Trading The FX Markets With Swiss FX Brokers Under The FINMA Regulation
Switzerland is the go-to investment destination for institutions, companies, investors, and other market participants that wish to take advantage of one of the safest and the most people-friendly living conditions on the planet. Switzerland has always maintained a neutral stance in world affairs and is one of the very few countries that actually work towards achieving equilibrium between coexisting on the planet with other species and keeping abreast of the latest technological advancements. Switzerland must be given credit for their proactive nature in both international and domestic affairs, along with maintaining a high quality of lifestyle for its residents. Switzerland is also open to accepting businesses from all quarters, which is visible in their open and honest attitude towards all industries across the market spectrum. Switzerland is also the most preferred investment destination for financial companies, hedge funds, banks, Forex brokers, and other financial entities, mainly due to a low tax structure and the overall ease of doing business in the country. Although Switzerland is home to a business-centric environment, the Swiss Parliament is highly efficient in its policies and regulatory guidelines to ensure that all investors and the general public are protected from financial frauds and broker scams through supreme regulatory intervention. The Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) was launched in 2007 by the Swiss Parliament to enforce stricter guidelines on Forex broker regulation, and to supervise all non-banking financial companies for their code of conduct in the global financial markets. The FINMA regulates all Swiss Forex brokers and licenses them according to the rules and derivatives passed down by the Swiss Parliament. Switzerland also maintains close ties with its European neighbors, which ensures that the FINMA works with other leading European regulators and the European Central Bank to ensure a fair and honest approach by all market participants.
How Are Swiss Forex Brokers Different From Other Mainstream Forex Brokers?
Swiss FX brokers are required by the FINMA regulatory guidelines to be registered as banks that do not have any conflict of interest with its clients. Almost all Forex brokers in Switzerland act as a liquidity provider and even work with other global liquidity pools to offer the best liquidity in the markets for a wide variety of financial instruments. On the other hand, mainstream Forex brokers from other jurisdictions can act as a market intermediary, or serve as an automated dealing desk platform to offer market maker conditions. In fact, most ECN/STP Forex brokers from other countries usually work with a global network of partners and large banks to provide access to the deep liquidity of the markets, while market maker brokers typically match orders in between their clients. It is a universally proven fact that Swiss Forex brokers are far more legitimate and reliable than brokers from other jurisdictions, even from countries such as the US and the UK. The FINMA has seen a fewer number of broker scams in the Forex markets than any other leading regulator such as the NFA of the US, the FCA of the UK, the ASIC of Australia, and European regulators such as the BaFin from Germany. Therefore, Swiss Forex brokers do enjoy a fair bit of popularity when compared to its immediate competitors. 
However, on the flipside of the regulation is the fact that Swiss FX brokers are incredibly more expensive any other Forex broker options in the market. Forex trading companies from Switzerland will require its clients to deposit a significant trading capital and stipulate higher minimum margin requirements to suit the services on offer. Higher initial deposit requirements, lower leverage, and ECN trading conditions are perfect for larger Forex traders, but smaller traders will find it extremely difficult to open and maintain a Forex trading account with a Switzerland Forex broker.
The Regulatory Guidelines Imposed On FINMA Regulated Forex Brokers
FINMA has a comprehensive set of regulatory guidelines that are developed according to the policies adopted by the Swiss Parliament and the FINMA’s collaboration with leading EU regulators. FINMA has a highly detailed procedure for granting a Forex brokerage license, which is not provided upon request as is the case with other regulators. In fact, an application for a Forex broker license is incubated within the FINMA regulatory framework for a specific period to determine whether the company that wishes to set up a Forex brokerage in Switzerland has the sufficient operating capital and the financial stability to meet all of its clients’ debt obligations without succumbing to market volatility. The FINMA ensures that all Forex brokers in Switzerland are capable of maintaining its customers’ orders in the market, despite the wild swings in the market due to unnatural market volatility. There have been numerous cases where several Forex brokers have gone bankrupt due to their capital inadequacy that arose from significant market volatility during high-profile events, while Forex brokers that were located in Switzerland were relatively not affected by the market turmoil. In the extreme case that FINMA FX brokers are unable to sustain its business model, the broker should have a bankruptcy procedure in place that protects all clients’ investments through Depositor protection schemes. As per the FINMA guidelines, investors are protected up to CHF 100,000 according to the financial activity, the type of industry, and the category of investment. FINMA has stipulated a minimum paid up capital of CHF 1.5 million, which is increased according to the increase in client deposits. FINMA regulated Forex brokers are also licensed as Forex banks, which further solidifies the broker’s presence in the financial markets. FINMA does monitor and audit the operations of all regulated Forex brokers to ensure that they comply with the existing regulations, but interestingly enough, FINMA does not have the power to impose any sanctions or penalties on any licensed members for alleged infringement of regulatory guidelines. The authority to impose penalties and sanctions on any non-banking financial firm licensed by FINMA falls directly on the Swiss Parliament. The Swiss Parliament assumes the responsibility of acting as a watchdog to prevent abuse of power by the FINMA, but FINMA reserves the right to suspend or cancel the licenses for any malpractices. Nevertheless, FINMA regulated FX brokers can approach the Swiss authorities if they feel that they have been wrongly penalized by the FINMA, which does grant a greater extent of transparency to the way in which FINMA operates in the market.
FINMA Regulated FX Brokers & The European Economic Area (EEA) Agreement
Switzerland has traditionally stayed away from forming any unions or coalitions, but the country does have strong bi-lateral relationships with several countries across the globe. Switzerland is particularly famous for its proximity to the European Union, and while the country is not an official member of the EU, there are several free trade agreements and pacts that facilitate cross-border sharing of services between EU member nations and Switzerland. Switzerland has partnered up with European Member nations through the European Economic Area (EEA) agreement, which is a free trade agreement that allows all companies situated in the EU to offer its services throughout the Union through a single regulatory license. Therefore, Switzerland and the EU work through its EEA agreement to ensure that all Swiss Forex brokers can render its services to EU residents and vice-versa. While Forex brokers in the EU are free to offer its services to Swiss traders, they should adhere to all the existing laws that apply to Swiss FX trading companies.
Recommended Forex Brokers
Top FINMA Forex Brokers In The Industry
It is incredibly easy to find the best FINMA regulated Forex brokers, especially due to the lower number of Forex brokers that are officially authorized by the FINMA to render their services to a global audience. FINMA believes in maintaining the quality of service by limiting the number of Forex brokers that are eligible for a FINMA license and has created a strict regulatory framework that makes it difficult for Forex trading companies to qualify for a FINMA regulatory license. Therefore, it is guaranteed that all Forex brokers operating under the FINMA regulation are guaranteed to offer the best trading environment for Forex traders. FINMA brokers also provide direct market access trading accounts that have the lowest spreads and commissions, which is suitable for low-cost trading. Even scalpers and all short-term traders are free to indulge in any kind of trading strategy due to the apparent lack of any conflict of interest. Unlike Forex brokers from the US, Swiss Forex brokers allow its traders to hedge the markets, trade the news and indulge in overnight trades without facing any restrictions.
Customer Complaints Resolution & Support At FINMA FX Brokers
FINMA grants an immaculate opportunity for investors to report any financial malpractices to the FINMA or any relevant authorities. The FINMA Public portal offers an excellent platform for traders to contact the FINMA representatives for any investor complaints regarding financial abuse, or to ensure that all licensed brokers operate according to the guidelines imposed by the FINMA agency. FINMA also educates the general public about any impending investigations, broker scams, bankruptcy procedures, or any other issues that might lead to an unfavorable outcome for investors. The FINMA also releases periodic reports about its overall operations and the performance of brokers in the market, which is a great indicator of how each broker performs in relation to the market expectations. FINMA hasn’t always enjoyed a trouble-free regulatory regime, but in terms of its overall efficiency, FINMA has done a better job than most of its immediate competitors. Of course, the Swiss Parliament and the higher authorities in power have been partially responsible for the exemplary performance of all licensed firms. Even the Forex brokers that are regulated in the country have a customer-oriented approach that seeks to put their customers as a priority. Swiss Forex brokers usually try to resolve its customers’ complaints through their internal complaint resolution processes and very rarely do customers have to contact the FINMA regarding any infraction. Therefore, FINMA is indeed considered to be among the top regulatory agencies that regulate Forex brokers in Switzerland to protect traders against all types of Forex scams that are widespread in the industry.