USD/CHF since 1999: yearly changes, best months and the biggest falls
28 years of daily prices in numbers: the average year, the best and worst months, every big fall and how long the recovery took. Prices to 15 October 2026.
The US dollar against the Swiss franc, long a refuge in times of stress. A rising rate means a stronger US dollar.
On 15 October 2026, USD/CHF stood 54.6% below its highest close since 1999, on 26 October 2000. Over the past twelve months its highest close was 9% above its lowest.
How far USD/CHF stood below its highest close, week by week since 1999
USD/CHF average change over the last 5, 10 and 20 years
Over the last 10 years USD/CHF fell 1.7% a year on average, −16% in total. The table shows the average yearly change for each span up to 15 October 2026.
| Period | From | A year on average | In total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Last 1 year | 15 Oct 2025 | +3.7% | +4% |
| Last 3 years | 13 Oct 2023 | −2.9% | −8% |
| Last 5 years | 15 Oct 2021 | −2.1% | −10% |
| Last 10 years | 14 Oct 2016 | −1.7% | −16% |
| Last 20 years | 13 Oct 2006 | −2.1% | −35% |
The average year
From 2000 to 2025, USD/CHF rose in 11 of 26 calendar years. The average year gained −2.4% and the median year −2.7%. The best year was 2005 (+16.4%), the worst 2002 (−17.7%). This year to 15 October: +4.7%.
* Year to date.
Best and worst months
October has been the strongest month on average (+0.5%, higher in 15 of 27 years) and December the weakest (−1.7%, higher in 10 of 27). The gaps between months are small next to the swings inside any single month, so read them as tendencies, not rules.
Average change of USD/CHF by calendar month, 1999–2025
The biggest falls, and how long the way back took
The deepest fall since 1999 took USD/CHF 60.2% below its high of 26 October 2000, with the low on 10 August 2011. It has not closed above that high since.
| High | Low | Fall | Fall took | Back at the high | Recovery took |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Oct 2000 | 10 Aug 2011 | −60.2% | 10.8 years | not yet | 15.2 years so far |
| 12 Jul 1999 | 15 Oct 1999 | −8.0% | 3 months | 29 Nov 1999 | 45 days |
| 19 May 2000 | 19 Jun 2000 | −7.3% | 31 days | 6 Sep 2000 | 3 months |
| 18 Sep 2000 | 27 Sep 2000 | −3.7% | 9 days | 19 Oct 2000 | 22 days |
| 2 Feb 2000 | 23 Feb 2000 | −3.5% | 21 days | 28 Feb 2000 | 5 days |
How much it moves in a day
On a typical day USD/CHF closes about 0.3% higher or lower. A move of more than 2% happened on 1% of trading days, and a move of more than 5% 4 times in 7,114 days. The largest rise was +8.5% on 6 September 2011; the largest fall −13.9% on 15 January 2015.
| Day | Average change | Days higher | Days counted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | +0.01% | 51% | 1,405 |
| Tuesday | −0.01% | 52% | 1,434 |
| Wednesday | 0.00% | 52% | 1,434 |
| Thursday | −0.03% | 50% | 1,434 |
| Friday | 0.00% | 52% | 1,407 |
Differences between weekdays are small and change from decade to decade. They are not a reason to trade on a given day.
Questions people ask
What is the best month for USD/CHF?
No month is reliable. Since 1999, October has been the strongest on average (+0.5%, higher in 15 of 27 years) and December the weakest.
How much has USD/CHF gained since 1999?
From 4 January 1999 to 15 October 2026: −39% in total, or −1.8% a year.
What was the biggest fall in USD/CHF?
−60.2% from 26 October 2000 to 10 August 2011; it has not recovered yet.
How much does USD/CHF move in a day?
About 0.3% on a typical day. Days with a move of more than 2% made up 1% of all trading days since 1999.
How many pips does USD/CHF move in a day?
From one ECB reference rate to the next, the median change was 20 pips over the past twelve months and 35 pips since 1999. A pip here is 0.0001. The distance between a day's high and low is larger.
About these numbers
Source: the European Central Bank's daily reference rates, one rate each working day, set in the early afternoon in Frankfurt; the US dollar pairs are computed from the euro rates. Daily reference rates from 4 January 1999 to 15 October 2026. Before use, the series was checked for gaps and for jumps that are data errors rather than market moves. Reference rates are set once a day, so a fast day in the market can look different from the close of a trading platform.
This page describes past prices. It is not advice to buy or sell anything.