The currency of Switzerland
Swiss
FrancCHF
The currency of Switzerland is the Swiss franc (CHF), divided into 100 Rappen, with notes from the Swiss National Bank and coins from Swissmint. It has floated since 1973: one franc costs ₹117.73 at our selling rate right now.
- Code
- CHF
- Symbol
- CHFFr.
- Subunit
- 100 Rappen
- In use since
- 1850
What is the currency of Switzerland?
The currency of Switzerland is the Swiss franc, code CHF. It has no sign of its own: the official abbreviation is Fr., and CHF is used internationally in its place. One franc is divided into 100 Rappen, which is 100 centimes in French. The Swiss National Bank (SNB) issues the banknotes and Swissmint makes the coins, and Liechtenstein uses the franc too. The first federal franc dates from 1850 and the franc has floated since 1973, so against the rupee it moves with the market: on 5 Oct 2026, one franc was worth about ₹117.73 at our selling rate. Switzerland currency, Swiss currency and CHF currency all mean the same money: the Swiss franc.
Swiss Franc at a glance
- Currency
- Swiss francFranken in German, franc in French, franco in Italian
- Code
- CHFNumeric code 756
- Symbol
- CHF, or Fr.No sign of its own; Fr. is the official abbreviation
- Subunit
- 1 franc = 100 RappenCentimes in French, centesimi in Italian
- Issuer
- Swiss National BankIt issues the notes; Swissmint makes the coins
- Introduced
- 1850Federal Coinage Act of 7 May 1850; a Helvetic franc came first, in 1798
- Exchange rate
- FloatingFloating since January 1973
- Used in
- Switzerland and LiechtensteinCampione d'Italia uses it in practice, but its legal tender is the euro
- Banknotes
- CHF 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 1,000Ninth series, issued from 2016 to 2019
- Coins
- 5, 10 and 20 Rappen, and 1/2, 1, 2 and 5 francsSeven coins, made by Swissmint and put into circulation by the SNB
Switzerland currency notes and coins
Swiss money comes as six banknotes and seven coins. The notes are the ninth series, issued from 12 April 2016, when the CHF 50 came out, to 12 September 2019, when the CHF 100 followed. Under the series theme, the many facets of Switzerland, each note has its own colour and theme, a hand on the front and a shimmering globe, and none shows a person. By value, the CHF 1,000 note is about half of all Swiss notes in circulation. Each note is shown with what it costs in rupees at our selling rate today.
- Swiss National BankTen francs10CHF
Ten francs CHF 10
≈ ₹1,177.30 today- Colour
- Yellow, the theme of time
- Front
- A conductor's hand with a baton, and clock faces
- Back
- A watch movement, and part of the rail network with its tunnels
- Swiss National BankTwenty francs20CHF
Twenty francs CHF 20
≈ ₹2,354.60 today- Colour
- Red, the theme of light
- Front
- A hand holding a prism that splits light, with a kaleidoscope pattern
- Back
- An iris, a film-festival projection and a butterfly
- Swiss National BankFifty francs50CHF
Fifty francs CHF 50
≈ ₹5,886.51 today- Colour
- Green, the theme of wind
- Front
- A hand holding a dandelion seed, with wind arrows
- Back
- A mountain panorama with a paraglider, and contour lines
- Swiss National BankOne hundred francs100CHF
One hundred francs CHF 100
≈ ₹11,773.02 today- Colour
- Blue, the theme of water
- Front
- Hands scooping water, and isobars on the globe
- Back
- An irrigation channel and a network of waterways
- Swiss National BankTwo hundred francs200CHF
Two hundred francs CHF 200
≈ ₹23,546.04 today- Colour
- Brown, the theme of matter
- Front
- A hand forming coordinate axes, and Cretaceous land masses
- Back
- A particle detector and a particle collision
- Swiss National BankOne thousand francs1000CHF
One thousand francs CHF 1,000
≈ ₹1,17,730.20 today- Colour
- Purple, the theme of language
- Front
- A handshake, and phonetic symbols on the globe
- Back
- A parliamentary debate, an open network, canton names and language regions
Coins, in Rappen
Swissmint, the federal mint in Bern, makes the coins, and the SNB puts them into circulation. The 5 Rappen is aluminium bronze and the other six coins are cupronickel. The 5 franc coin is the biggest, at 31.45 mm across. The 1 and 2 Rappen coins are gone.
- 55 Rappen
≈ ₹5.89 - 1010 Rappen
≈ ₹11.77 - 2020 Rappen
≈ ₹23.55 - 5050 Rappen
≈ ₹58.87 - 11 franc
≈ ₹117.73 - 22 francs
≈ ₹235.46 - 55 francs
≈ ₹588.65
Sources: Swiss National Bank, ninth series; Swiss National Bank, coins and circulation pages; Wikipedia, "Swiss franc"; colours as printed. Rupee values at our selling rate, 10:25 AM IST, 5 Oct 2026.
Since 2020, recalled Swiss notes never expire
Since 1 January 2020 recalled banknotes can be exchanged at the Swiss National Bank at full face value with no time limit. The eighth series, recalled as of 30 April 2021, is no longer legal tender but is still worth its face value at the SNB. The 1 Rappen coin is different: the SNB exchanges it only until 31 December 2026.
The time limit goes
A change to Article 9 of the Currency and Payment Instruments Act takes effect. The SNB now exchanges recalled banknotes at full face value with no time limit. Before, a 20-year window applied.
The eighth series is recalled
The eighth series is recalled as of 30 April 2021 and is no longer legal tender. It stays exchangeable at face value at the SNB in Bern and Zurich, or at agents.
The coin with a deadline
The 1 Rappen coin was withdrawn on 1 January 2007, and the SNB exchanges it at face value only until 31 December 2026, in line with a 20-year rule for withdrawn coins. The 2 Rappen coin can no longer be exchanged.
What the rule leaves out
The first to third and fifth series can no longer be exchanged. The SNB may ask for ID and other checks, and its instructions describe exchange at counters and agents in Switzerland.
Sources: Swiss National Bank, instruction sheet on recalled banknotes (status of 8 June 2026), cash and coins pages; cash.ch and Moneycab on the 2019 change; Wikipedia, "Banknotes of the Swiss franc" and "Swiss franc".
Why the franc has no fixed rate
The Swiss franc does not sit at a fixed rate. It has floated since 1973, so its price in rupees can change from one day to the next.
No fixed rate since 1973
In January 1973 the SNB stopped buying dollars at a fixed rate and let the franc float. The market has set its price since, and the rupee price moves with it.
A central bank that can step in
In its assessment of 24 September 2026 the SNB left its policy rate at 0 percent and said it is willing to be active in the foreign exchange market as necessary.
Sixth most traded
The Bank for International Settlements found the franc on one side of 6.4 percent of all currency trades in April 2025. That is sixth place, up from eighth in 2022.
One unit in rupees · our selling rate, 5 Oct 2026
The Swiss franc through the years
The franc had a first life in 1798 and became federal money in 1850. What changed along the way, in eight entries.
- EntrySwitzerland
The Helvetic franc
The Helvetic Republic issues a Swiss franc, worth 10 batz or 100 centimes and set at 6.6149 g of fine silver.
- EntrySwitzerland
The federal franc
The first Federal Coinage Act, of 7 May 1850, makes the franc the monetary unit of the Confederation, at par with the French franc.
Launch - EntrySwitzerland
The Swiss National Bank opens
The bank opens with head offices in Bern and Zurich, under a National Bank Act of 1905.
- EntrySwitzerland
The franc floats
In January the SNB stops buying dollars at a fixed rate and the franc floats. It has had no fixed rate since.
- EntrySwitzerland
The link to gold ends
The legal link between the franc and gold ends: the new Federal Constitution takes effect on 1 January and the Currency and Payment Instruments Act on 1 May.
- EntrySwitzerland
A floor, then a shock
On 6 September the SNB sets a minimum rate of CHF 1.20 per euro. On 15 January 2015 it drops it, and the franc jumps by about 30 percent against the euro at the extreme.
Floor ends - EntrySwitzerland
The ninth series begins
The CHF 50 is issued on 12 April, and the series is completed with the CHF 100 on 12 September 2019.
New notes - EntrySwitzerland
The tenth series is chosen
On 4 March the SNB announces the winning design concept, "Concept J", on the theme "Switzerland and its altitudes". New notes are expected at the beginning of the 2030s at the earliest.
Next series
Sources: Swiss National Bank, history, ninth series, tenth series and circulation pages; Historical Dictionary of Switzerland; Swissinfo; Congressional Research Service, note on the January 2015 move; Wikipedia, "Swiss franc" and "Banknotes of the Swiss franc".
Francs and rupees side by side
Worked out at our selling rate at 10:25 AM IST on 5 Oct 2026. For the live rate on any amount, use the CHF to INR or INR to CHF converter.
| You pay | You get |
|---|---|
| ₹10,000 | CHF 84.94 |
| ₹25,000 | CHF 212.35 |
| ₹50,000 | CHF 424.70 |
| ₹1,00,000 | CHF 849.40 |
| ₹2,00,000 | CHF 1,698.80 |
| ₹5,00,000 | CHF 4,247.00 |
| You buy | It costs |
|---|---|
| CHF 10 | ₹1,177.30 |
| CHF 50 | ₹5,886.51 |
| CHF 100 | ₹11,773.02 |
| CHF 500 | ₹58,865.10 |
| CHF 1,000 | ₹1,17,730.20 |
| CHF 5,000 | ₹5,88,651.00 |
Spending francs in Switzerland
Three things about Swiss money that help on the first day.
Coins go up to 5 francs
There are no 1, 2 or 5 franc notes: those are coins, and the smallest banknote is the CHF 10. The 5 franc coin is the biggest coin, worth about ₹588.65.
CHF 5 coin = ₹588.65Cash rounds to 5 Rappen
The 2 Rappen coin was demonetised on 1 January 1978 and the 1 Rappen coin was withdrawn on 1 January 2007, so cash sums are rounded to 5 Rappen. CHF 12.50 is 12 francs and 50 Rappen, about ₹1,471.63.
CHF 12.50 = 12 francs + 50 RappenNo duty to declare cash
Swiss customs say any amount of cash may be carried into, through and out of Switzerland with no duty to declare it. If you carry CHF 10,000 or more and are checked, officers may ask who you are, where the money is from, what it is for and who owns it, and you must answer truthfully.
CHF 10,000 or more: expect questionsTaking Swiss francs from India
The Reserve Bank of India's rules apply to every currency, and the Swiss franc is no exception.
Up to the equivalent of USD 3,000 per trip can leave India as Swiss franc notes. The rest goes on a forex card or as a bank transfer.
Every resident can send up to USD 250,000 abroad each financial year under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme, travel included.
Tax collected at source applies once your foreign-exchange purchases in a financial year cross ₹10 lakh: nil when an education loan pays, 2% for self-funded education and medical treatment, and 20% for travel and everything else. It is credited against your income tax when you file.
Swiss francs are on our booking form. Send your amount and the desk confirms your exact rate before anything is booked.
Book Swiss Francs→Swiss franc questions
The questions people type about the Swiss franc, answered in full, in three groups.
The basics
7 questionsWhat is the currency of Switzerland?
The currency of Switzerland is the Swiss franc, code CHF, divided into 100 Rappen. It is used from Bern, the seat of the federal government, to every canton, and in Liechtenstein too, with notes from the Swiss National Bank and coins from Swissmint.
What is the full form of CHF in currency?
CHF stands for Confoederatio Helvetica Franc: CH is the country code, from the Latin name of the Swiss Confederation, and F is for franc, following the ISO 4217 standard. That is the CHF full form and the CHF currency full form alike, and its numeric code is 756. Searched as "CHF full form currency" or "CHF currency", the answer is the same: the Swiss franc.
Why is the franc called CHF?
Because the code is CH plus F. CH comes from Confoederatio Helvetica, the Latin name of the Swiss Confederation, and Latin was chosen because it favours none of the four languages of Switzerland: German, French, Italian and Romansh. The same Latin name appears on Swiss coins.
What is the Swiss franc symbol?
The Swiss franc has no currency sign of its own. The Swiss franc abbreviation is Fr. (fr. in French), and CHF is used internationally in its place, so the Swiss franc symbol and the Switzerland currency symbol come down to Fr. or CHF.
What is the Switzerland currency name?
The Switzerland currency name is the Swiss franc: Franken in German, franc in French and franco in Italian. The same money is also called the Swiss currency, and the Swiss currency name is often typed as Swiss frank or Swiss franks, which all mean this franc.
The Swiss franc is the currency of which country?
Two countries use it, Switzerland and Liechtenstein, so "CHF currency country" has two answers. In Liechtenstein a currency law in force from 26 May 1924 made the franc the only lawful currency, and a treaty signed in 1980 and in force from 1981 made it the national currency for good. In Campione d'Italia, an Italian exclave inside Switzerland, francs are used in practice, but the legal tender is the euro.
How many Rappen make one Swiss franc?
One Swiss franc is 100 Rappen, the German name for the subunit: it is 100 centimes in French and 100 centesimi in Italian. The coins are 5, 10, 20 and 50 Rappen and 1, 2 and 5 francs, and because the 1 Rappen coin was withdrawn on 1 January 2007, cash sums are rounded to 5 Rappen.
Value and history
7 questionsWho issues the Swiss franc?
The Swiss National Bank issues the banknotes, and Swissmint, the federal mint in Bern, makes the coins, which the SNB puts into circulation for the Confederation. The SNB opened in 1907 with head offices in Bern and Zurich, under a National Bank Act of 1905.
Which Swiss banknotes are in use?
The ninth series: CHF 10 (yellow), 20 (red), 50 (green), 100 (blue), 200 (brown) and 1,000 (purple), issued from 12 April 2016 to 12 September 2019. There is no 1, 2 or 5 franc note, because those are coins.
Who is on Swiss banknotes?
Nobody. The SNB says the ninth series no longer shows images of individuals, and each note carries a hand, a shimmering globe and a theme instead. The themes are time (CHF 10), light (20), wind (50), water (100), matter (200) and language (1,000).
Are old Swiss franc notes still valid?
Recalled notes are no longer legal tender, but the Swiss National Bank still swaps them. The eighth series was recalled as of 30 April 2021, and since 1 January 2020 recalled notes can be exchanged at the SNB at full face value with no time limit. The first to third and fifth series can no longer be exchanged, and the 1 Rappen coin can be exchanged only until 31 December 2026.
Is the Swiss franc fixed or floating?
It floats: the SNB stopped buying dollars at a fixed rate in January 1973, and the market has set the price of the franc since. From 6 September 2011 to 15 January 2015 the SNB held a minimum rate of CHF 1.20 per euro, and when it dropped that floor the franc jumped by about 30 percent against the euro at the extreme. The SNB says it is willing to be active in the foreign exchange market as necessary.
When did Switzerland start using the franc?
A Swiss franc first appeared in 1798, when the Helvetic Republic issued one worth 10 batz or 100 centimes. The federal franc dates from the first Federal Coinage Act of 7 May 1850, which set it at par with the French franc.
Is there an India link to the Swiss franc?
We found no historical link between the franc and India. The modern link is trade: India and the four EFTA states, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Iceland, signed a Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement on 10 March 2024, and it entered into force on 1 October 2025.
Buying from India
2 questionsHow much Swiss currency can I take out of India?
Up to the equivalent of USD 3,000 per trip in currency notes. Anything above that goes on a forex card or as a bank transfer, all within the USD 250,000 a year Liberalised Remittance Scheme limit.
How do I get Swiss francs for a trip to Switzerland?
Order them before you fly. Matrix Forex, an RBI-authorised Category-II dealer, has Swiss francs on its booking form: send your amount through the booking bar at the top of this page and the desk confirms your exact rate before anything is booked. For the live rate on any amount, see the CHF to INR converter.