Trading EUR/USD
The EUR/USD is the most traded currency pair by volume. For UK investors, the major forex pairing offers significant profit potential. Here we discuss how to start trading the EUR/USD, taking into account historical rates, long-term forecasts and market news. We also explain how to read FX live charts for technical analysis so you can implement an effective trading strategy.
EUR/USD Trading Brokers
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IG offers an above-average suite of 80+ currency pairs on its proprietary web platform, mobile app or MetaTrader 4, with more advanced charts and forex analysis tools available on the ProRealTime software. Forex spreads are competitive based on tests, starting from 0.1 pips on majors like the EUR/USD.
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XTB provides access to 70+ currency pairs with low spreads averaging around 1 pip on majors. The xStation platform offers an intuitive environment for forex traders with an excellent charting package encompassing 30+ indicators, plus a range of order types, catering to various strategies and risk management techniques.
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CMC presents an extensive array of 300+ forex pairs characterized by tight spreads and rapid executions, surpassing the offerings of many competitors in terms of currency diversity. Forex indices also present a fairly unique and holistic way to speculate on the value of key currencies like the USD, EUR and GBP.
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FXCC's key selling point is its forex trading conditions. ECN spreads come in as low as 0.0 pips during peak trading hours, while it supports a wider range of currency pairs than the majority of rivals with over 70 forex assets. Additionally, you have access to MT4, which was built specifically for forex trading and excels for its charting tools.
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Vantage offers 55+ currency pairs - above the industry average, so experienced traders can explore plenty of opportunities. Vantage's deep liquidity pool provides forex spreads from 0.0 pips in the ECN account, lower than many alternatives. There are also no commissions, deposit fees or hidden charges.
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IC Markets maintains its commitment to providing exceptionally tight 0.0-pip forex spreads on major currency pairs such as EUR/USD. This makes it an excellent option if you are seeking superior execution, with an average of 35 milliseconds. Additionally, if you are a high-volume trader, you can benefit from rebates of up to $2.50 per forex lot.
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FOREX.com continues to uphold its stature as a premier FX broker, offering over 80 currency pairs and boasting some of the most competitive fees in the industry. With EUR/USD spreads dipping as low as 0.0 and $5 commission per $100k, it stands out. Moreover, its SMART Signals help to identify price behaviors across numerous major currency markets.
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Pepperstone offers ultra-competitive forex spreads averaging 0.12 pips on EUR/USD in the Razor account, accompanied by a diverse portfolio comprising 100+ currency pairs - an extensive selection surpassing most competitors. Additionally, Pepperstone distinguishes itself by offering three currency indices (USDX, EURX, JPYX), not commonly found among alternative platforms. Pepperstone has now won our annual 'Best Forex Broker' award twice.
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Eightcap offers 50+ currency pairs in line with the industry average but trailing category leaders like CMC Markets with its 300+ currency pairs. However, Eightcap stands out with institutional-level spreads from 0.0 pips on major pairs like the EUR/USD, alongside low $3.50/side commissions. The broker also offers rich forex data to inform trading decisions, including key fundamentals, bullish/bearish indicators and a calendar that tracks key events in the foreign exchange market.
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PrimeXBT offers forex trading on over 50 majors, minors and exotics with margin opportunities and zero commissions. The forex platform is fast, reliable and feature-rich based on our latest tests with 3 charts, 10 timeframes, and 91 technical studies - ideal for active trading strategies.
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OANDA offers 68 currency pairs, which is above the industry average. You can speculate on majors, minors and exotics, with spreads from 0.8 pips on popular pairs. There are no commissions and leverage is available up to 1:200. Average execution speeds are fast based on tests, at 12 milliseconds.
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FxPro offers 70+ currency pairs with ultra-fast execution speeds and tight spreads from 0.46 pips on EUR/USD. The range of forex assets outranks many rivals, including our award winner, AvaTrade. Various short-term forex strategies are permitted, including EA trading and hedging.
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Plus500 provides forex trading through CFDs, featuring narrow spreads across an impressive selection of over 60 currency pairs. During testing, spreads came in as tight as 0.6 pips on the EUR/USD, which is notably lower than many alternatives.
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Trade a wide selection of 80+ currency pairs with spreads from 0.5 pips and industry-favorite platforms. City Index has 40+ years experience in forex trading with liquidity from tier-one banks.
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Markets.com offers 43 major, minor and exotic currency pairs. The range is around the industry average, though spreads are fairly competitive, starting from 0.6 pips for EUR/USD. There’s also an excellent range of tools and education, including forex calculators and trading videos.
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NinjaTraders supports the trading of popular currencies including the EUR/USD. The software also offers advanced features to streamline the trading experience, including complex order types like market if touched (MIT) and one cancels other (OCO).
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Axi’s 70+ currency pairs is its strongest market offering and beats out rivals like AvaTrade, which offers only 50+. Combine this with an elevated MT4 offering through the NextGen add-on, and Axi remains an excellent broker for forex traders.
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IBKR presents an extensive range of over 100 major, minor, and exotic forex pairs, surpassing the offerings of nearly all leading alternatives, though not CMC Markets. Forex trading occurs over multiple platforms and boasts institutional-grade spreads starting from 0.1 pips and 20 complex order types, including brackets, scale, and one-cancels-all (OCA) orders.
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Videforex offers trading on 35 currency pairs through leveraged CFDs with spreads from 0.1 pips. Alternatively, traders can use binaries to speculate on upward/downward price movements with payouts up to 98%. Integrated technical analysis, economic calendars, and market news, all available within the platform, help support FX trading decisions.
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An above-average selection of 55 currencies are available with reasonable spreads averaging 0.9 pips on EUR/USD during peak hours. Aspiring traders can continuously hone their forex strategies by switching between demo mode and their live account any time, with full access to the broker's 100+ technical indicators.
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Focus Option offers 22 forex pairs tradeable via binary options, including a selection of majors and minors. FX pairs are also available to trade with margin on Focus Option's mobile app, which offers high leverage up to 1:50 and spreads from 1 pip.
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OspreyFX offers more than 50 major, minor and exotic currency pairs. Spreads start from just 0.1 pips on the EUR/USD and the broker provides a suite of forex trading education for beginners, including partnering with Forex Squad for fresh insights.
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CloseOption offers binaries on 25+ forex pairs, including majors like EUR/USD and a few minors like AUD/JPY. Payouts vary by currency, with decent typical payouts of 75% for GBP/USD.
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Amega offers an unusually large selection of currency pairs for an unregulated broker with 70+ forex CFDs, alongside up to 1:1000 leverage, zero commissions and competitive spreads from 0.8 pips. FX traders also have access to MT5 – the faster, more advanced version of MT4.
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Errante traders can access 50+ forex pairs with leverage up to 1:500 (location dependant). The broker offers fast execution and tight spreads, especially to clients with VIP and Tailor-Made accounts.
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Kwakol Markets offers a wider range of forex pairs than most competitors, with 90+ assets available. Users get fast execution speeds and competitive spreads through the ECN model. On the negative side, not all currency pairs are available on MT4.
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Coinexx offers an excellent selection of 70+ major, minor and exotics currency pairs, presenting diverse opportunities with a forex calculator to aid trading decisions. It’s also one of a select few brokers to support forex trading on the ActTrader platform, alongside MT4 and MT5.
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Ingot Brokers offers forex trading on a modest suite of 30+ currency pairs with raw spreads on the MT5 platform. There are also no restrictions on short-term trading strategies, including hedging, scalping and the use of Expert Advisors (EAs).
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Trade a small selection of 25 major and minor pairs. Spreads from zero on the pro account, micro-lot trading, and very high leverage make up for the limited range of currencies. The MetaTrader software is also a well-regarded platform for forex trading.
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Axofa offers a decent range of 50+ forex pairs with raw spreads from 0.0 pips. Very high leverage up to 1:1000 and commission-free forex trading is available. With that said, the broker is not particularly transparent when it comes to account conditions and fees.
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Go long or short on over 50 currency pairs with spreads from 0.6 pips on EUR/USD. Traders can access interactive tools on the forex industry’s most popular software, MetaTrader 4, with customizable charts, one-click trading and Expert Advisors (EAs) for algo trading.
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World Forex offers CFD and digital contract trading on 53 forex pairs, including EUR/USD and GBP/EUR. High leverage is available for CFDs, which can be accessed with competitive spreads on certain account types.
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FinPros offers 80+ forex pairs, which is one of the more diverse offerings available. Traders benefit from ultra-low latency, MT5 support and very tight spreads and low commissions on the RAW+ account.
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Trade 45+ major, minor and exotic pairs with deep liquidity and low latency. The ultra-tight spreads from 0.01 pips on raw accounts, competitive $7 or lower round-turn commissions and high leverage up to 1:500 will suit scalpers, who can trade without limits.
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IQCent traders can access CFDs or binary options on 45+ forex pairs. CFD spreads start from 0.3 pips and binary options payouts are decent up to 95%. This is competitive compared to Pocket Option, for example, offering forex payouts up to only 81%.
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Trade 50+ forex pairs including popular majors and minors with very high leverage available up to 1:1000. Gold, silver, palladium and platinum pairs with USD are also available.
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RaceOption offers 25+ major and minor currency pairs on a no-frills, web-accessible platform with 30+ indicators and built-in copy trading opportunities for a hands-off investment approach.
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Scope Markets offers 40+ major, minor and exotic currency pairs. Although the range is average, experienced traders can access very high leverage up to 1:2000. Additionally, the broker’s proprietary terminal delivers advanced analysis tools, including a live forex heatmap.
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Trade 50+ forex pairs, including popular major, minor and exotic pairs. This is a decent selection, but traders will have a choice between the attractive MT4, MT5 or IRESS platforms and regulatory cover from ASIC. The VPS will also suit automated forex trading strategis.
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Anzo Capital offers 45+ forex pairs including majors, minors and exotics with fast execution and spreads starting from zero. High leverage up to 1:1000 is available with a margin call at 80% and a stop out level at 50%.
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I think the range of 60+ major, minor and exotic currency pairs is fairly competitive, especially with spreads from 0 pips in the Pro account. Experienced traders can also access high leverage up to 1:500 in the popular MT4 platform.
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Rock Global clients can access 50+ currency pairs via CFDs with leverage up to 1:500, world class liquidity and fast execution on the MT4 or TWS platforms. The tight spreads from 0.9 with no commission are a particularly attractive feature.
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VT Markets offers an average selection of 40+ forex pairs with up to 1:500 leverage. Forex spreads in the ECN account are highly competitive, starting from 0.0 pips, although the 1.2-pip minimum quotes in the Standard account are a little higher than the likes of Pepperstone or IC Markets.
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Binary and OTC options can be purchased on 40+ currency pairs, with 55+ currency pairs available if you deposit $1000. Typical payouts are reasonable at 81% and the $1 minimum trade makes the broker accessible to new forex traders. There is also access to the MT4 and MT5 platforms for experienced forex traders.
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Exinity offers 150+ forex pairs to trade on a very competitive ECN pricing model, with spreads from zero and low commissions of $4 per round turn. Traders can access the powerful MT4 and MT5 platforms and trade with no restrictions on popular trading strategies.
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ForexChief supports spot foreign exchange trading on all account types for 40+ major, minor and exotic currency pairs. Trading takes place on the leading MT4 and MT5 platforms, which offer dozens of in-built technical tools for short-term forex strategies.
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PU Prime clients can trade 40+ forex pairs via the MT4 and MT5 platforms with dynamic leverage up to 1:500. Spreads start from near zero on Prime accounts, which also charge a $7 commission per lot, and a zero-commission Standard account with wider spreads is also available.
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With 100+ currency pairs including all majors plus many minors and exotics tradeable on the MT4 platform with 1:2000 leverage, SuperForex lives up to its name as a great choice for forex traders. The ForexCopy system is also useful for newer traders.
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AdroFx's strongest offering is its 60+ currency pairs, which can be traded with very high leverage up to 1:500. The broker also offers competitive forex spreads starting from 0.4 pips and charges no commission. Additionally, traders have access to MetaTrader 4, which was built for forex trading and offers excellent support for technical analysis and algo trading.
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Start trading on dozens of currencies at RoboMarkets with powerful analysis tools and pattern recognition technology. 35+ currency pairs are available with tight spreads from 0 pips and rapid market execution. You can also utilise the broker's forex news alerts and economic calendar.
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Trade 7 major, 21 minor and 29 exotic forex pairs with high leverage and a choice between STP or ECN accounts. Support is available around the clock and the TradeLocker forex software is provided.
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M4Markets offers 45+ currencies with zero pip spreads. The low latency and 30-millisecond execution speeds makes the broker a decent choice for forex traders. Additionally, there are no restrictions on trading strategies, including scalping.
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MultiBank FX offers trading on 50+ major, minor and exotic currency pairs. Spreads are tighter than many competitors and the broker offers higher leverage than most alternatives. Automated trading strategies are also permitted.
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I’m happy with Tradeview’s strong range of 60+ currency pairs spanning majors, minors and exotics with competitive spreads from 0 pips in the $1000 ILC account. Traders can choose from several platforms, but I was particularly impressed with the feature-rich Currenex platform which is designed specifically for currency trading.
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Global Prime traders can access 48 forex pairs including majors, minors and exotics with tight spreads from 0.9 with no commission or from 0 with a $7 round turn. Forex is traded via the leading MT4 platform, micro lots are available and latency is low via a New York-based server.
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Trade Nation offers over 30 of the most popular forex pairs with variable spreads. Traders can access a slick proprietary platform or MetaTrader 4, with real-time forex market updates and insights via 'Smart News'.
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As well as a competitive selection of 55+ forex pairs, traders can access high leverage up to 1:300. You can also enjoy advanced analysis from Trading Central with easy integration into MetaTrader 4.
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Traders can access a decent range of 60+ major, minor and exotic forex pairs through standard and ECN accounts with tight spreads from 0.5 and 0.0, respectively. Execution speeds are also faster than most competitors at 50ms, which will appeal to active forex traders.
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4xCube offers 60+ currency pairs with competitive trading conditions. We like that all trading strategies are permitted including scalping and hedging.
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ActivTrades offers its lowest fees in the forex department, with excellent spreads on majors like the EUR/USD from 0.5 pips and zero commissions, keeping pricing simple. Improvements to the ActivTrades platform, alongside access to the industry-leading MetaTrader 4, also give traders the tools they need to navigate the FX market confidently.
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BlackBull offers 64 currency pairs with excellent pricing through its ECN accounts, with the Standard commission-free spread starting from 0.8 pips. BlackBull also ensures its rapid execution carries through to MT4, which still stands as the industry’s most popular platform with active forex traders.
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RoboForex offers trading on 30+ currency pairs, trailing category leaders like Pepperstone with its 90+ forex assets. That said, the Prime and ECN accounts feature competitive average spreads of 0.1 pips on the EUR/USD. Additionally, with a minimum investment of $100, traders can utilize the CopyFX system to replicate the strategies of seasoned currency traders.
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Swissquote offers trading on a huge range of forex assets, covering 80+ currency pairs. Spreads start from 1.3 pips with the Premium account and there are zero commissions. Micro, mini and standard lot sizes are available plus options contracts on major currencies.
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SimpleFX provides a comprehensive selection of around 60 currency pairs, from majors like GBP/USD to exotics like CHF/PLN. Forex trading fees are competitive, averaging 0.9 pips on EUR/USD during testing, while MetaTrader 4, available on desktop, web and mobile, was built specifically for trading currencies online.
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EagleFX provides opportunities to go long or short on over 50 forex pairs from majors to exotics, with competitive spreads as low as 0.1 pips. The broker offers the leading charting software, MetaTrader 4, which delivers a host of charting tools for traders, including 9 timeframes and over 30 indicators.
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FXDD continues to offer a leading selection of 90+ currency pairs with ECN pricing. Spreads are decent, coming in at 0.4 pips for EUR/USD during testing. That said, these quotes aren’t as narrow as top competitors like Pepperstone.
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Trade on 45+ majors, minors, crosses and exotics, with competitive pricing, ultra-fast execution and no requotes. Newer traders can access zero-commission trading. Experienced forex traders can operate with no trading restrictions and benefit from an ECN account and a VPS service.
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FXTrading clients can access 70+ forex pairs with high leverage up to 1:500, fast execution averaging 80ms, excellent liquidity and spreads from zero. A good selection of minors and exotics are available as well as all the majors. New users can start trading forex in 4 easy steps.
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With over 190 forex spot pairs, EZ Invest outperforms many rivals in terms of access to the currency markets. Users can also choose between desktop software, a webtrader plus a solid mobile app. On the negative side, spreads aren't the tightest on entry accounts.
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Trade 50+ forex pairs via the MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 platforms with leverage up to 1:500, immediate execution, deep liquidity and tight spreads.
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Fortrade offers 60+ currency pairs including a good selection of majors, minors and exotics. Trading takes place via MT4 or Fortrade's proprietary, low-latency terminal, and spreads on the USD/GBP pair average a reasonable 2 pips.
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FP Markets stands out as an excellent option for forex traders, boasting a selection of over 70 currency pairs covering a wide range of currencies, especially since expanding its choice of exotics. With average spreads of just 0.1 on the EUR/USD in its Raw account, the broker provides competitive pricing for traders.
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IronFX continues to offer a strong selection of 80 currency pairs. You can trade through the market-leading MT4 platform with a range of forex market research tools. That said, commission charges in the zero-spread accounts are high, starting from $13.50 per lot.
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Trade 80+ major, minor and exotic forex pairs. This is a very competitive range of currency pairs with 50+ exotics to choose from, and traders will benefit from fast execution and support from extra features including a pip calculator. The MetaTrader 4 software was also designed for online forex trading.
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NordFX offers a modest range of 30+ major and minor forex pairs. Disappointingly, there are no exotic pairs, though traders do benefit from tight spreads from 0.0 pips and low commissions from 0.0035% per side. It also provides insightful weekly forecasts covering key forex assets like EUR/USD.
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HYCM offers 40+ forex pairs, with most available to trade on either the MT4 or MT5 platform. The maximum leverage on offer is 1:30 in accordance with regulations, and tight spreads start from 0.2 on the Raw account and from 1.2 on the commission-free Classic account.
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FXOpen clients can trade 50+ forex pairs (28 on micro accounts) with leverage up to 1:30. Fees are competitive with spreads starting from zero with a small commission on ECN accounts, and slightly wider spreads and no commission on STP accounts.
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Trade 45 major, minor and exotic forex pairs. This is an average range, but the broker offers attractive and very competitive tight floating spreads from 0.3. Useful features including a news feed set the broker apart from many rivals and can help plan forex strategies.
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Hantec Markets offers a limited range of 30+ forex pairs – less than most top brands, including Pepperstone with 100+. That said, market execution is rapid based on tests, and spreads are competitive starting at just 0.2 pips. This, combined with access to the popular MT4 platform with 30+ technical indicators, ensures a relatively complete trading experience for short-term currency traders.
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With 60+ currency pairs available, Dukascopy offers enough majors, minors and exotics to keep most forex traders happy. The broker also offers high leverage up to 1:100 – a good amount to see from a reputable and regulated broker. Currency traders have access to excellent software, including MT4 and JForex.
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Speculate on popular currency pairs with flexible leverage up to 1:500 and zero-pip spreads in the GO Plus account. Commission-free trading is available with micro, mini and standard forex contract sizes.
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Tier 1 liquidity on an impressive range of 189 currency pairs and spot metals, plus 130 forwards, from 0.4 pips.
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Trade on 60+ forex pairs with no commission and competitively tight spreads from 0.6 on major pairs such as EUR/USD. This is a good selection of forex pairs and excellent pricing for commission-free trading, well below the industry average.
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ThinkMarkets offers 46 currency pairs, which is around the industry average. Forex traders can benefit from tight 0.0-pip spreads for EUR/USD during peak market hours. Additionally, the ThinkTrader proprietary platform offers an impressive 125+ technical indicators - ideal for complex forex strategies.
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FXTM stands out with a strong selection of over 60 currency pairs, surpassing many competitors like AvaTrade. It also stands out with its six currency indices for traders aiming to diversify their forex portfolios, while the ECN account offers ultra-competitive spreads starting at 0 pips on majors, along with low commissions of just $3.50 per lot.
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Trade FX pairs with tight spreads & leverage.
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easyMarkets continues to offer 60+ forex pairs including majors, minors and a selection of exotics, with fixed spreads from 1.8 pips or variable spreads from 0.8 pips. FX traders can access advanced trading software in MetaTrader, as well as very high leverage up to 1:2000.
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Fusion Markets offers an excellent selection of 90+ currency pairs, providing a range of short-term trading opportunities. It continues to excel for its ultra-tight spreads from 0.0 pips and exceptionally low commissions of $2.25 per side. You also get access to leading forex software in MetaTrader 4.
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Trade 24 forex pairs via binary options. Such a small range of currency pairs is not that unusual among binary options brokers, and BinaryCent's high payouts up to 95% compensate for the lack of range.
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Trade 49 major, minor and exotic currency pairs with fixed spreads or ECN pricing with no dealing desk intervention and a low starting deposit. You can analyze the currency markets using the broker's in-house trading platform.
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FXCM offers an average range of 40+ currency pairs, although there are no commissions and spreads are competitive from 0.78 pips for EUR/USD. The broker also offers 3 forex baskets covering USD, Yen and emerging markets benchmarks.
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InstaForex's range of 100+ currency pairs is among the largest we have seen. ECN spreads are also available from 0.0 pips with zero commissions. Minimum deposits start from $1 making the broker accessible for beginners. You can also access market-leading forex analysis and insights.
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Trade 200 CFD forex pairs with DMA pricing and tight spreads, ultra low latency and high leverage up to 1:1000. The range of forex pairs available and pricing model are among the most attractive in the African market.
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Capital.com offer a long list of forex CFD pairs for trading. All have competitive spreads. The firm also ensures negative balance protection
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Trade over 180 major, minor, and exotic forex pairs on the Trading 212 platform, featuring floating spreads and leverage up to 1:30. It’s important to note, though, that the forex broker has a history of adjusting margin requirements without providing adequate notice. As a result, CMC Markets is a better pick for forex traders with more currency pairs and a cleaner record.
The EUR/USD Explained
The Euro (EUR) is the authorised currency of respective European nations, used by over 400 million people each day. The US Dollar (USD) is the currency of the United States of America. The strength and value of both currencies are determined by geopolitical events, along with stability policies implemented by the European Central Bank and the US Federal Reserve.
The exchange rate forecast of the pair is simply the buy or sell price of the EUR vs USD, for example, a rate of 1.2176 means that 1 Euro would buy you 1.2176 US Dollars.
History Of The EUR/USD
The EUR/USD currency pair is a relatively new concept. The Euro came into existence in 1999 and was established by the European Community members and the European Currency Unit (ECU). Exchange rate history shows that the original EUR/USD live rate was 1.1686 in 1999.
Many economic events have impacted the EUR/USD price over the years, including Brexit and US presidential elections. Historical data graphs show the turbulent outlook of the FX pair, with monetary policies such as Quantitive Easing (QE) brought in by central banks in an effort to protect the strength of the currencies.
Despite a time when it looked as if the Euro may overtake the US Dollar as the world’s leading currency, the USD remains supreme. In fact, many smaller countries still peg the value of their local currency to that of the USD. The Euro is the world’s second largest currency.
Price Movement
To start trading the EUR/USD pair, you need a strategy that can help predict live and future price movements. Two leading techniques are fundamental analysis and technical analysis.
Fundamental Analysis
Fundamental analysis involves analysing related economic data, including GDP growth, unemployment levels, industry sentiment, and interest rates. This information can help you understand whether the Euro is likely to strengthen or weaken against the US Dollar. Many top forex brokers today offer integrated economic calendars with the latest news bulletins to support fundamental analysis.
Technical Analysis
Technical analysis involves inspecting price data to identify patterns. These graphical patterns can be used to inform investment decisions. Online volume charts and a host of technical indicators, including pivot points, can help you understand EURUSD market sentiment.
Essentially, historical price data can be used to identify entry and exit points along with resistance and support levels. Candlestick charts, for example, can point to bullish price patterns using a sequences of bars while the Elliott Wave theory and analysis can be used to show recurrent price movements and trend patterns in the financial markets.
EUR/USD Trading Strategies
There are many strategy and indicator options to outline how to enter and exit trades:
- Timing – While different strategies will focus on particular opportunities, you may want to focus on when the market is most active. Volume charts show that for the EUR/USD currency pair, that’s between 13:00 and 16:00 GMT when both London and New York are open.
- Breakout & Breakdown – If you analyse live price charts, you will see the EURUSD swings back and forth within clear ranges for much of the trading day. This can indicate trends towards new highs and lows. This can help you spot when support and resistance levels may break, which can lead to a rally or a sell-off. Always remember that it’s important to use tight stops and limits to protect your position in case the forex market moves against you.
Other useful indicators worth exploring when trading the EURUSD include Bollinger Bands, relative strength index indicators, Keltner channel volatility indicators and moving averages. All can can be implemented on the majority of live price charts and can be used to build an effective strategy.
It’s also worth considering the type of EUR/USD investing that you’re interested in:
- Intraday trading – This will require time, careful analysis and an excellent broker with powerful realtime price charts.
- Swing trading – Suitable for trading over a day or several days, swing trading lets you profit from notable price trends
- Scalping – Another popular short-term strategy, traders open and close a large number of positions, often on short 1-minute or 5-minute trading charts.
- Longer-term investing – Rather than active day trading, perhaps you want to take a monthly or yearly view on the direction of the Euro or US Dollar. In which case, you may want to buy and hold a large amount of one currency for an extended period.
Trading Hours
Trading the EUR/USD is possible 24/5 Monday through to Friday. However, as noted above, certain times see the most trading volume. And it’s often during this heightened period of activity that you’ll see the greatest pip value movement along with the tightest spreads and volatility leading to greater profits and reduced commissions. Between 1 pm and 4 pm GMT is when both London and New York are open and most trading on the EUR/USD currency pair takes place.
EUR/USD Investing Tips
Evaluate premarket conditions to understand the expected strength and direction of the EUR/USD before you start trading. Many brokers now offer weekly, monthly, or the latest FX rate forecasts, along with interactive charts, forums, and predictions for the currency pair today.
Other useful tools include a pip value calculator, leverage and margin calculators and risk management alerts. You can also download historical exchange rate data to excel, covering 5-minute and 30-minute graphs to 20-year or all time price charts. All of these tools can supplement trading.
Pros Of Trading The EUR/USD
There are several reasons to start investing in the EUR/USD:
- Most actively traded FX pair
- Competitive pricing quotes and tight spreads
- Multiple investment vehicles, from CFDs to binary options
- Extensive tools with live outlook projections and expectations of forward rates
Cons Of Trading The EUR/USD
- Leveraged investing can lead to large losses
- Fees, such as overnight interest and swap points
- Intraday forecasts and correlations don’t always follow expected patterns
- Traders are up against institutional investors with advanced automated investing algorithms
Final Word On Trading EUR/USD
The EUR/USD is the most actively traded currency pair. Each currency follow some of the world’s leading economic powers, bringing with it ample investing opportunities. With the right trading window and an effective strategy, the major FX pair offers high volatility along with serious profit potential. There’s also an excellent range of tools available online to help you understand central bank decisions, political news events, and market sentiment. Most brokers also offer a suite of tools, historical data downloads and real-time analysis tools to help you start investing.
Find out more about forex trading.
FAQ
What Is The EUR/USD Pair?
The EUR/USD is the abbreviated way to describe the Euro and US Dollar forex major. The currency pair shows how many US Dollars (quote currency) are needed to buy one Euro (base currency). The pair reflects the two largest and most powerful global currencies and can be used by investors to speculate on the relative strength of each currency. Forex trading on the EUR/USD pair usually takes place via a networks of banks through the decentralised OTC market.
Which Is The Base Currency In The EUR/USD Pair?
In this case, the Euro would be the base currency and the US Dollar the quote currency. The base currency signifies how much of the quote currency is needed for one unit of the base currency. EUR/USD bid and ask price reflects how much of the quoted currency can be bought or sold for one unit of the base currency.
When Is Best To Buy Or Sell The EUR/USD?
Many factors impact when to buy or sell currency pairs such as the EUR/USD. Market opening times, your investment strategy, historical data, price signals for today, and next week’s forecast may all influence expected buy and sell opportunities. Crucially, the right time to buy or sell is when you are most confident the market is going to spike or drop so you can implement a strategy that capitalises on the trend.
What Are EUR/USD Futures?
Forex futures are exchange rate traded contracts to buy or sell a specific currency, such as the EUR/USD, at a set price in the future. Forward contracts are available at multiple online brokers and offer an alternative investment vehicle to short-term day trading. You can also trade mini futures at a fraction of the corresponding futures contract. As with short-term forex investing, forward curves can be projected on broker charts and quotes are available through trading platforms.
When Is The Best Time To Trade EUR/USD Binary Options?
The best time to trade EUR/USD is arguably between 1 pm and 4 pm GMT. This is the crossover period when both London and New York markets are open and spreads are normally tightest. With that said, different strategies will lend themselves to different market windows.