Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of FXCM vs Swissquote, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 51% and 89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
FXCM (founded 1999) and Swissquote (founded 1996) are well-known online brokers with strong regulatory standing. Both are publicly traded; Swissquote is also a bank, while FXCM is not. According to ForexBrokers.com’s Trust Score system (90–99 = highly trusted, 80–89 = trusted, 70–79 = average risk, 60–69 = high risk, below 59 = do not trust), FXCM scores 95 and Swissquote scores 99—both in the highly trusted range.
Licensing tilts slightly in Swissquote’s favor. Swissquote holds five Tier-1 licenses and two Tier-2 licenses, while FXCM holds four Tier-1 and two Tier-2 licenses. In short, both offer high-trust regulation and public-market transparency, with Swissquote edging FXCM on Trust Score and the number of top-tier licenses, and FXCM still providing extensive top-tier oversight.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Swissquote
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1999 | 1996 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank | No | Yes |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 5 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
FXCM and Swissquote both offer multiple pricing paths, but FXCM generally edges out on trading costs. FXCM earns 4.5/5 stars and ranks 17th of 63 for Commissions and Fees, while Swissquote holds 3.5/5 stars and ranks 35th of 63. In practice, FXCM’s commission plans and volume rebates can drive down your effective cost per trade, whereas Swissquote’s pricing often carries a slight premium across many account types.
FXCM’s forex pricing is slightly above the industry average on its standard account, with May 2024 average EUR/USD spreads around 0.78 pips in the EU, U.K., and Australia, and 1.38 pips at its St. Vincent and the Grenadines entity. Its commission-based accounts averaged 0.28 pips (core spread, excluding commission) in May 2024, with an effective spread near 0.74 pips after commissions. The Active Trader Rebate Program (not available in the U.K. or EU) offers five tiers, paying $5–$25 per million traded if you do at least $10 million in monthly volume. In the U.K., a $25,000 balance and $50 million monthly volume can reduce commissions to $2.50 per side ($5 round turn). As with most brokers, spreads can widen at rollover or during volatile markets.
Swissquote’s fees vary by entity and account. In the U.K., active traders who deposit at least $10,000 may find the Elite (commission-based) account most cost-effective, with a $5 round-turn charge and lower spreads; the Standard account starts at 1.3 pips on EUR/USD, and the Prime account advertises minimum spreads from 0.6 pips (note: minimums, not averages). In Luxembourg, minimum spreads range from 0.8 pips (Prime, $50,000 deposit) to 1.5 pips (Standard, $1,000). In Switzerland, spreads start at 1.7 pips (Standard, $1,000), 1.4 pips (Premium, $10,000), and 1.1 pips (Prime, $50,000), with custom pricing negotiated for high-volume traders. Overall, Swissquote’s trading costs tend to be higher than what you’ll find at the most price-focused brokers—and higher than FXCM’s more competitive commission-based setup for frequent traders.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Swissquote
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | Starts from $50 | $1000 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.9 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
In the FXCM vs Swissquote comparison for range of investments, both brokers let you trade forex as CFDs and as spot. Swissquote lists 472 tradeable symbols and 80 forex pairs, edging out FXCM’s 440 symbols and 46 pairs. Swissquote also lets clients buy exchange-traded stocks on U.S. and international exchanges (for example Apple on NASDAQ and Vodafone in London), while FXCM does not offer real share dealing. Both support copy trading.
For crypto, Swissquote lets you buy actual coins as well as trade crypto CFDs; FXCM offers crypto via CFDs only. Reflecting that broader menu, ForexBrokers.com rates Swissquote 5 stars for Range of Investments and ranks it #2 of 63 brokers, while FXCM earns 4.5 stars and ranks #21. Choose Swissquote if you want one account for stocks, forex, and real crypto; pick FXCM if you mostly trade CFDs and forex with copy trading.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Swissquote
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 440 | 472 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 46 | 80 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | Yes |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
FXCM vs Swissquote: Both brokers check the key boxes for trading platforms and tools. Each provides a free demo account for paper trading, a proprietary platform, a Windows desktop download, and a web platform. Copy trading is available at both, and each supports MetaTrader 4 (MT4). The main platform difference is MetaTrader 5 (MT5): Swissquote offers MT5, while FXCM does not. Both let you place trades directly from charts, making it easier to go from analysis to execution.
For charting and watch lists, FXCM and Swissquote include technical indicators and customization options, along with chart-based trading for a streamlined workflow. According to ForexBrokers.com, FXCM earns 5 stars and ranks #4 out of 63 brokers for Trading Platforms and Tools, while Swissquote earns 4.5 stars and ranks #12 out of 63. If you want MT5, Swissquote has the edge; if top-tier platform ratings matter most, FXCM comes out ahead.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Swissquote
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 115 | 86 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
FXCM and Swissquote both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. Each app supports stock and forex price alerts, drawing trendlines on charts, and auto-saving your drawings. Both earned 4.5 out of 5 stars for Mobile Trading Apps on ForexBrokers.com; in the category, Swissquote ranks #12 out of 63 brokers, while FXCM ranks #16.
For charting tools, FXCM provides 59 technical studies in its app, nearly double Swissquote’s 30. FXCM also syncs watchlists between the mobile app and your online account, so changes carry over across devices, while Swissquote does not support watchlist syncing. If you want deeper technical analysis and synced watchlists, FXCM stands out; if overall category standing is your tie-breaker, Swissquote’s higher ranking may appeal.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Swissquote
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 59 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
FXCM vs Swissquote: both brokers deliver daily market commentary, real-time forex news from top-tier sources such as Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, plus an economic calendar to track upcoming events. Each earns a 4.5-star research rating, though FXCM ranks #11 while Swissquote ranks #15 in ForexBrokers.com’s Research category.
The key differences are in the toolset. FXCM includes Trading Central’s analytics, a sentiment tool that shows the ratio of long vs. short positions, and TipRanks research. Swissquote features Autochartist for pattern recognition and trade ideas. Neither broker offers research from Acuity Trading (Signal Centre). If you value Trading Central, sentiment insights, and TipRanks, FXCM may fit better; if you prefer Autochartist’s chart patterns and alerts, Swissquote may appeal more. Either way, both provide strong day‑to‑day coverage and timely news to support your market research.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Swissquote
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central | Yes | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
FXCM and Swissquote both make it easy for beginners to start learning. Each broker runs monthly educational webinars and offers at least 10 beginner-focused videos that explain key forex/CFD trading topics in plain language. When you’re ready to advance, both also provide 10+ videos for experienced traders, so you can keep building skills beyond the basics.
For education quality, both brokers earn 4.5 out of 5 stars. According to ForexBrokers.com, FXCM ranks #13 out of 63 brokers for Education, while Swissquote ranks #19. In short, you’ll find strong beginner education with either, with FXCM holding a slight edge in the category ranking.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Swissquote
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that FXCM is better than Swissquote. FXCM finished with an overall rank of #10, while Swissquote finished with an overall rank of #11.
For traders who appreciate advanced trading tools and quality market research, FXCM is a winner, especially for algorithmic trading. Its range of tradeable markets is fairly narrow, however, and the pricing at FXCM is just average.
| Feature |
FXCM
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Swissquote
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 95 | 99 |
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In the FXCM vs Swissquote comparison, FXCM provides cryptocurrency CFD trading only (no delivered coins), while Swissquote offers both real cryptocurrency purchases and crypto CFDs.
FXCM and Swissquote both support ACH/SEPA transfers, PayPal, Skrill, and bank wires for deposits and withdrawals, while Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified.
Please note:
We review each broker’s overall global offering – a “Yes” checkmark in our Compare Tool does not guarantee the availability of any specific features in your country of residence. To verify the availability of any features within your country of residence, please contact the broker directly.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | FXCM | Swissquote | |
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| Trust Score | 95 | 99 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FXCM Review | Swissquote Review |
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| Regulation | FXCM | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 95 | 99 | |
| Year Founded | 1999 | 1996 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank | No | Yes | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 5 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 2 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | FXCM | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | FXCM | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | FXCM | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 440 | 472 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 46 | 80 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | Yes | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
| Cost | FXCM | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.9 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | FXCM | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | Starts from $50 | $1000 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | FXCM | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | FXCM | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 115 | 86 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | FXCM | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 59 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | FXCM | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | FXCM | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | FXCM | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | FXCM Review | Swissquote Review |
| Overall | FXCM | Swissquote | |
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| Trust Score | 95 | 99 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FXCM Review | Swissquote Review |
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