Are you new to FX trading or brokering and don’t know what is a spread in forex? If yes, this article is perfect for you because we will come across everything you should know about the spread in FX in this article.
Forex is becoming one of the most used ways of generating solid income worldwide, with a daily trade volume of $5 trillion. That is why many people also want to become FX traders. Are you also one of them? If yes, then you must know about spread like “what is a spread in forex.”
So, we have a pretty beneficial article for you:
What is a Spread in Forex? (General Overview)
Trading in the FX markets involves trading one currency in trade for another at a preset exchange rate. Thus, currencies are quoted in terms of their cost in another currency. The forex spread is the contrast between the trade amount of an broker that it purchases currency and that it sells currency .
Most forex currency pairs trade commission-free, but the spread is a price that is applied to every trade you make. Instead of charging a commission, all leveraged trade providers will include a margin in the transaction cost. They consider a higher sales price about the offer price.
Various factors can change the size of the spread, like how volatile currency pair is, what currency pair you are trading, the size of your trade, and which broker you are using. Major FX pairs for trading are:
- EUR/USD: Euro and US dollar
- USD/CHF: US dollar and Swiss franc
- USD/JPY: US dollar and Japanese yen
- GBP/USD: British pound and US dollar
Calculation of Spread in FX
In forex, quotes are always presented in bids and ask prices. Yes, these are pretty similar to the equity markets. Here, the bid represents the price or cost at which a particular FX market trader or broker wants to exchange a currency for another, as anyone can do with any currency.
But for beginners, it is recommended to trade or exchange major currency pairs. The asking price is when the forex broker is ready to deal with the base currency in exchange for the balance currency.
The spread is the contrast between the cost a broker buys and sells a currency. Accordingly, the bid cost would be quoted if a client initiates a sell trade with the broker. However, the asking price would be quoted, If the client wants to begin a buy trade.
How FX Spreads are Quoted? (Conclusion)
In the end, let’s see how spreads are quoted. Here is an example of currency pairs ZAR/USD:
| BID | ASK |
| 14.1 South African ZAR | 14.1 South African ZAR |
| Buy | Sell |
Spreads can be slim or thick, depending on the currency concerned. The spread might typically be one to five pips between the two prices. Still, the spread can vary and change at a moment’s notice, given request conditions. Got it? If you have any question please let us know.
