Currency pairs are the foundation of the foreign exchange (forex) market, where participants buy and sell currencies. These pairs are categorized into different types based on various factors such as trading volumes, geographical regions, and relationships between the currencies. Here are some common types of currency pairs:
Three main types of currency pairs
Minor pairs In forex trading, currency pairs are categorized into three main types based on their liquidity, trading volume, and the economies they represent:
Major Pairs
Major pairs consist of the most traded currencies in the forex market. Each of theese pairs includes the U.S. dollar (USD) as either the base or quote currency, which makes them highly liquid. Examples of major pairs include:
EUR/USD (Euro/US Dollar)
– **GBP/USD** (British Pound/US Dollar)
– **USD/JPY** (US Dollar/Japanese Yen)
– **USD/CHF** (US Dollar/Swiss Franc)
– **AUD/USD** (Australian Dollar/US Dollar)
– **USD/CAD** (US Dollar/Canadian Dollar)
These pairs typically have tight spreads and are ideal for traders who want high liquidity and lower transaction costs miner pairs (Cross-Currency Pairs)**
minor pairs or crosses, do not include the U.S. dollar. They involve other major currencies trading against each other. These pairs are less liquid than major pairs, but they are still commonly traded. Examples include:
– **EUR/GBP** (Euro/British Pound)
– **EUR/AUD** (Euro/Australian Dollar)
– **GBP/JPY** (British Pound/Japanese Yen)
– **AUD/JPY** (Australian Dollar/Japanese Yen)
These pairs can have wider spreads compared to majors, but they offer opportunities for diversification.
Exotic Pairs
Exotic pairs involve one major currency and a currency from a smaller, emerging market economy. These pairs are much less liquid and can have high volatility and wider spreads, making them more difficult to trade. Examples include:
– **USD/TRY** (US Dollar/Turkish Lira)
– **EUR/TRY** (Euro/Turkish Lira)
– **USD/SEK** (US Dollar/Swedish Krona)
– **USD/ZAR** (US Dollar/South African Rand)
Exotic pairs can offer substantial opportunities for profit, but they are also riskier due to their lower liquidity and potential for sudden market movements.
Understanding the types of forex pairs helps in choosing which ones to trade, depending on liquidity, volatility, and trading strategy.
Forex trading at night from south africa
Alow, the best time to trade forex is generally between 10:00 and 17:00 SAST (South Africa Standard Time), but opportunities do exist to trade forex at night from South Africa. However, the markets are less flexible, so your chance of making substantial proofs is some what limited market session times for the major forex markets
Major forex pairs, such as EUR/USD (Euro/US dollar), USD/JPY (US dollar/Japanese yen), and GBP/USD (British pound/US dollar), remain attractive options for night trading the price movement on thees pairs are usually very stable at night You can expect a smother trend with fewer radically spikes allowing you to set closer stop loses Due to this all the standard indicates can be used with grader effect