USD/CHF extended its run to a fourth day, hovering near 0.8080 in Asian trading on Monday and staying close to its nearly seven-month high of 0.8091 set on 19 June. The dollar drew support from safe-haven flows as geopolitical risk rose after CNBC reported that President Donald Trump warned of direct strikes on Iran if Hezbollah continues attacks on Israel; talks were also referenced in connection with Vice President JD Vance meeting Iranian officials under an interim arrangement. Tehran, meanwhile, said it had again shut the Strait of Hormuz, while Iran’s state media described negotiations as suspended, even as other sources said discussions were continuing.
The greenback also benefited after the Federal Reserve kept rates unchanged but struck a hawkish tone, with 9 of 19 policymakers projecting at least one hike this year and markets pricing a possible move as early as September. In Switzerland, SNB President Martin Schlegel reiterated readiness to intervene by selling CHF to curb rapid appreciation that threatens price stability. With inflation described as subdued within a 0–2% target range and limited upward pressure, the SNB held its policy rate steady for a fourth consecutive meeting.
Policy Divergence Between The Fed And The SNB Supports USD/CHF
We see the primary driver for USD/CHF in the coming weeks as the widening policy divergence between a hawkish Federal Reserve and a dovish Swiss National Bank. The Fed is signaling potential rate hikes while the SNB has explicitly stated its readiness to sell francs to prevent appreciation. This fundamental mismatch creates a clear path for continued USD strength against the CHF.
To support this view, recent data shows the CME FedWatch Tool is now pricing in a 68% probability of a 25-basis-point Fed rate hike by the September meeting. In stark contrast, Switzerland’s latest CPI print for May came in at a subdued 1.3% year-over-year, giving the SNB no incentive to tighten its policy. This statistical gap reinforces our expectation for the currency pair to trend higher.
Geopolitical Tensions And Trade Positioning Strategy
The geopolitical tension in the Middle East adds another layer, boosting the US dollar’s safe-haven appeal while complicating the Swiss franc’s traditional role as a refuge. This has pushed 1-month implied volatility for USD/CHF options up to 8.2%, from just 6.5% a month ago, suggesting traders are preparing for larger price swings. We believe this environment favors strategies that benefit from both upward direction and elevated volatility.
This situation is reminiscent of the dynamic we saw in 2022-2023, when the Fed’s aggressive hiking cycle diverged sharply from the Bank of Japan’s ultra-loose policy. That period saw a powerful and sustained rally in USD/JPY lasting over a year. We anticipate a similar, though perhaps less extreme, trend could unfold here as long as this policy gap persists.
Given this outlook, we are positioning for further gains in USD/CHF by looking at call options. Specifically, establishing bull call spreads, such as buying the August 0.8100 call and selling the August 0.8250 call, seems prudent. This strategy allows us to profit from a move higher while capping our initial cost in a market with rising option premiums.
