Why trade currencies?

The world’s most traded market – 24 hours a day

• Constant trading opportunity as the world’s currencies fluctuate in value against each other
• Trading around the clock from 10pm Sunday to 10pm Friday (GMT)
• Tight spreads reflecting real time market liquidity - check our live prices
• Flexible leverage up to 200:1

Market insights

With average daily turnover of US$3.2 trillion, Forex is the most traded market in the world. A true 24-hour market from Sunday 10 PM GMT to Friday 10 PM GMT, Forex trading begins in Sydney, and moves around the globe as the business day begins, first to Tokyo, London, and New York.

Daily turnover in the world's currencies comes from two sources:

• Foreign trade (5%). Companies buy and sell products in foreign countries, and convert profits from foreign sales into domestic currency.
• Speculation for profit (95%).

Forex currency pairs: Majors, Minors, and Crosses

Forex currency pairs are grouped into three categories:

• The Majors are the largest, most traded and most liquid currency pairs
• The Minors are the commodity currencies eg AUD/USD and the Scandinavian currencies
• The Crosses are currency pairs that do not include the US Dollar

Most traders focus on the biggest, most liquid currency pairs - more than 85% of daily Forex trading takes place in the Majors.