EUR to CHF

Who needs Swiss francs

If you're heading to Switzerland, you'll find euros won't take you far. The country is surrounded by the eurozone but holds on to its own currency, so there's a steady need for francs. Imagine relocating from Spain to Zurich for work, you'll often pay a rental deposit weeks before your first paycheck in Switzerland clears, and that deposit needs to be in francs. Say you're visiting from Munich with family for the ski season in Zermatt or Davos; using francs instead of cards helps you sidestep uncompetitive card exchange rates at the resort, where prices can be high. Or a student from Lyon, studying at a Swiss university, has to handle expenses in francs while family supports them from the euro area.

It's not just private people. Swiss freelancers or smaller firms that bill clients in Germany or France might get paid in euros, but their day-to-day costs come in francs: rent, salaries, health insurance. Investors sometimes move money into Swiss accounts too, which usually means exchanging euros. Let's not forget cross-border commuters. Many who live in Germany, France, Italy or Austria actually work in Switzerland, earning francs but spending euros back home. That's the same currency conversion, just in reverse, for that, see CHF → EUR.

The franc, the euro and the 2015 shock

Monetary policy for the franc falls to the Swiss National Bank. You'll see the same money in Liechtenstein. Switzerland itself isn't in the EU or the eurozone, and the franc is sometimes seen as a safe haven. Investors tend to buy francs when global markets waver. This can press EUR/CHF down at moments when people are unsettled by the news.

This pair holds a story worth knowing. From September 2011, the Swiss National Bank kept a hard floor under the euro: the franc couldn't go below 1.20 per euro. But in January 2015, that changed overnight. The SNB removed this floor with no warning and the franc spiked, almost instantly. Now the franc floats, the SNB may step in, but it's their call. Sometimes a single announcement can move the rate quickly.

At the moment, 1 euro equals 0.919669 francs. So, if you’re sending 1,000 euros, that's 919.67 CHF at the current mid-market rate. In the past year, the pair shifted by -0.91%, swinging between 0.901058 and 0.946758. Over the last five years, the change adds up to -12.93%.

How francs reach a Swiss account

When you move euros, you normally send them to the provider by SEPA transfer. Your francs land in the Swiss account via the local clearing system. From the bank’s viewpoint, it just sees a standard domestic credit in francs. Swiss IBANs begin with CH, or LI for Liechtenstein, and both run to 21 characters; these are essential details for any transfer.

You'll likely encounter Swiss QR-bills: these include the IBAN, payment reference and amount. If paying a business or landlord, make sure you enter the reference without mistakes, this ensures your payment gets credited correctly. If you’re curious why sending francs from a euro account sometimes brings extra charges, have a look at our SWIFT versus SEPA guide. It clarifies the key differences and where costs creep in.

Comparing the cost of euros to francs

If you're dealing in both currencies every month, even small differences in rates or fees can add up over time. Take 1,000 euros as an example. At the moment the best payout in our comparison is Wise, which sends you 915.16 CHF. Subtract this from the 919.67 CHF at the mid-market rate to see what you effectively pay for the exchange.

Wise currently pays out 915.16 CHF, with a total cost of 0.49%, markup included. If you try Xe, the same amount comes with a 0.90% total cost. Banks tend to charge an exchange rate markup each time you convert. If you pay rent in francs from a euro account regularly, this really accumulates over a year. There's more detail on our approach to provider rankings in the How we compare.

Timing, regular payments and larger sums

Rates can move sharply on days when the central bank surprises the market or just when global nerves spike. A rate you find in the morning can slip away by afternoon. If you’re handling a recurring payment, such as monthly rent or an insurance premium, it’s practical to stick with one provider, though that won’t shield you from every fluctuation. Check what arrives each time and revisit your comparison sometimes.

For larger sums, like putting down a deposit on a Swiss house or moving savings across, always compare for your actual amount: at 10,000 euros, the lowest cost provider in our tool is Wise at the moment. Remember, banks may report large transactions to the authorities; the guide on reporting of large transfers spells out what you need to keep in mind. If your transfer goes to the UK, see EUR → GBP for euro to sterling comparisons.