What is Currency Trading?

Heard of Forex, FX, Currency Trading or Foreign Exchange? Curious to know what they really are? Each of these terms refers to the buying and selling of foreign currency. Watch FXCM's "What is Forex" video to get a better understanding of what the forex markets are, how they work, how traders trade in them and what resources FXCM offers.

Forex refers to the foreign exchange markets and the buying and selling of currencies. Every day, an average of more than 3 trillion transactions takes place in the forex market. Each of these transactions plays a vital role in establishing a currency pair's exchange rate.

When a traveler visits a new country, or when an international business pays it's foreign employees they each convert their local currency into foreign currency. Over time these transactions cause a shift in the exchange rate. When money flows into a currency, it strengthens, (PAUSE) and when money flows out of a currency, it weakens. These shifts in value are what gives life to the forex market.

Forex traders attempt to predict the direction of an exchange rate just like stock traders try to predict the direction of a company's stock price. Forex traders buy a currency pair when they think the exchange rate will increase. (PAUSE) And sell a currency pair when they think the currency pair will decrease. And as a global market, they can do this 24 hours a day, 5 days a week.

Forex traders attempt to predict the direction of an exchange rate just like stock traders try to predict the direction of a company's stock price. Forex traders buy a currency pair when they think the exchange rate will increase. (PAUSE) And sell a currency pair when they think the currency pair will decrease. And as a global market, they can do this 24 hours a day, 5 days a week.

To try your hand at the forex market, open a free 50,000 dollar practice account today.

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Education

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