| Updated: The USD/CHF currency pair indicates how many Swiss francs are needed to buy one US dollar and is among the most traded currency pairs due to its high liquidity, lower volatility, and stability. The team at BestBrokers has thoroughly reviewed multiple regulated forex brokers to find the brands offering the lowest spreads for USD/CHF. Also included here is comprehensive information about the pair’s minimum spreads, market hours, and trading with leverage.
Plus500 USThis content applies only to Plus500 US and clients from the United States. Trading futures involves the risk of loss.
eToro50% of retail investor accounts lose money
Fusion Markets74-89% of retail's CFD accounts lose money
FP Markets73.33% of retail investor accounts lose money
BlackBull MarketsTrading leveraged products is risky
Eightcap59.57% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.
Pepperstone72.9% of retail investor accounts lose money
Capital.com69% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.
XM Group72.82% of retail investor accounts lose money
AvaTrade57% of retail investor accounts lose moneyComprehensive Comparison of the Top 10 USD/CHF Forex Brokers
| Forex Broker | USD/CHF Spread | USD/CHF Commissions | Number of FX pairs to trade | Trust Pilot Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Fusion Markets | 1.01 avg (Classic) | $0 Classic Account, $4.50 round turn on Zero Account | 90+ | 4.8 ⭐ |
| 2. XM Group | 1.1 (min) | $0 Ultra Low Micro and Ultra Low Standard Accounts; $3.50 per side XM Zero Account | 50+ | 2.7 ⭐ |
| 3. AvaTrade | 1.3 | $0 | 50+ | 4.7 ⭐ |
| 4. Pepperstone | 1.30 (avg.) | $0 (Standard Account), $7 round-turn (Razor Account) | 90+ | 4.4 ⭐ |
| 5. Admirals | 1.5 | $3 per lot | 82 | 3.8 ⭐ |
| 6. FP Markets | 1.67 | $0 Standard Account; $6 round turn on Pro Account | 70+ | 4.9 ⭐ |
| 7. City Index | 1.8 | $0 on forex trades; 1.8 CPS for US shares ($10 minimum); 0.08% for other shares ($10 or A$5 minimum) | 84+ | 4.2 ⭐ |
| 8. Markets.com | 1.9 | $0 | 54 | 3.8 ⭐ |
| 9. XTB | 1.9 | $0 for Standard accounts, $3.50 per side for Pro accounts | 70+ | 3.5 ⭐ |
| 10. IG | 1.95 av.spread | $0 | 90+ | 3.9 ⭐ |
Top 14 Brokers Offering the Lowest Spread for USD/CHF
Fusion Marketsoffers competitive trading conditions, with minimum spreads from 0.0 pips and $2.25 commission per side for currency pairs and metals traded via Zero accounts, no deposit fees, and no minimum requirements for account size. Alternatively, onboarding customers can register commission-free Classic accounts where minimum spreads start from 0.9 pips. The broker offers a historical spreads tool, providing traders with useful information on the minimum, maximum, and average spreads within the past month for all supported trading instruments, including the USD/CHF pair.
To use the spreads tool, traders must select their preferred instrument, pick a timeframe, and adjust their chart to show the spreads they wish to view. The broker is regulated by ASIC in Australia, FSA in Seychelles, and VFSC in Vanuatu. Beyond USD/CHF, customers can trade around 90 other currency pairs with leverage of up to 1:30 in Australia and 1:500 at the offshore divisions.
Gleneagle Asset Management Limited (ABN 29 103 162 278) trading as Fusion Markets, is the issuer of the Fusion Markets Products described in this communication. Trading in Fusion Markets Products involves the potential for profit as well as the risk of loss which may vastly exceed the amount of your initial deposit and is not suitable for all investors. You should read all of these Financial Product Service Terms, the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and the Financial Services Guide (available on our website) carefully, consider your own financial situation, needs and objectives for investing in these Fusion Markets Products and obtain independent financial advice.- 2. FP Markets
FP Markets is part of a group of companies established in 2005, authorized and regulated by the CySEC, ASIC, FSA, and FSCA, among others. The broker offers minimum spreads from 1.0 pip for Standard and 0.0 pips for Raw accounts, 24/7 multilingual customer support, and negative balance protection for retail traders.
FP Markets provides a range of more than 60 currency pairs, tradable through third-party platforms like MT4, MT5, TradingView, and cTrader. Standard account holders can trade the USD/CHF pair with an average spread of 1.67 pips, while those utilizing Raw accounts benefit from tighter average spreads of 0.57 pips. Forex traders have access to news and an economic calendar, a forex calculator, technical indicators and charts, and many more tools.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 73.33% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. Founded in 2014, BlackBull Markets is regulated by the FSA in Seychelles and the FMA in New Zealand. The broker offers an extensive range of over 26,000 financial instruments, including 70 major, minor, and exotic currency pairs, and supports popular third-party platforms like MT4, MT5, TradingView, and cTrader.
Average spreads for the USD/CHF pair at BlackBull Markets vary by account type, sitting at 0.9 pips for ECN Standard users compared to 0.2 pips for those on ECN Prime accounts, where a $6 commission applies per standard lot.
Additionally, traders can access various tools and features, including technical indicators, economic calendars, and market news. The broker has no minimum deposit requirements and accepts various payment methods, including Visa, Skrill, Neteller, Mastercard, Google Pay, and bank transfers.
Trading foreign exchange on margin carries a high level of risk and may not be suitable for all investors. The high degree of leverage can work against you as well as for you. Before deciding to trade foreign exchange, you should carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite. The possibility exists that you could sustain a loss of some or all of your initial investment and, therefore, you should not invest money you cannot afford to lose. You should make yourself aware of all the risks associated with foreign exchange trading and seek advice from an independent financial advisor if you have any questions or concerns as to how a loss would affect your lifestyle.- 4. AvaTrade
AvaTrade operates on a fixed-spread model and enables commission-free trading with average USD/CHF spreads of 1.3 pips for Standard and 0.9 pips for Pro accounts. The maximum allowed leverage is 1:400 for professional traders and 1:30 for retail customers.
AvaTrade supports several platforms, including WebTrader, MT4, MT5, TradingView, and cTrader. The broker services customers with licenses from nine jurisdictions, including Australia, Cyprus, Canada, Ireland, South Africa, and Israel. Traders can diversify their portfolios with over 1,000 financial markets across various asset classes like cryptocurrencies, stocks, commodities, indices, and ETFs.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 57% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. - 5. Pepperstone
Founded in 2010, Pepperstone serves more than 830,000 traders from over 150 countries. Authorized by tier-one regulators such as the CySEC, ASIC, and FCA, the broker facilitates trading with 93 currency pairs, including majors, minors, and exotics. The minimum USD/CHF spreads for Razor accounts start from 0.0 pips and 1.00 pip for Standard accounts. Average spreads for the pair are 0.4 pips and 1.4 pips, respectively.
Traders can diversify their portfolios with more than 1,400 CFDs across different assets like commodities, indices, stocks, forwards, and ETFs. Pepperstone supports multiple trading platforms, including TradingView, MT4, MT5, and cTrader, available on PC, web, and mobile. The minimum amount customers can transfer to their live balance is $10.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 72.9% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. - 6. XM Group
XM provides access to over 1,400 instruments, including 55 currency pairs, through the MT4 and MT5 platforms. The broker offers spreads starting from 0.0 pips and includes a range of integrated educational resources, such as market research, daily webinars, and video tutorials.
XM utilizes a spread-only pricing model on Standard and Ultra Low accounts. Conversely, the XM Zero account features spreads from 1 pip, accompanied by a commission of $3.50 per standard lot, per side. The brokerage also offers leveraged trading with soft commodities, thematic indices, precious metals, stocks, energies, and indices. Customers can adjust their forex exposure with leverage of up to 1:1000 at the offshore entity, regulated by the FSC in Belize.
Risk Warning: CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 72.82% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. - 7. Admirals
Admirals (formerly Admiral Markets) is a multi-regulated broker, holding licenses from the FCA (UK), CySEC (Cyprus), and ASIC (Australia). The platform provides access to over 8,000 instruments, including CFDs on 82 currency pairs, commodities, stocks, indices, exchange-traded funds, and cryptocurrencies.
The broker offers Trade, Invest, and Zero accounts for MT5, whereas MT4 users can open only Trade and Zero accounts. Customers with Trade accounts can access minimum spreads of 1 pip for USD/CHF. Those with Zero accounts pay a $3 commission per standard lot, per side, and benefit from lower minimum spreads of 0.1 pips. Forex leverage is restricted to 1:500 for professional traders and 1:30 for retail customers.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 73% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. - 8. City Index
Part of the StoneX Group, City Index is an FCA-licensed broker with a Trustpilot rating of 4.2 out of 5 stars, based on more than 393 reviews. The platform facilitates trading across 13,500+ markets, including CFDs on 84 currency pairs. Spread betting is also available to customers from the UK.
The broker offers commission-free Standard and MT4 accounts with forex spreads from 0.8 and 0.5 pts, respectively. Spreads for the USD/CHF pair start from 1.3 pips. Traders at City Index can track the pair’s prices over the last five years and read the latest financial news and analyses related to it. They also have access to an economic calendar and other educational tools, allowing them to potentially make more informed decisions.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 69% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. - 9. XTB
XTB has over 20 years of experience in the investment industry and a global customer base spanning 2 million traders. The broker uses a proprietary platform (xStation 5), designed for high-speed execution and detailed market analysis. As many as 69 currency pairs are available for CFD trading with spreads as low as 0.8 pips.
Spreads for USD/CHF start from 1.4 pips and average 1.9 pips with Standard accounts, with a maximum allowable leverage of 1:200 for professional account holders. Retail traders in Europe are limited to leverage ratios of 1:30. USD/CHF traders can open positions as small as 1 micro lot.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 73% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. - 10. IG
IG was established in 1974 and currently serves over 400,000 customers worldwide with licenses from the FCA, CySEC, FMA, ASIC, BMA, and more. It offers a varied range of 17,000 markets across various asset classes like forex, indices, shares, commodities, cryptocurrencies, and more. Spread betting is available to clients from the UK and Ireland.
New traders can open a free demo account and practice with €10,000 in virtual funds. IG provides access to over 90 forex pairs and quotes average spreads of 1.99 for USD/CHF. Various platforms are supported, including MetaTrader 4, ProRealTime, and the proprietary L2 Dealer. Customers seeking lower forex spreads can apply for DMA accounts to access raw pricing with variable commissions.
CFDs are complex instruments. 67% of retail client accounts lose money when trading CFDs, with this investment provider. You can lose your money rapidly due to leverage. Please ensure you understand how this product works and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing money. - 11. Plus500
Plus500 is a global CFD provider with licenses from over 15 financial regulators, including CySEC, FCA, and ASIC, and a presence in more than 65 countries. The broker covers over 2,800 tradable instruments, including more than 60 currency pairs, stocks, commodities, indices, options, cryptocurrencies, and ETFs.
It runs on a proprietary cross-compatible platform that offers a unified interface for mobile and desktop users. The spread on USD/CHF is 1.7 pips, with no commissions charged upon entering and exiting trades. Retail customers can access a maximum leverage of 1:30, while professional traders qualify for higher ratios of up to 1:300.
79% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. - 12. Global Prime
Licensed in Vanuatu and Australia, Global Prime has been in operation for over 15 years and offers a selection of more than 150 tradable markets, including 56 forex pairs. The broker’s Standard account comes with minimum spreads from 0.9 pips and no commissions. Raw account users have access to spreads from 0.0 pips but must pay a commission of $3.5 per side, per standard lot.
Spreads for the CHF/USD pair currently average 0.37 pips for Raw and 1.27 pips for Standard accounts. Global Prime has no minimum deposit requirements, and accepts payments with Skrill, Visa, Mastercard, Neteller, and PayPal, among others. Notably, the broker does not charge deposit fees. Clients whose 30-day trading volume exceeds 20 lots in forex and metals are eligible for complimentary VPS hosting.
Global Prime is a trading name of FMGP Trading Group Pty Ltd (ABN 74 146 086 017) and is regulated by ASIC and licensed to carry on a financial services business in Australia under Australian Financial Services License No. 385620. Gleneagle Securities Pty Limited trading as Global Prime FX, is a registered Vanuatu company (Company Number 40256) and is regulated by the VFSC. The website is owned and operated by FMGP Trading Group Pty Ltd, ABN 74 146 086 017. - 13. ActivTrades
Spreads for the Swissie average 1 pip at ActivTrades, with no entry and exit commissions. Position size ranges from 0.01 to 100 lots for most forex markets. Besides USD/CHF, customers can speculate on the changing prices of 53 other currency pairs. Maximum leverage ratios for the Swissie range from 1:30 for UK and EU customers to 1:1000 for FSC traders.
A single retail account is available, with clients having the option to apply for swap-free trading. Only traders from the UK and EU are eligible for professional accounts, where maximum leverage reaches 1:400 for forex majors. ActivTrades provides negative balance protection across all entities regardless of the client’s status. Customers are also eligible for enhanced compensation of up to $1 million per claimant if the broker files for bankruptcy.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 72% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. - 14. Axi
Axi is a multi-regulated CFD provider licensed by regulators like the UK’s FCA, Australia’s ASIC, and Seychelles’ FSA. Axi’s range of instruments includes over 220 markets for shares, indices, cryptocurrencies, commodities, and over 70 forex pairs. Minimum spreads for USD/CHF start from 0.6 pips if one uses a Standard Axi account.
Those with a Pro account can access spreads from 0.0 pips, although a $4.50 round-turn commission will apply. Axi supports platforms like MT4 and MT5, although software availability varies based on the regulated entity. Additionally, Axi offers a stand-alone mobile application compatible with iOS 13.0 and Android 7.1 or later. A dedicated copy trading app from Pelican Exchange is available as well.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. The vast majority of retail client accounts lose money when trading in CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
USD/CHF Forex Brokers Ranked by Trustpilot Score
| Forex Broker | Trustpilot Reviews | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. FP Markets | 9,422 | 4.9 ⭐ |
| 2. Fusion Markets | 4,873 | 4.8 ⭐ |
| 3. AvaTrade | 11,076 | 4.7 ⭐ |
| 4. Pepperstone | 3,144 | 4.4 ⭐ |
| 5. City Index | 393 | 4.2 ⭐ |
| 6. IG | 8,324 | 3.9 ⭐ |
| 7. Markets.com | 1,236 | 3.8 ⭐ |
| 8. Admirals | 2,046 | 3.8 ⭐ |
| 9. XTB | 1,935 | 3.5 ⭐ |
| 10. XM Group | 2,787 | 2.7 ⭐ |
About the USD/CHF Currency Pair
In the USD/CHF pair, the US dollar is the base currency and the Swiss franc is the quote currency. Quoted price rates indicate how many Swiss francs are required to purchase one US dollar. The pair is also known as the “Swissie” and ranks as the seventh most traded forex pair in the world, with a 4.9% market share and an average daily turnover exceeding $455 billion (as of 2025).
The Swiss franc is globally recognized as a safe-haven currency due to Switzerland’s long-standing political neutrality, fiscal stability, and developed banking sector. As a result, the pair sees significant capital inflows during periods of global geopolitical tension or increased volatility, typically leading to the appreciation of the franc against the dollar. Factors like high liquidity, low volatility, and stability commonly contribute to the tight spreads available for the USD/CHF.
USD/CHF prices are heavily influenced by the monetary policies of the US Federal Reserve (Fed) and the Swiss National Bank (SNB). While the Fed adjusts interest rates to support its dual mandate of balancing inflation and full employment in the United States, the SNB frequently focuses on price stability and the prevention of excessive franc appreciation, which can harm Switzerland’s export-driven economy. The interest rate differential between these two central banks can be the primary driver of the pair’s long-term trends.
Before opening a live account, new forex traders can create a demo account and practice trading the pair with virtual funds. With a live account, brokers either use the spread (the difference between the bid and ask prices) to cover their expenses or collect a small commission in each direction of the trade.
USD/CHF traders can manage their risk by using stop-loss orders to define their exit points. Regulated brokers can provide additional safeguards like automated stop-outs and negative balance protection to prevent clients’ losses from exceeding their initial balance due to extreme market gaps. All forex brokers featured in this article support desktop and mobile trading platforms, offering stop-loss orders and real-time monitoring of SNB and Fed policy announcements.
What Is Spread in Forex Trading?
The spread in forex trading, also known as the “bid/ask spread,” is the difference between the bid and ask price of a currency pair. The bid is the price at which you sell a base currency, while the ask is the price at which you can buy it from the broker. The difference between these two prices is the spread, which represents your transaction cost.
Spreads can be narrower or wider, based on different factors such as the currencies involved, the time of day, market volatility, and the current economic environment. The spread is measured in pips, where one pip represents a movement in the fourth decimal place (0.0001) for most currency pairs. For example, if the ask price is 0.7889 and this bid price is 0.7887, this corresponds to a spread of 2 pips (0.7889 – 0.7887 = 0.0002).
The USD/CHF quote represents the value of a single US dollar (the base currency) expressed in Swiss francs (the quote currency). For instance, if the pair is trading at 0.7887, it means that 0.7887 Swiss francs are needed to buy 1 US dollar.
If the USD/CHF pair rises to 0.9737, it indicates that the US dollar has strengthened, and the Swiss Franc has weakened, so that traders must pay 0.9737 Swiss francs to buy 1 US dollar. Conversely, if the USD/CHF pair drops to 0.7431, it shows that the US dollar has weakened, while the Swiss Franc has strengthened. In this case, you pay 0.7431 Swiss francs to buy 1 US dollar.
What Is the Lowest Spread for USD/CHF?
Lower spreads result in lower overall trading costs and are typically associated with highly liquid pairs with significant trading volumes like the USD/CHF. Furthermore, choosing a reliable broker with a clearly defined fee structure allows traders to more accurately calculate their potential transaction costs. Tight spreads can maximize gains, particularly for traders relying on short-term strategies.
The USD/CHF pair is among the forex pairs with the lowest spreads due to the Swiss franc’s reputation as a “safe haven” currency and the stability of the Swiss economy. The spreads for the USD/CHF pair vary across different brokers and are either fixed or floating. Some brokers with hybrid execution models may offer both fixed and floating spreads across different account types.
USD/CHF spreads normally range from 0.2 to 2 pips under normal market conditions and tighten during periods of increased liquidity, like the London-New York trading session overlap. Spreads typically widen during periods of low liquidity and potentially high-volatility events like SNB interventions or US Non-Farm Payroll (NFP) releases. Interest rate discrepancies between the Fed and the SNB can also cause USD/CHF spreads to widen to 5 pips or more.
USD/CHF Trading Hours and Optimal Sessions
The four major financial markets are Tokyo, Sydney, London, and New York. Trading volume typically surges during the operational hours of these respective regions. Although the market remains open 24 hours a day during the workweek, liquidity and volatility peak during the overlap of these major trading sessions.
The increased liquidity during such overlaps generally results in tighter spreads, making it potentially more cost-effective to enter and exit trades. This is particularly beneficial for scalpers and day traders who open and close multiple positions within short periods.
Respectively, the best time to trade USD/CHF is during the overlap of the London and New York sessions, between 1:00 pm and 05:00 pm GMT. Major economic data releases from both the United States and Switzerland often occur during this timeframe. Interest rate news from the Federal Reserve and the Swiss National Bank, inflation, employment data, and GDP reports from both countries can trigger significant price swings for the USD/CHF.
Furthermore, the Swiss National Bank (SNB) often intervenes in the currency markets to manage the strength of the franc. Any hint or actual intervention from the SNB, especially during this active period, can cause fluctuations in the prices of the USD/CHF pair.
Trading USD/CHF with Leverage
Trading the USD/CHF pair with leverage involves using a fraction of your total position value as collateral, which allows you to control larger positions with a smaller capital outlay. When using leverage, traders borrow additional funds from their brokers to increase their market exposure.
For example, using leverage of 1:30 enables traders to control a $3,000 position in the pair with $100 of their own capital. However, this increased market exposure can magnify both your profits and losses, so you should carefully evaluate your risk tolerance before using leverage.
The maximum leverage available for USD/CHF varies across different regulatory frameworks. In regions like the EU, UK, and Australia, retail leverage for major pairs like USD/CHF is capped at 1:30 to prevent retail traders from exposing themselves to excessive risk.
In contrast, brokers operating under different regulatory regimes in offshore jurisdictions like Mauritius and the Seychelles may offer significantly higher leverage ratios, sometimes reaching 1:500, 1:1000, or more. Leveraging at such high ratios requires disciplined risk management, as it can lead to considerable losses in the event of even small price movements.
To mitigate the risks of leveraged exposure, retail traders should prioritize brokers that provide negative balance protection, which prevents their accounts from falling into a deficit during market movements. Regulated brokers additionally use automated stop-outs to close retail positions if margin levels drop below a specific threshold.
Key Pros
- Broadly available across forex brokers
- Highly liquid and relatively stable pair
- Associated with narrower spreads as a major currency pair
- Often follows established technical indicators and trend lines
- Policy divergence between the Fed and SNB drives trends
Key Cons
- Sudden price shifts due to SNB market intervention
- Prone to extended consolidation ranges
- High interest rate differentials can result in costly daily rollover fees
You might also be interested in exploring these top forex brokers:
- USD/JPY Forex Brokers
- USD/CAD Forex Brokers
- USD/CNY Forex Brokers
- AUD/USD Forex Brokers
- GBP/USD Forex Brokers
- EUR/USD Forex Brokers
- EUR/GBP Forex Brokers