Trading USD/CHF
The USD/CHF currency pair is one of the most popular majors in the forex trading world. Sometimes referred to as the ‘Swissy’, it combines the US Dollar and the Swiss Franc. In this article, we’ll discuss how to trade the USD/CHF. We’ll look beyond the candlestick and bar chart to review the history of the pair and other fundamental analysis factors. We’ll provide a guide to the best FX strategies, correlations and trading times.
USD/CHF Trading Brokers
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Pepperstone provides forex spreads on the EUR/USD averaging just 0.12 pips with their Razor account. This is highly competitive. Their extensive portfolio includes over 100 currency pairs, which exceeds what most rivals offer. Furthermore, Pepperstone stands out by offering three unique currency indices: USDX, EURX, and JPYX, which are rare on other platforms. They have been recognised with our 'Best Forex Broker' award twice.
GBPUSD Spread EURUSD Spread GBPEUR Spread 0.4 0.1 0.4 Total Assets FCA Regulated Platforms 100+ Yes MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView, AutoChartist, DupliTrade, Quantower -
XTB offers access to over 70 currency pairs, with competitive spreads averaging about 1 pip for major pairs. Its xStation platform is user-friendly, providing traders with top-tier charting tools, over 30 indicators, and diverse order types to support different strategies and risk management needs.
GBPUSD Spread EURUSD Spread GBPEUR Spread 1.4 1.0 1.4 Total Assets FCA Regulated Platforms 70+ Yes xStation -
FXCC champions its competitive forex trading environment. ECN spreads can drop to an impressive 0.0 pips during busy trading periods. Offering more variety than many competitors, it supports over 70 currency pairs. Furthermore, traders benefit from MT4, renowned for its exceptional charting capabilities, specifically designed for forex trading.
GBPUSD Spread EURUSD Spread GBPEUR Spread 1.0 0.2 0.5 Total Assets FCA Regulated Platforms 70+ No MT4, MT5 -
Vantage provides over 55 currency pairs, exceeding the industry norm, giving traders ample opportunities. With a robust liquidity pool, forex spreads start at 0.0 pips on the ECN account, often beating other options. Additionally, there are no commissions, deposit fees, or hidden charges.
GBPUSD Spread EURUSD Spread GBPEUR Spread 0.5 0.0 0.5 Total Assets FCA Regulated Platforms 55+ Yes ProTrader, MT4, MT5, TradingView, DupliTrade -
IC Markets remains dedicated to offering tight 0.0-pip spreads on major currency pairs like EUR/USD, ensuring outstanding execution with an average speed of 35 milliseconds. Ideal for traders seeking high performance, those dealing in large volumes can also enjoy rebates of up to $2.50 per forex lot.
GBPUSD Spread EURUSD Spread GBPEUR Spread 0.23 0.02 0.27 Total Assets FCA Regulated Platforms 75 No MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView, TradingCentral, DupliTrade, Quantower -
FxPro provides over 70 currency pairs, though minors are excluded, and is renowned for its rapid execution and tight spreads, averaging 0.45 pips on EUR/USD. Traders can design, evaluate, and implement short-term strategies using the top-tier MT4 platform with expert advisors for algorithmic trading.
GBPUSD Spread EURUSD Spread GBPEUR Spread 0.6 0.45 0.73 Total Assets FCA Regulated Platforms 70+ Yes FxPro Edge, MT4, MT5, cTrader, AutoChartist, TradingCentral, DupliTrade, Quantower -
IG provides an extensive selection of over 80 currency pairs through its own web platform, mobile app, or MetaTrader 4. For advanced charting and forex analysis, the ProRealTime software is available. Testing shows forex spreads are competitive, beginning at 0.1 pips on major pairs such as EUR/USD.
GBPUSD Spread EURUSD Spread GBPEUR Spread 0.9 0.8 0.9 Total Assets FCA Regulated Platforms 80+ Yes Web, ProRealTime, L2 Dealer, MT4, TradingView, AutoChartist, TradingCentral, ProRealTime
Pepperstone
XTB
FXCC
Vantage FX
IC Markets
FXPro
IG IndexSafety Comparison
Compare how safe the Trading USD/CHF are and what features they offer to protect traders.
| Broker | Trust Rating | FCA Regulated | Negative Balance Protection | Guaranteed Stop Loss | Segregated Accounts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pepperstone | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | |
| XTB | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| FXCC | ✘ | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | |
| Vantage FX | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | |
| IC Markets | ✘ | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | |
| FXPro | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | |
| IG Index | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Payments Comparison
Compare which popular payment methods the Trading USD/CHF support and whether they have trading accounts denominated in British Pounds (GBP).
| Broker | GBP Account | Debit Card | Credit Card | Neteller | Skrill | Apple Pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pepperstone | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| XTB | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ |
| FXCC | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ |
| Vantage FX | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ |
| IC Markets | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ |
| FXPro | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ |
| IG Index | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ |
Mobile Trading Comparison
How good are the Trading USD/CHF at mobile trading using apps or other mobile interfaces.
| Broker | Mobile Apps | iOS Rating | Android Rating | Smart Watch App |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pepperstone | iOS & Android | ✘ | ||
| XTB | iOS & Android | ✔ | ||
| FXCC | iOS & Android | ✘ | ||
| Vantage FX | iOS & Android | ✘ | ||
| IC Markets | iOS & Android | ✘ | ||
| FXPro | iOS & Android | ✘ | ||
| IG Index | iOS & Android | ✔ |
Beginners Comparison
Are the Trading USD/CHF good for beginner traders, that might want an affordable setup to get started, along with good support and educational resources?
| Broker | Demo Account | Minimum Deposit | Minimum Trade | Support Rating | Education Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pepperstone | ✔ | $0 | 0.01 Lots | ||
| XTB | ✔ | $0 | 0.01 Lots | ||
| FXCC | ✔ | $0 | 0.01 Lots | ||
| Vantage FX | ✔ | $50 | 0.01 Lots | ||
| IC Markets | ✔ | $200 | 0.01 Lots | ||
| FXPro | ✔ | $100 | 0.01 Lots | ||
| IG Index | ✔ | $0 | 0.01 Lots |
Advanced Trading Comparison
Do the Trading USD/CHF offer features that allow for more advanced trading strategies?
| Broker | Automated Trading | Pro Account | Leverage | VPS | AI | Low Latency | Extended Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pepperstone | Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader | ✔ | 1:30 (Retail), 1:500 (Pro) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ |
| XTB | Open API | ✔ | 1:30 | ✘ | ✘ | ✔ | ✘ |
| FXCC | Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader | ✘ | 1:500 | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | ✘ |
| Vantage FX | Myfxbook AutoTrade, Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader | ✘ | 1:30 | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ |
| IC Markets | Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader, cBots on cTrader, Myfxbook AutoTrade | ✘ | 1:30 (ASIC & CySEC), 1:500 (FSA), 1:1000 (Global) | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | ✘ |
| FXPro | Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader, cBots on cTrader | ✔ | 1:30 (Retail), 1:500 (Pro) | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | ✘ |
| IG Index | Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader, build your own on ProRealTime | ✔ | 1:30 (Retail), 1:222 (Pro) | ✔ | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ |
Detailed Rating Comparison
Use this heatmap to compare our detailed ratings for all of the Trading USD/CHF.
| Broker | Trust | Platforms | Mobile | Assets | Fees | Accounts | Support | Research | Education |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pepperstone | |||||||||
| XTB | |||||||||
| FXCC | |||||||||
| Vantage FX | |||||||||
| IC Markets | |||||||||
| FXPro | |||||||||
| IG Index |
Our Take On Pepperstone
"Pepperstone is a premier trading platform, providing tight spreads, swift execution, and sophisticated charting tools for seasoned traders. Beginners benefit from no minimum deposit, comprehensive learning materials, and outstanding 24/7 support."
Tobias Robinson
Reviewer
Pros
- Pepperstone presents itself as an economical choice for traders, offering spreads as low as 0.0 in its Razor account. The Active Trader programme provides rebates up to 30% on indices and commodities, plus $3 per lot on forex.
- The award-winning customer support can be accessed through phone, email, or live chat. During tests, response times have consistently been under 5 minutes.
- Pepperstone now offers spread betting via TradingView, delivering a streamlined and tax-efficient trading experience with sophisticated analytical tools.
Cons
- Pepperstone doesn't offer cTrader Copy, a favoured feature for copying trades found in the cTrader platform, which is available on other platforms such as IC Markets. However, Pepperstone has launched its own user-friendly copy trading app.
- Pepperstone's demo accounts expire after 30 days, which may not provide sufficient time to explore various platforms and evaluate trading strategies.
- Although its market range has improved, its crypto offerings remain limited compared to brokers specialising in this sector, lacking real coin investment options.
Our Take On XTB
"XTB emerges as an ideal option for novice traders, offering the impressive xStation platform, zero commission pricing, no required minimum deposit, and outstanding educational resources, many of which are conveniently integrated into the platform."
Pros
- XTB ensures swift access to funds, providing fast withdrawals with same-day payments for requests made before 1 pm.
- XTB has raised its interest rate on uninvested funds and introduced zero-fee ISAs for UK clients, offering access to 3,000 stocks and 700 ETFs for diverse investment opportunities.
- XTB offers a superb array of educational resources, such as training videos and articles, embedded within the platform to assist traders of all experience levels.
Cons
- XTB has stopped supporting MT4, restricting traders to its own platform, xStation. This decision may discourage experienced traders accustomed to using the MetaTrader suite.
- Trading fees are competitive, with average EUR/USD spreads of about 1 pip. However, they are not as low as the most affordable brokers, such as IC Markets. Additionally, an inactivity fee applies after a year.
- XTB lacks a raw spread account, a feature increasingly offered by competitors such as Pepperstone. This omission might not satisfy traders seeking the most competitive spreads.
Our Take On FXCC
"FXCC remains a top choice for forex traders, offering over 70 currency pairs, very tight spreads from 0.0 pips in tests, and high leverage up to 1:500 with the ECN XL account."
Pros
- FXCC is a trusted and licensed broker under the regulation of CySEC, a leading European authority ensuring excellent safeguarding standards.
- FXCC has introduced MT5, which in our evaluations, mirrored the trading conditions of MT4 by offering swift execution, improved charting, and market depth tools.
- The complimentary education section, featuring the 'Traders Corner' blog, provides a wide array of resources suitable for traders of all experience levels.
Cons
- Unaware traders might face steep withdrawal fees, such as a notable $45 for bank transfers.
- While the MetaTrader suite excels in technical analysis, its outdated design detracts from the overall trading experience, particularly when contrasted with contemporary platforms such as TradingView.
- The variety of currency pairs surpasses most options, but the choice of other assets is limited. Notably, stocks are absent.
Our Take On Vantage FX
"Vantage is an ideal choice for CFD traders looking for a well-regulated broker with access to the dependable MetaTrader platforms. With a swift sign-up process and a minimum deposit of $50, starting trading is simple and fast."
Pros
- The trading software suite is outstanding, featuring the acclaimed MT4 and MT5 platforms.
- With a minimal deposit requirement of just $50 and no funding fees, this broker stands out as an excellent option for novice traders.
- The broker recently expanded its range of CFDs, offering more trading opportunities.
Cons
- It's unfortunate that some clients must register with the offshore firm, which provides reduced regulatory safeguards.
- Based on tests, average execution speeds of 100ms to 250ms are slower compared to other options.
- To access optimal trading conditions, a substantial deposit of $10,000 is required. This includes a commission of $1.50 per transaction per side.
Our Take On IC Markets
"IC Markets provides excellent pricing, swift execution, and easy deposits. With cutting-edge charting tools like TradingView and the Raw Trader Plus account, it continues to be a preferred option for intermediate and advanced traders."
Pros
- IC Markets provides some of the industry's narrowest spreads, offering 0.0-pip spreads on major currency pairs. This makes it an extremely cost-effective choice for traders.
- As a well-regulated and reputable broker, IC Markets focuses on client safety and transparency to provide a dependable global trading experience.
- In 2025, IC Markets earned DayTrading.com's accolade for 'Best MT4/MT5 Broker' due to its top-tier MetaTrader integration. This achievement highlights the broker's continuous refinement over the years to enhance the platform experience.
Cons
- Although there are four top-tier third-party platforms available, the absence of in-house software or a trading app tailored for novice traders is notable.
- Interest is not paid on idle cash, a feature gaining popularity with alternatives such as Interactive Brokers.
- The tutorials, webinars, and educational resources require enhancement, lagging behind competitors such as CMC Markets, which diminishes their appeal to novice traders.
Our Take On FXPro
"FxPro is an excellent choice for traders, offering swift execution speeds under 12ms, reduced fees since 2022, and outstanding charting platforms like MT4, MT5, cTrader, and FxPro Edge."
Pros
- FxPro's Wallet is a notable feature enabling traders to securely manage their funds. It ensures additional protection and ease by separating unused funds from active trading accounts.
- FxPro uses a 'No Dealing Desk' (NDD) model for swift and transparent order execution, usually within 12 milliseconds, making it well-suited for short-term trading strategies.
- FxPro provides four dependable charting platforms, including the user-friendly FxPro Edge. It features more than 50 indicators, 7 types of charts, and 15 different timeframes.
Cons
- FxPro, with its $10M funded demo account and expanding Knowledge Hub, mainly caters to experienced traders. Beginners might find its account and fee structure challenging to understand.
- FxPro offers customer support five days a week around the clock, accessible via various platforms, and the service quality is reliable based on tests. However, the absence of weekend support can be a drawback for traders requiring help beyond standard market times.
- There are no passive investment options such as copy trading or interest on cash. While traders might not find these essential, competitors like eToro, which accommodate both active and passive investors, offer more extensive services.
Our Take On IG Index
"IG offers a complete package with an intuitive online platform, top-tier beginner education, advanced charting tools through its TradingView integration, real-time data, and swift execution for seasoned traders."
Pros
- The web-based platform supports traders at every level, offering advanced charting tools and real-time market data vital for trading. Additionally, IG now includes TradingView integration.
- The IG app provides an excellent mobile trading experience with an intuitive design, earning it the Runner Up position in our 'Best Trading App' award.
- IG stands out with its extensive range of instruments, offering stocks, forex, indices, commodities, and cryptocurrencies. Additionally, it has recently introduced US-listed futures and options, along with an AI Index. These options enhance opportunities for diversification in trading.
Cons
- In the UK and EU, negative balance protection is available. However, US clients lack account protection and guaranteed stop losses.
- Beginners may find IG's fees complicated, as they vary depending on the trades or services. This could cause confusion and unexpected costs.
- IG has ended its swap-free account, diminishing its attractiveness to Islamic traders.
The USD/CHF Explained
USD/CHF is the value of the US dollar against the Swiss Franc. It is mostly displayed as a single number, for example 0.89, which means that for 1 dollar (the base currency) you’ll be able to purchase 0.89 Swiss Francs (the quote currency). It may also be displayed as a ratio, e.g in 1:0.89. By definition, USD/CHF is a major currency pair. This is because the USD makes up one half of the relationship.
Like any exchange rate currency, the value of the USD vs CHF will move over time. The current price can be obtained by looking at a live forex chart. This will give you the latest view of the pair’s value right now. It is the change in price which makes trading the pair profitable. Successful forex traders will forecast whether the value of the Swiss Franc is likely to rise or fall against the dollar, performing analysis daily, weekly and monthly to aid in their forecasts.
Both the USD and CHF have stable economies underpinning their value. For this reason, both currencies are known as safe havens and volatility is not a problem for the pair. For example, the average daily range was 66 in 2020 vs 131 for GBP/USD in the same date period. However, less volatility also typically means fewer opportunities to make money.
Fundamental Analysis
Fundamental analysis involves looking at macroeconomic factors to make a prediction on the movement of an exchange rate. Certain factors, such as interest rates, inflation and unemployment levels in the market impact a currency’s value. For example, if the Swiss National Bank (SNB) wanted to head off a potential recession, they might lower interest rates to encourage forward spending. This makes lending money less lucrative and therefore devalues the franc vs the dollar.
Experienced traders will be watchful of exchange rate news channels such as Yahoo and Google Finance, Bloomberg and Reuters. These are reliable sources that report on the latest news that is likely to impact such economic factors. They provide an assessment of the FX rate today and projections of USD/CHF movements in the future.
It’s vital that forex traders have a grasp of macroeconomics beyond the charts and graphs when speculating on the USD vs CHF outlook. Those starting out should look outside the real-time live chart, to see the 10, 20, 30 and even 50 year history of USD/CHF.
Switzerland & The Swiss Franc
Despite its geographical location in central Europe, Switzerland is not part of the EU. The small country of just over 8.5 million people has a long history of secrecy and protection of financial assets. In fact, Switzerland holds around one third of all privately held wealth in its banks. It is world-renowned as a safe haven and can attract those who want to evade tax or commit financial crime. For this reason, the value of the Swiss Franc rises in times of economic difficulty.
Despite its infamous stability, in 2015 the Swissy was sitting at 1.20 against the Euro, when the Swiss National Bank abandoned its ceiling value against it. This caused the value of the franc to soar against both the euro and the dollar, trading at a 25% price high compared to before the announcement.
The jump caused many traders to stop out and the stock market to plummet. This served as a warning to central banks not to manipulate exchange rates and led to the development of further protections for retail traders. Since 2015, the yearly average of USD/CHF has steadily fallen. In 2020, it reached 0.939, the lowest in the five-year period.
USA & The Dollar
The dollar is the most traded currency in the world. It makes up one half of all major currency pairs and therefore, half of their trading volume. 20% of Switzerland’s exports go to the US, vs just 1.7% of the US’s to the Swiss. As the world’s reserve currency, the USD is usually a fairly safe bet. In the 2008 financial crisis, the USD held strong while other currencies faltered.
Comparably, as another safe haven currency, the CHF also performed well. The USD/CHF slid 620 pips (5.4%), whilst the pound sterling suffered greatly, GBP/USD saw a drop of 5487 pips.
Technical Analysis
Technical analysis of the USD/CHF involves looking at online price charts and historical data to spot a trend. Since there are profits to be made from minute movements in price, most forex trading strategies involve some level of technical analyses. A weekly market outlook provides traders with a view on whether to buy or sell in the near future. These are closely relied upon by traders with almost any strategy.
USD/CHF Trading Strategies
- Day trading – The USD/CHF is popular for those who are new to day trading as it’s comparably less volatile than other currency pairs. Day trading involves holding a position for a very short period of time – 5 minute interactive charts are not uncommon. But, no position is held overnight, reducing margin fees and maximising profits.
- Price action – This form of technical analysis involves generating signals from recent historical price movements. Experienced traders may hunt for pivot points (known as support and resistance lines) in the data and use this to forecast profits today. It is a subjective strategy which can vary from trader to trader based on their prior experience with the forex market.
- Sentiment trading – Useful for trading futures and options on USD/CHF, this involves using sentiment indicators to understand the volume being traded. If the price was declining but suddenly volume is high, this could mean a bullish trend is likely to begin. Essentially, sentiment trading is based on the psychology of other market traders.
Trading strategy should be unique to the investor’s experience and the forex pair. For example, whilst Elliott Wave analysis might suit the USD/CHF, a carry trade strategy might not because of the low interest rates applied by both national banks. Similarly, arbitrage is a struggle with such a high volume pair. Live streaming data and complex automated bots are primed to pounce at institutional firms, sometimes leaving retail traders behind.
USD/CHF Correlation
Switzerland has close ties to Europe, being surrounded on all sides by the eurozone. Therefore, it’s no surprise that the USD/CHF has an almost perfect negative correlation against the EUR/USD.
Another interesting correlation with USD/CHF is the USD/JPY. The yen and the franc are safe haven currencies. Therefore in times of economic turmoil, investment tends to move to these parts of the world, strengthening their value against the dollar. Currency correlations, therefore, are a great way to supplement and inform trading decisions.
Final Word On Trading USD/CHF
In conclusion, the USD/CHF is a steady currency pair with comparably low volatility compared to its neighbours, the GBP and EUR. This makes it a solid pair for those that are new to daily forex trading as stop outs are less common than other pairs.
However, the Swiss National Bank’s history of manipulating exchange rates mean profits are not guaranteed. Traders should be aware that low volatility does not mean no risk. Careful analysis of indicators, charts and graphs is vital for trading spot forex, exchange traded funds (ETF) and e-micro futures and options.
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FAQ
What Does USD/CHF Stand For?
USD/CHF refers to the currency pair between the US dollar and the Swiss Franc. The CH stands for ‘Confoederatio Helvetica’ which is latin for the Swiss Confederation.
Is USD/CHF Prone To Volatility?
The USD/CHF does not traditionally see the extreme high low volatility seen by other currency pairs. Both are seen as traditionally safe assets over the long term. With that said, low liquidity and geopolitical events can cause the price to shift significantly.
What Is The Average Broker Spread On USD/CHF?
The latest analysis shows the average spread on the USD/CHF is 2 pips between the bid and the ask. However, in 2015 when the Swiss National Bank announced a removal of the ceiling against the Euro, a movement of over 600 pips was seen in the pair. Therefore, despite it’s often low volatility, there are profits to be made.
At What Time Of Day Can You Trade USD/CHF?
Forex charts and markets are open 24 hours a day from Sunday to Friday. The Swiss Franc is no different. However, trading times do vary in popularity, for example markets tend to be more liquid between 9am and 5pm GMT. For the USD/CHF, the most liquid time of day is between 12pm and 3pm GMT when both US and Swiss traders are active.
Where Can I Find The Best Forecast For USD/CHF?
TradingView is a great source for USD/CHF chart forecasts for today and this week. Investors can find 10, 20, and 30 years of price history in charts. They also offer trading forums where you can discuss projections with other traders and learn new strategies. For fundamental analysis, Bloomberg and Reuters are reliable sources of world news and its impact on the forex market.