The four forex sessions
Forex trades 24 hours a day from Sunday evening to Friday evening because banks around the world open and close at different times. Traders group the day into four sessions named after the main financial centres:
| Session | Local hours | Typical character |
|---|---|---|
| Sydney | 07:00 to 16:00 Sydney time | Opens the week, usually quiet, AUD and NZD move most |
| Tokyo | 09:00 to 18:00 Tokyo time | JPY, AUD and NZD pairs, steady ranges |
| London | 08:00 to 17:00 London time | The biggest session, strong trends in EUR, GBP and CHF |
| New York | 08:00 to 17:00 New York time | US data releases, USD pairs, gold and indices |
The clock above converts these hours into your time zone and follows daylight saving time in each city automatically, so the times stay correct all year.
The best time to trade forex
The busiest hours are when two sessions overlap. The London and New York overlap, roughly the four hours after New York opens, has the highest volume of the day. Spreads are usually tightest and the biggest moves happen then, especially around US economic data releases at 8:30 New York time.
The Tokyo and London overlap is shorter and smaller but often moves EUR/JPY and GBP/JPY. The hours after New York closes and before Tokyo opens are usually the quietest, with wider spreads and few clean moves.
When is the forex market closed?
The market opens on Sunday at 17:00 New York time and closes on Friday at 17:00 New York time. On bank holidays in a major centre, volume in that session drops. Price can open on Sunday at a different level from Friday's close, which is called a weekend gap.
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Open the position size calculatorFrequently asked questions
What time does the forex market open on Sunday?
At 17:00 New York time, which is 22:00 in London in winter and 21:00 UTC during US daylight saving. The clock above shows it in your own time zone.
Is crypto affected by forex sessions?
Crypto trades every day, all day, but its volume still rises when Europe and the US are awake. In the Alice app the Crypto Peak Hours tool shows the busiest and quietest hours for crypto, measured from real exchange volume.
Why do the session times change during the year?
London, New York and Sydney switch to daylight saving time on different dates, and Tokyo does not use it at all. The gap between sessions therefore shifts by an hour for a few weeks in spring and autumn.
Results are estimates for education and planning. Broker contract sizes, fees and margin rules differ, so always confirm on your platform before you trade.