Forex might sound a bit intimidating, but it's actually more accessible than you might think. Picture yourself in a bustling international marketplace-not with spices and souvenirs, but with currencies from all over the world!

What is Forex?

Forex, short for "foreign exchange," is simply the process of buying and selling different currencies. It’s the largest and most active financial market in the world, with trillions of dollars traded daily.

Why does the Forex market exist?

Imagine you're an American company wanting to buy products from a Chinese manufacturer. You need to pay them in Chinese Yuan, but you only have US Dollars. That’s where the forex market comes in. It’s a global network of banks, brokers, and institutions that help convert one currency into another.

This exchange happens constantly, all over the world, keeping global trade and investment running smoothly.

How does Forex trading work?

Thanks to modern technology, forex trading is now accessible to everyone through online platforms like Deriv. Here’s the basic idea:

• Currencies come in pairs: You always trade one currency against another, like the Euro versus the US Dollar (EUR/USD) or the British Pound versus the Japanese Yen (GBP/JPY).
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• You make predictions: Will one currency strengthen or weaken against the other?
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• You buy or sell: If you think the Euro will rise against the Dollar, you “buy” the EUR/USD pair. If it does go up, you sell at a higher price and make a profit. If it goes down, you might take a loss. You can also do the reverse—sell first and buy back at a lower price.

Why trade Forex?

So, what makes forex trading so popular? Here are a few reasons:

• 24/5 action: Forex is open 24 hours a day, five days a week. You can trade whenever it fits your schedule.
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• Easy in, easy out: It’s a very liquid market, meaning there are always buyers and sellers. This makes it easier to enter and exit trades.
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Diversification: Forex can complement your trading portfolio alongside stocks or other asset classes.