The Swiss franc denoted CHF (which stands for the Confoederatio Helvetica franc), is the official currency of Switzerland and Liechtenstein. It is used by the Central Bank of Switzerland and is the only version of the franc still issued in Europe.
The Swiss franc can be subdivided into hundredths known as Rappen in German, centime in French, centesimo in Italian and rap in Rhaeto-Romanic.
CHF-Safe Haven
The Swiss franc has long been regarded as a ‘safe haven’ currency, largely because of the country’s tendency towards political neutrality and stability which largely prevents drastic fluctuations in the currency. In addition, Switzerland has consistently served as a secure harbor for international investors as it has maintained a certain degree of bank secrecy and has managed to keep up the franc’s long-term external value. In addition, unemployment in Switzerland has remained at less than half the EU average.
Although this tendency towards stability often creates difficulty in Swiss Franc to US Dollar FX trading analysis, it makes the USD/CHF pair an excellent option during times of volatility elsewhere in the world when traders are specifically looking for a more stable investment.
The USD/CHF Chart
The USD/CHF chart indicates that the Swiss franc has been in a long-term uptrend against the U.S. dollar. Despite this, the CHF has little purchasing power. Goods in Switzerland cost about twice as much as they would in the US. The small purchasing power is made due to the CHF being widely used as a reserve currency by entities throughout the world.
If you’re considering trading USD/CHF our analysis can help you find the right time to invest and to determine when it’s better to stand aside.