EUR/CHF price today

The euro to Swiss franc price (EUR/CHF) shows how many Swiss francs one euro is worth. Switzerland borders European Union member states on almost every side, and a large share of its trade is with these neighbors; that is why EUR/CHF may be the most important exchange rate for the Swiss economy. This pair looks calm on most days, but its history has shown it can be one of the most surprising symbols in forex. On this page you can see the live EUR/CHF rate, the candlestick chart and technical events, and below you will learn about the structure of this cross, the role of the Swiss central bank and the lessons of January 2015.

EUR/CHF: a cross between two neighbors

Currency pairs that do not include the US dollar are called "crosses". In EUR/CHF, the euro is the base currency and the Swiss franc is the quote currency; a rising number means the euro is strengthening, and a falling number means the franc has become stronger. Traders call the Swiss franc the "Swissie".

The price of this cross is roughly the product of euro to dollar (EUR/USD) and dollar to Swiss franc (USD/CHF) . Because EUR/USD and USD/CHF usually move in opposite directions, much of the dollar's volatility cancels out in EUR/CHF, and the result is a pair with a small daily range under normal conditions. Even so, its liquidity is lower than that of the major pairs and its spread is usually wider than EUR/USD.

See the Toman rates of the franc and the euro in Iran's open market on the Swiss franc price and euro price pages; the ratio of these two rates is usually close to the global EUR/CHF, although the franc has low trading volume in the Iranian market and may show a larger gap.

The Swiss franc: a safe haven

The franc is one of the world's best-known "safe" currencies. Switzerland's political stability, low public debt, current account surplus and strong financial system lead investors to move into the franc during crises. The result for EUR/CHF is clear: in periods of concern about Europe's economy or politics, the franc strengthens and this pair usually falls. The eurozone debt crisis in the years after 2010 was a prime example of this behavior, strengthening the franc so much that Swiss exporters came under severe pressure.

The Swiss National Bank and the franc cap

Unlike many central banks, the Swiss National Bank (SNB) has used direct intervention in the currency market as a main tool, in addition to interest rates. The most important example in the history of EUR/CHF is this:

On 15 January 2015, market liquidity nearly vanished; many stop losses were executed at prices far from their set levels, many accounts went negative, and several brokerage firms ran into financial trouble. This event is still taught in forex risk management courses as a classic example of "gap risk" and "central bank risk".

The Swiss National Bank holds its monetary policy meetings quarterly, i.e. four times a year, less often than most major central banks. That is why each of its meetings carries more weight. Compare the current interest rates of Switzerland and the eurozone in central bank interest rates .

Factors affecting the euro to franc price

• SNB and ECB decisions and tone: the interest rate differential and SNB signals of readiness for currency intervention.
• Swiss inflation: Swiss inflation has usually been lower than Europe's, and the SNB's main goal is price stability.
• European data: HICP inflation, PMI and data from Germany as Switzerland's main trading partner.
• Political and geopolitical risks: any crisis that drives capital toward safety usually benefits the franc.

See the release times of this data and central bank meetings in the Teagle economic calendar .

Best time to trade EUR/CHF

Both currencies in this pair belong to Europe, so most of its volume is in the European and London session, roughly from 10:30 to 19:30 Tehran time during European summer and 11:30 to 20:30 in winter. The early hours of this session, when Swiss and eurozone data are released, are usually the most active part of the day. In the Asian session EUR/CHF is very quiet and has a wider spread. See the exact hours in global market hours .

Pip value in EUR/CHF

The pip in this pair is the fourth decimal place (0.0001). For one standard lot (100,000 euros), each pip is worth 10 Swiss francs; for 0.1 lot it is 1 franc and for 0.01 lot it is 0.1 franc. To convert to dollars, divide this number by the USD/CHF rate. Because the daily range of EUR/CHF is usually small, some traders choose larger position sizes; this is exactly what led to heavy losses in January 2015. Calculate position size and swap with the Teagle trading calculator .

Technical behavior and correlations

In normal periods, EUR/CHF mostly moves within relatively narrow ranges, and its big trending moves are usually tied to SNB policy changes or waves of risk aversion. Pound to Swiss franc (GBP/CHF) is its closest relative, and on days when the franc is bought as a safe haven, both usually fall together. The "Technical events" section of this page summarizes recent indicator signals for EUR/CHF.

Risk management tips

• Low volatility does not mean low risk: EUR/CHF's long calm can be broken by a sudden central bank decision.
• A stop loss is not always guaranteed: in severe gaps, the stop loss is executed at the best available price, which may be much further away.
• Pay attention to negative balance protection: when choosing a broker, check whether your account is protected against going negative; compare brokers' terms and regulation in forex broker reviews . Iranian users have more limited options due to sanctions, which makes this check even more important for them.

See the list of other currency pairs in forex market symbols . The information on this page is for informational purposes only and is not a buy or sell recommendation; rates are obtained from the stated sources and may differ slightly from your broker's prices. Trading with leverage carries high risk and you may lose part or all of your capital.