The FX market is an inter-bank or inter-dealer network first established in 1971 when many of the world’s major currencies moved towards floating exchange rates. It is considered an over-the-counter (OTC) market, meaning that transactions are not conducted on an exchange like some equity stock markets such as the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) or the Chicago Options Board Exchange (CBOE) where options and futures are traded. OTC trades exist as agreements made between two parties that agree to trade via telephone or electronic network.
As FX trading has evolved, several locations have emerged as market leaders. Because these trading centers cover most of the major time zones, FX trading is a true 24-hour market that operates five days a week. For example, as a trader in New York, you have access to the FX market starting Sunday evening when the market opens in Sydney for the start of the trading week. The FX market has become the world’s largest financial market, and it is not uncommon to see over $3 trillion US traded each day. By contrast, the NYSE— the world’s largest equity market with daily trading volumes in the $60 to $80 billion dollar range—is positively dwarfed when compared to the FX market. Even when combining the US bond and equity markets, total daily volumes still do not come close to the values traded on the currency market.
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