The Swiss franc (CHF) is the official currency of Switzerland and Liechtenstein. It uses the symbol Fr. (or SFr. internationally) with the ISO 4217 code CHF. The currency is issued by the Swiss National Bank and is widely regarded as the world’s leading safe-haven currency, holding its value during periods of global financial stress.
CHF is the ISO currency code for the Swiss franc — the official currency of Switzerland and Liechtenstein. The code stands for Confoederatio Helvetica Franc (the Latin name for the Swiss Confederation, plus “franc”). Latin is used because Switzerland has four official languages (German, French, Italian, and Romansh) and CHF is neutral across all four.
The Swiss franc symbol is Fr. within Switzerland and SFr. in some international contexts. One franc is divided into 100 Rappen (German), centimes (French), centesimi (Italian), or rap (Romansh). The currency is managed by the Swiss National Bank (SNB) and has been freely floating since January 2015.
Swiss Franc Symbol & Code — Fr., CHF, and SFr.
Within Switzerland, the franc is written as Fr. — for example, a price of Fr. 50 in Zurich, Geneva, or Basel means 50 Swiss francs. In international finance and on currency exchange platforms, the three-letter ISO code CHF is the standard. The form SFr. (Swiss Franc) was widely used before ISO codes became universal and is still encountered in older publications and on some Swiss banknotes.
The ISO numeric code is 756. Unlike most major currencies, there is no widely used standalone glyph for the Swiss franc — international SWIFT messages, invoices, and contracts use CHF exclusively.
Why CHF? The Four Names of the Swiss Franc
Switzerland has four official languages, and the Swiss franc has a different name in each. The ISO code “CHF” uses Latin precisely because no one of the four languages can be favoured over the others — Latin is neutral.
The same logic applies to the subunit: 100 Rappen in German-speaking cantons, 100 centimes in French-speaking cantons, 100 centesimi in Italian-speaking Ticino, and 100 rap in the Romansh-speaking valleys of Graubünden. Swiss banknotes display the country name “Confoederatio Helvetica” in Latin, alongside denominations in all four official languages.
Swiss Franc Quick Facts
| Official name | Swiss Franc |
|---|---|
| ISO 4217 code | CHF |
| ISO numeric code | 756 |
| Symbol | Fr. (SFr. or sFr. internationally) |
| Subunits | 100 Rappen / centimes / centesimi / rap |
| Issuing authority | Swiss National Bank (SNB) |
| Used in | Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Büsingen am Hochrhein (Germany), Campione d’Italia (Italy) |
| Banknote denominations | 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 1,000 francs |
| Coin denominations | 5, 10, 20 Rappen / centimes; ½, 1, 2, 5 francs |
| Banknote material | Cotton-paper composite (Durasafe substrate) |
| Free float since | January 2015 (EUR/CHF floor abandoned) |
| Most-traded pair | EUR/CHF |
A Short History of the Swiss Franc
The Swiss franc was introduced in May 1850 by the newly federal Swiss state, replacing the various cantonal currencies that had circulated until then. From 1865 to the late 1920s, the franc was part of the Latin Monetary Union, exchanged at par with the French, Belgian, and Italian francs.
Switzerland left the gold standard in 1936 but maintained a strong currency throughout the 20th century. The franc’s reputation as a safe-haven asset grew during the Cold War and was reinforced by Switzerland’s political neutrality and tradition of banking discretion.
In September 2011, after the franc surged during the European sovereign debt crisis, the Swiss National Bank introduced a minimum exchange rate of 1.20 CHF per EUR to protect Swiss exporters. The SNB held this floor for over three years, intervening in the FX market to defend it.
On 15 January 2015, the SNB abruptly abandoned the EUR/CHF floor — an event known as the “Frankenschock”. The franc gained around 30% against the euro within minutes, the largest single-day move ever recorded in a major free-floating currency. CHF has traded freely against the euro and other major currencies since then.
Swiss Bank & Public Holidays Affecting CHF Payments
CHF transfers do not settle on Swiss federal public holidays. The Swiss National Bank and Swiss commercial banks observe the following holidays in 2026 — cantonal holidays may add additional non-settlement days depending on the bank’s registered canton.
- New Year’s DayThursday 1 January 2026
- BerchtoldstagFriday 2 January 2026 (most cantons)
- Good FridayFriday 3 April 2026
- Easter MondayMonday 6 April 2026
- Labour DayFriday 1 May 2026 (most cantons)
- Ascension DayThursday 14 May 2026
- Whit MondayMonday 25 May 2026
- Swiss National DaySaturday 1 August 2026
- Christmas DayFriday 25 December 2026
- St Stephen’s DaySaturday 26 December 2026
For time-critical CHF transfers, allow at least one extra working day around any of these dates. Cantonal-specific holidays such as Corpus Christi (predominantly Catholic cantons) or Geneva’s Jeune genevois may also affect settlement depending on the originating or receiving bank’s canton.
Transferring CHF — What to Know for Larger Payments
For private clients
Swiss property purchases (Zürich, Geneva, Lugano), repatriation of pension and investment proceeds, payments to Swiss boarding schools and universities, and gifting to Swiss-based family are the most common reasons UK and international clients convert into or out of CHF with a specialist broker.
Above CHF 25,000, the rate margin matters: a 1% difference equals CHF 250. Forward contracts let you fix today’s rate for a transfer up to 12 months ahead — particularly useful given the franc’s sensitivity to safe-haven flows.
For businesses
UK and EU businesses paying Swiss suppliers (machinery, pharmaceuticals, watches, financial services), settling Swiss payroll, or receiving CHF revenue typically benefit from a dedicated specialist for amounts over CHF 25,000 per transfer or recurring monthly volumes.
Cambridge Currencies operates with FCA-authorised partners Currencycloud (FRN 900199) and ScioPay (FRN 927951). All transfers are completed by phone with a dedicated specialist.
Popular CHF Currency Pages
Live rates, historical charts, and conversion tables for the most-traded Swiss franc pairs.