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 comes out ahead of Swissquote for commissions and fees, with a 4.5-star rating and a ranking of #17 out of 36 brokers. Its forex pricing is a little above the industry average, but it can be more competitive on commission-based accounts, where EUR/USD spreads averaged 0.28 pips in May 2024 before commissions. FXCM also offers active trader rebates in some regions, which can lower costs further for high-volume traders, although pricing may still rise during volatile market conditions.
Swissquote, by contrast, holds a 3.5-star rating and ranks #35 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees. While it benefits from the appeal of a Swiss banking brand, that safety and reputation can come with higher trading costs. Its U.K. and Luxembourg entities offer lower-cost options for some users, but standard forex spreads are still higher than many low-cost competitors, with EUR/USD pricing starting around 1.3 pips in the U.K. and 1.7 pips in Switzerland on some accounts.
In simple terms, FXCM is the better choice if keeping trading costs down is your main goal. Swissquote may make sense for traders who value its banking background and are willing to pay more for it, but on commissions and fees alone, FXCM is the more affordable option overall.
| 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.
When it comes to range of investments, Swissquote offers a wider selection than FXCM. Both brokers support forex trading and cryptocurrency CFDs, and each offers copy trading. However, Swissquote gives traders access to more tradeable symbols overall, with 472 compared with FXCM’s 440, and it also provides a larger forex lineup with 80 pairs versus 46 at FXCM.
The bigger difference is in asset variety outside forex. Swissquote lets clients buy actual shares on both U.S. and international exchanges, and it also supports the purchase of real cryptocurrency, not just crypto CFDs. FXCM does not offer exchange traded securities or delivered crypto. Reflecting this broader choice, Swissquote is rated 5 out of 5 for Range of Investments and ranks #2 out of 36 brokers, while FXCM scores 4.5 out of 5 and ranks #21.
| 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 and Swissquote both give traders a wide range of platform choices, including free demo accounts, their own in-house platforms, Windows desktop downloads, web-based trading, copy trading, and MetaTrader 4. Both also let users trade directly from charts, which can make order entry faster and easier. For traders who want a familiar platform setup with plenty of ways to access the markets, each broker covers the basics well.
The biggest difference is that Swissquote also offers MetaTrader 5, while FXCM does not. In independent platform testing from ForexBrokers.com, FXCM scores higher for Trading Platforms and Tools with 5 stars and a #4 ranking out of 36 brokers, compared with Swissquote’s 4.5 stars and #12 ranking. That makes FXCM the stronger pick overall for platform quality, while Swissquote may appeal more to traders who want MT5 in addition to the other platform options.
| 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 iPhone and Android trading apps, along with stock and forex price alerts, trendline drawing on charts, and automatic saving of chart drawings. Each broker also earns a 4.5-star rating for mobile trading apps, so both provide a solid overall app experience for traders who want to manage positions on the go.
The main differences come down to charting tools and watchlists. FXCM offers watchlist symbol syncing between its mobile app and online account, while Swissquote does not, which may matter if you want your lists to stay updated across devices. FXCM also provides more technical studies in its app, with 59 compared with Swissquote’s 30. Even so, Swissquote ranks higher overall in this category, placing #12 out of 36 brokers versus FXCM’s #16.
| 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 and Swissquote both give traders plenty of market research basics, including daily market commentary, news from major sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, plus an economic calendar with upcoming global events. Each broker also earns the same research score of 4.5 out of 5, so on the surface they look evenly matched for everyday market updates and news coverage.
The main difference is in the extra tools. FXCM stands out with Trading Central, sentiment data showing long and short position ratios, and research from TipRanks, which gives it an edge for traders who want more signals and idea generation. Swissquote, on the other hand, offers Autochartist, but does not include Trading Central, sentiment tools, or TipRanks. In ForexBrokers.com’s research rankings, FXCM places higher at #11 out of 36 brokers, compared with Swissquote at #15.
| 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 give beginners a lot of useful learning material for forex and CFD trading. Each broker offers at least 10 education pieces focused on these markets, monthly educational webinars, and plenty of beginner and advanced videos, so new traders can find help at different stages of learning. Both are also rated 4.5 out of 5 stars for Education, which points to a strong overall learning offering.
That said, FXCM has a slight edge in ForexBrokers.com’s Education ranking, coming in at #13 out of 36 brokers, while Swissquote ranks #19. For beginners, this means both brokers are solid choices for getting started, but FXCM appears to be a bit better placed overall when it comes to educational resources.
| 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
|
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 |
| Broker Screenshots | FXCM | Swissquote | |
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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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