Best Currency Pairs To Trade in 2025

Trading the foreign exchange market (FX) always involves trading currency pairs. When you go long (buy) one currency, you are automatically going short (selling) another currency.

Here is a quick example. If you want to go short the EUR/USD pair, you are selling the Euro and buying the US dollar.

Using ACY Securities' MT4 or MT5 trading platforms, you can trade in 43 currency pairs 24 hours a day, 5 days a week. Plus we have access to trade a range of metals like Gold and Silver versus the US Dollar.

A wide selection of the best forex pairs to trade

The 'majors' and the 'commodity pairs' are the most liquid and most widely traded currency pairs in the forex market.

These pairs and their combinations (EUR/JPY, GBP/JPY, and EUR/GBP) make up the vast majority of all trading in the forex market. Because these pairs typically have the largest volume of buyers and sellers, they also typically will have the tightest spreads.

Majors: EUR/USD, USD/JPY, GBP/USD, USD/CHF, AUD/USD - the official currency of Australia, USD/CAD, NZD/USD

10 most traded currency pairs

In the ever-evolving world of forex, understanding the dynamics of currency exchange is crucial, especially for those just embarking on their trade journey.

Beginners and seasoned traders alike seek to navigate the waters of the most commonly traded currency pairs, which serve as the backbone of the global forex market.

According to the Bank of International Settlements (BIS) Triennial Central Bank Survey from April 2023, the following major forex pairs and crosses are the most actively traded.

1. EUR/USD (Euro/US Dollar)
2. USD/JPY (US Dollar/Japanese Yen)
3. GBP/USD (British Pound/US Dollar)
4. AUD/USD (Australian Dollar/US Dollar)
5. USD/CAD (US Dollar/Canadian Dollar)
6. USD/CNY (US Dollar/Chinese Yuan)
7. USD/CHF (US Dollar/Swiss Franc)
8. EUR/JPY (Euro/Japanese Yen)
9. EUR/GBP (Euro/British Pound)
10. NZD/USD (New Zealand Dollar/US Dollar)

At ACY Securities, the list above does match up pretty closely to where we see the most trades and trading volume. The only one not on this list is XAU/USD, which is Gold, as we consider it as a different asset class.

Start trading Forex with ultimate flexibility

When it comes to Forex trading, partnering with a regulated broker like ACY offers numerous benefits that enhance your trading experience.

Here are some of the key advantages you can enjoy when you start trading Forex with ACY Securities:

• Access up to 500 to 1 leverage (Australian accounts get access to a maximum of 30 to 1 leverage)
• Choice of both MT4 and MT5 trading platforms
• Take advantage of spreads from 0.0 pips
• One of the best loyalty programs in the business
• No restriction on Expert Advisors or high-frequency trading.
• Ultra-fast order execution speed
• Multiple funding methods
• Run your Expert Advisors (EAs) for automated trading using a Forex VPS

What you need to know about the best currency pairs to trade

Before you get started, it is great to understand the ins and out of the major currency pairs and FX crosses.

In this article, you will learn more about the trading volumes and volatility levels for each of the FX pairs.

But before we do that, let's cover the basics of currency pairs to ensure an efficient FX trading experience.

Basics of currency pairs

Each FX pair involves the base currency and the counter currency, allowing you to buy and sell.

In the EUR/USD example, the EUR is the base currency and the USD is the counter currency.

So, whether you want to go long (buy) or short (sell) a currency, that transaction is directed toward the base currency. And the opposite reaction is automatically directed to the counter currency.

Major currency pairs in the world

The global forex market is massive and it involves multi-trillion dollars of transactions every day. According to the United Nations, there are 180 currencies in the world.

However, there is only a small number of currencies that are responsible for the majority of the forex transactions globally.

There are 5 major groupings when it comes to the FX markets. These are:

1. Forex majors – this group represents some of the most popular currency pairs and is responsible for an estimated 85 per cent of the global FX market transactions. Currencies in this group include the US dollar such as EUR/USD, USD/JPY, GBP/USD, USD/CHF, AUD/USD, USD/CAD, NZD/USD. FX majors are identified with the world's largest and most stable economies like the US, Great Britain, Japan, Europe, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
2. Forex crosses – this refers to FX trades where the US dollar is not involved. You may have noted that in the Forex majors group, the US dollar is always the other currency on the pairs. The forex crosses bypass the US dollar. For example, a EUR/JPY or a GBP/JPY trade can be done directly without converting to US dollar first. We refer to these as minor currency pairs.
3. Exotic currency pairs – The exotic pairs includes thinly traded currencies with low liquidity and low daily trading volumes. These currencies are usually associated with emerging markets or developing economies and their currencies are not that in demand globally. Some of the currencies in this group include the Thai Baht, Turkish Lira, Danish Krone, South African Rand and Swedish Krona.
4. Commodity bloc currencies – this group consists of currencies associated with countries that are rich in natural resources and commodities including Australia, New Zealand and Canada. As the term suggests, this forex group relies on commodities. This means the price movements of the Australian dollar (AUD), New Zealand dollar (NZD) and Canadian dollar (CAD) can be highly affected by the price fluctuations in iron ore, gold, dairy products and oil. Whether you're an FX trader or someone who trades Commodities or CFDs, it is useful to monitor the correlation and price movements of the commodity bloc of currencies and the associated commodities that affect them.
5. Safe haven currencies – while this is not an official or formal FX group, a few currencies are considered safe haven when trading the foreign exchange markets. Currencies in this group include the Japanese Yen, the Pound Sterling (GBP), the US dollar (USD), the Euro (EUR) and the Swiss Franc (CHF).

Why safe haven? Because traders view these currencies as stable and will most likely retain their value compared to other currencies during volatile market conditions.

Similar to gold and Precious Metals, which is considered a safe haven asset, currencies in this group will attract more trader activity particularly when there's a high level of market volatility.

Cryptocurrencies versus the US Dollar

In the evolving landscape of digital currencies, cryptocurrencies have emerged as a significant component of modern trading strategies, much like traditional Forex pairs.

At ACY, we recognise this trend and offer our traders the top 9 cryptocurrency pairs, each quoted against the US dollar.

One of the key advantages of these cryptocurrency pairs is their integration into existing forex trading strategies.

Traders who are accustomed to analysing and trading pairs like EUR/USD or GBP/USD will find a similar, yet distinct, experience with BTC/USD or ETH/USD.

Traders are increasingly drawn to cryptocurrency trading due to the higher volatility found in these pairs, which often leads to more significant trading opportunities in shorter timeframes. 

This volatility makes cryptocurrencies particularly responsive to technical analysis techniques, allowing traders to apply familiar strategies like chart pattern recognition, price action trading, swing trading, momentum trading or breakout trading.

What factors affect currency pairs?

Trading volume and transactions in the FX markets are always affected by supply and demand. And like any other financial markets, the higher the demand for a currency the higher its price move.

But there are also many other factors that can affect the prices of currency pairs.

Here are some of the key factors to look out for when trading FX:

• Central bank decisions – central banks across the globe are responsible for setting interest rates level for each country. When trading in the forex market, traders are attracted to currencies with high-interest rates compared to other currencies.

So, for example, if the US Federal Reserve keeps on raising interest rates, the US dollar will most likely appreciate vis-à-vis other currencies as traders will tend to favour the US dollar.

It is not surprising that many forex traders are keen observers of central bank decisions.

Announcements from the various central banks like the US Federal Reserve, Bank of England, Bank of Canada, European Central Bank, Australian Reserve Bank and the Bank of Japan, to name a few, are almost always anticipated by forex traders.

High impact trading news is ideal for those who want to trade their popular forex pair when volatility and opportunity are running high.

• Economic data – employment numbers, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) levels, inflation, business and consumer sentiments are some of the economic factors that tend to affect the movement in currency pairs. So, it pays to monitor the economic calendar and market news update on your online trading platform to ensure that you are up-to-date with the release of relevant economic data.
• FX trading time zones – movements in currency markets can also be affected by the Forex Trading Hours and FX trading zones. It is commonly known that trading volumes and activities can be thin and slow during the market open in the Sydney time zone. And as they FX trading day progresses and moves into Japan, the United Kingdom (London) and onto the US with the New York time zone, trading volumes and activities will increase. The London and New York sessions are usually the most active due to the time overlap and the fact that both regions are considered major financial hubs.
• High-impact events – the forex market is known for its almost instantaneous moves and fluctuations, particularly during high-impact events. Though some events are not always related to the forex or other financial markets, they could still affect the movement of some currencies. You need to monitor the trading session ahead and watch the key breakout levels on your Forex charts when high impact news like Non-Farm Payroll (NFP) or Inflation (CPI) figures are released. Hone your news forex strategy across the best pairs to trade like EURUSD or GBPUSD when major headlines hit the daily forex markets.
• Geopolitical factors – global unrests, conflicts, wars and other related events can also impact the foreign exchange markets. Some currencies tend to do well when there is a high level of uncertainty in the markets, while other currencies go in the opposite direction. As an FX trader, it is in your best interest to keep track of geopolitical events that may affect the currency pairs you're trading.

Analysing Forex currency pairs

As a forex trader, you can use fundamental analysis, technical analysis or a combination of both to do your evaluation of the different currencies.

If you decide to use fundamental analysis, there are plenty of economic data that are readily available for you to tap into. Most forex brokers also provide FX market news and market analysis you can use to analyse the forex markets.

If you are inclined to use technical analysis, the ACY Securities MT4 online trading platform provides an easy to use charting package. You can use all the relevant indicators, Expert Advisors (EAs), Metatrader scripts, templates and chart set-ups that can make your trading more efficient.

Ready to Trade Currency Pairs in 2025?

Now that you're aware of the different currency pairs available for trading and the trading opportunities they offer, you can easily choose the best currency pairs to trade using the award winning MT4 or MT5 trading platforms.

Open a live trading account and open up the charts of the best forex pairs to trade. You may want to start with a demo account to ensure you're familiar with the world of FX pairs before you go live trading.

Using the ACY Securities trading platforms, you can get started trading currency pairs by clicking here or on the links above.