Top Forex Pairs Beyond the Big Five: Why NZD/USD, USD/CHF, EUR/GBP, EUR/JPY & GBP/JPY Are Popular

Jasper Osita - Market Analyst

2025-08-08 09:46:54

Most traders obsess over the same five: EUR/USD, USD/JPY, GBP/USD, AUD/USD, and USD/CAD.

And for good reason. They’re liquid, they trend well, and they move with macro clarity.

But if you stop there, you’re leaving opportunity on the table.

There are other pairs worth your time, NZD/USD, USD/CHF, EUR/GBP, EUR/JPY, and GBP/JPY. These are often considered “majors beyond the majors.” Each offers unique setups, different session behaviors, and tighter structures. If you know when and how to trade them, they can become some of your most reliable chart companions.

Wait - Aren’t Some of These Just Cross Pairs?

Yes. Technically, only pairs that include the U.S. Dollar (USD) are considered true major pairs.

But EUR/GBP, EUR/JPY, and GBP/JPY still qualify as major crosses:

They’re composed of two major currencies
They’re deeply liquid and used by institutional players daily
They respond cleanly to central bank policies and macro divergence
They offer clean mean-reversion and breakout setups depending on the environment

These are not exotics. These are Tier 1 pairs and they belong in every serious trader’s toolkit.

NZD/USD: The Asia Session Technician

Often living in the shadow of AUD/USD, NZD/USD actually moves with more structure and fewer fakeouts. It mirrors economic ties with China, reacts to dairy prices, and is surprisingly clean in the Asia and early London sessions.

What to Know:

Traded best during Asia + early London
RBNZ decisions create massive one-way moves
Strongly impacted by Chinese data and sentiment

Pro Tip:

Look for divergence with AUD/USD. When AUD rallies but NZD lags—or vice versa—that dislocation often creates a short-term opportunity.

USD/CHF: The Dollar’s Safe Haven Shadow

USD/CHF may be quiet, but it's a powerful sentiment gauge. It moves in response to safe haven flows and tracks the VIX, gold, and bond yields. Often, it mirrors EUR/USD in reverse but responds more conservatively to risk-driven events.

Key Characteristics:

Performs well during the London–New York overlap
Moves with risk sentiment and volatility indices
Strongly correlated with DXY and gold during uncertain periods

Trader Tip:

During geopolitical tensions or market stress, CHF strength often signals ahead of gold. Compare this pair with DXY and EUR/USD to find hidden bias.

EUR/GBP: The Mean Reversion Master

EUR/GBP is not known for big trends, and that’s what makes it valuable. It thrives in ranging environments and offers clean mean-reversion setups. The pair dances between support and resistance as the market evaluates the policy stance of the ECB versus the BOE.

Key Characteristics:

Well-suited for swing and range trades
Driven by UK and EU economic divergence
Moves in anticipation of rate differentials or CPI surprises

Trader Tip:

Be cautious of false breakouts. Often, a fake move through a range high or low is followed by reversion. Use liquidity sweeps as confirmation signals.

EUR/JPY: The Sentiment Thermometer

EUR/JPY blends Eurozone macro with Japanese monetary policy, producing a momentum-heavy pair that thrives in trending environments. It reacts to bond yield shifts, interest rate outlooks, and broad risk sentiment.

Key Characteristics:

Moves aggressively during London and New York
Reacts to bond market shifts and ECB commentary
Often surges after macro catalysts like CPI, PMIs, or Fed commentary

Trader Tip:

Pair your technical analysis with yield tracking. Rising bond yields often support EUR/JPY upside due to carry trade demand.

GBP/JPY: The Beast with Hidden Structure

GBP/JPY has earned the nickname "The Beast" for a reason. It’s volatile, explosive, and packed with momentum. However, its aggression often masks a structure-driven personality. For patient traders, GBP/JPY is a goldmine of clean sweeps and directional moves.

Key Characteristics:

Volatile during the London session
Reacts to BOE and BOJ announcements
Offers rich intraday setups with defined liquidity targets

Trader Tip:

Mark the highs and lows of the London session. Look for liquidity sweeps followed by market structure shifts on lower timeframes to find high-probability entries.

Why These Pairs are Popular

While they’re not in the top five, these pairs bring value through:

Tighter ranges and strong mean-reversion setups
Rich macro narratives tied to central bank divergence
Alternative trading opportunities that reduce overexposure to USD

For traders seeking range-bound, high-volatility, or sentiment-driven plays, these pairs are indispensable.

Majors vs Crosses

Think of the top five major pairs as your go-to tools—dependable, well-known, and versatile.

The next-tier majors, like EUR/JPY or GBP/JPY, are your specialist gear—more sensitive, more powerful, but only if you know how to use them.

Challenge of the Week

Select one of the pairs from this list and commit to tracking it all week. Here’s your blueprint:

Identify its most active trading session
Find its top macro or yield-based driver
Overlay a correlated asset (DXY, Oil, US10Y, Gold, or VIX)
Journal its behavior during a news release
Execute one trade using a structure-based confirmation model

Compare its rhythm, volatility, and precision against your usual pairs. This will give you a clearer sense of whether it deserves a permanent place in your trading routine.

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This content may have been written by a third party. ACY makes no representation or warranty and assumes no liability as to the accuracy or completeness of the information provided, nor any loss arising from any investment based on a recommendation, forecast or other information supplies by any third-party. This content is information only, and does not constitute financial, investment or other advice on which you can rely.

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Jasper has been in the markets since 2019 trading currencies, indices and commodities like Gold. His approach in the market is heavily accompanied by technical analysis and of course, supported by fundamentals. He has a background in trading proprietary firms and has been teaching students how to navigate themselves in the markets from basic to advance concepts.

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Top Forex Pairs Beyond the Big Five: Why NZD/USD, USD/CHF, EUR/GBP, EUR/JPY & GBP/JPY Are Popular

Wait - Aren’t Some of These Just Cross Pairs?

NZD/USD: The Asia Session Technician

USD/CHF: The Dollar’s Safe Haven Shadow

EUR/GBP: The Mean Reversion Master

EUR/JPY: The Sentiment Thermometer

GBP/JPY: The Beast with Hidden Structure

Why These Pairs are Popular

Majors vs Crosses

Challenge of the Week

Start Practicing with Confidence - Risk-Free!

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