The foreign exchange market (forex or FX) is the global marketplace for buying and selling currencies. It is the largest and most liquid financial market in the world.
Key Facts
- 📊 Daily volume: $7.5+ trillion (2024 BIS data)
- 🕐 Trading hours: 24/5 (Monday-Friday)
- 🌍 Major centers: London, New York, Tokyo, Sydney
- 💱 Most traded: EUR/USD (28% of volume)
Forex Sessions
| Session | Hours (UTC) | Key Pairs |
|---|---|---|
| Sydney | 22:00-07:00 | AUD/USD, NZD/USD |
| Tokyo | 00:00-09:00 | USD/JPY, EUR/JPY |
| London | 07:00-16:00 | EUR/USD, GBP/USD |
| New York | 13:00-22:00 | USD/CAD, EUR/USD |
Participants
- 🏦 Central banks
- 🏢 Commercial banks
- 💼 Hedge funds
- 🏭 Corporations (hedging)
- 👤 Retail traders
Why Trade Forex?
✅ Highest liquidity — easy entry/exit ✅ 24-hour market ✅ Leverage available ✅ Low transaction costs ✅ Profit in rising and falling markets