and CFTC (Commodity Futures Trading Commission) registration. Canadian traders can route through CIRO (Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization)-regulated brokers such as Interactive Brokers Canada. Swissquote is available across the UK, EU, Switzerland, the Middle East (UAE and Gulf states), Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, Japan and New Zealand.