The Complete 28 Major Forex Pairs List (2024)

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You’re probably here because you want to learn how to trade forex pairs.

Well, I have the perfect solution for you.

It’s a 28 major forex pairs list, so you can simply copy and paste this to add all of these pairs to your trading platform.

It covers the major pairs of forex including USD/JPY, EUR/USD, USD/CHF, GBP/USD, AUD/USD, NZD/USD, EUR/CAD, GBP/CAD, and many more.

That way, you’ll never miss a single opportunity.

Let’s get started.

What are Forex Majors and Minors?

Strange terminology indeed!

When you think about it there are over 180 currencies to exchange too.

Every country requires exchanging currencies from one to another.

However, lucky for you that the market’s don’t speculate on all 180 currencies…

Instead, they are narrowed down to a basket between 40-70 forex pairs offered by the broker.

Ok, so why are they called majors in forex trading?

Not all of the forex pairs are in the major’s bracket.

The currency majors and minors (plus exotic forex pairs) are categorised by popularity and liquidity.

The majors are the most commonly traded currency pairs globally.

These are the cheapest and have the fastest execution to market plus pricing tends to be less volatile.

How Many Forex Pairs Are There

In reality, there are over 2,300 forex pairs which include all possible crosses with majors, minors and exotics. You’ll only ever see about 5% of these on a trading platform because the other 95% are really illiquid.

According to ICE data from Tradingview.com, there are over 2,300 forex pairs that you could in theory trade.

However, due to the niche of most of the world currencies, brokers only provide data for around 115 fx pairs.

Later on, I’ll share with you the top 28 fx major pairs for you to trade from.

What Are Currency Majors Pairs?

Major pairs are the most liquid of all currency pairs. They are also the most popular because they are used in almost every type of trading.

You will also see these pairs referred to as “the majors” or “the Big Four”. The most widely traded currencies are USD, EUR, GBP, and JPY. These four currencies are known as the majors.

If you’re new to trading, we recommend learning more about major pairs to get a better understanding of what you’re up against!

The Complete 28 Major Forex Pairs List (1)

The 28 Major Forex Pairs List

This is the list of all major forex pairs available for trading on the Forex market.

These are all the possible crosses for each major currency.

Typically, these are the main forex pairs you would be trading on a day-to-day basis.

If we expanded into exotic currency pairs, there would be over 100 variations.

There is an abundance of opportunities trading the majors or exotic currency pairs but it is best to stay focused on the currency majors because they have more liquidity, less sharp movements and are cheaper to trade (lower spreads).

With that being said, the major pairs list contains the following currency pairs:

Australian Dollar Major Currency Pairs

  • AUD/CAD
  • AUD/CHF
  • AUD/JPY
  • AUD/NZD
  • AUD/USD
  • EUR/AUD
  • GBP/AUD

Canadian Dollar Major Currency Pairs

  • AUD/CAD
  • CAD/CHF
  • CAD/JPY
  • EUR/CAD
  • GBP/CAD
  • NZD/CAD
  • USD/CAD

Swiss Franc Currency Pairs

  • AUD/CHF
  • CAD/CHF
  • CHF/JPY
  • EUR/CHF
  • GBP/CHF
  • NZD/CHF
  • USD/CHF

Euro Currency Pairs

  • EUR/AUD
  • EUR/CAD
  • EUR/CHF
  • EUR/GBP
  • EUR/JPY
  • EUR/NZD
  • EUR/USD

British Pound Major Currency Pairs

  • GBP/AUD
  • GBP/CAD
  • GBP/CHF
  • GBP/JPY
  • GBP/NZD
  • GBP/USD
  • EUR/GBP

New Zealand Dollar Pairs

  • NZD/CAD
  • NZD/CHF
  • NZD/JPY
  • NDZ/USD
  • AUD/NZD
  • EUR/NZD
  • GBP/NZD

Japanese Yen Major Currency Pairs

  • AUD/JPY
  • CAD/JPY
  • CHF/JPY
  • EUR/JPY
  • GBP/JPY
  • NZD/JPY
  • USD/JPY

United States Dollar Major Currency Pairs

  • AUD/USD
  • EUR/USD
  • GBP/USD
  • NZD/USD
  • USD/CAD
  • USD/CHF
  • USD/JPY

The 7 Forex Major Pairs

There are 7 forex majors, which are:

The global economy is dependent on the highs and lows of different country-specific currencies and their importance.

1. The Euro/Dollar (EUR/USD)

The EURUSD is the most traded currency pair due to its widened appeal with the EUR and USD.

High-impacting announcements from the European Central Bank and the US Federal Reserve will impact the currency pair.

2. The Dollar/Japanese Yen (USD/JPY)

What makes the USD/JPY a major pair is that Japan is one of the largest net exporters in the world, which means huge volumes of businesses would exchange into and from the Japanese Yen.

3. The British Pound Sterling/US Dollar (GBP/USD)

The GBP/USD is one of the most traded pairs thanks to the volume of business between the United States and the United Kingdom.

You may see this pair referred to as Cable. This was because there was a large cable that ran across the floor of the Atlantic Ocean that connected the UK and the US.

4. The US Dollar/Swiss Franc (USD/CHF)

The USD/CHF is referred to as the Swissie most commonly.

The USD/CHF is a safe haven currency which is where investors will put their money when the markets are extremely volatile and uncertain.

5. The Australian Dollar/US Dollar (AUD/USD)

One of a few commodity currency pairs. Also known as the Aussie, Australia is a huge exporter of coal and iron ore. This means that the price is dependent on coal and iron ore prices

6. The US Dollar/Canadian Dollar (USD/CAD)

Another popular commodity pair is the“Loonie.”Canada is also an economy dependent on commodity prices. It has huge reserves of timber, natural gas, and oil.

The Canadian Dollar is another commodity pair and is nicknamed the Loonie. The commodities it exports are oil, natural gas and timber.

7. The New Zealand Dollar/US Dollar (NZD/USD)

Also known as the Kiwi, New Zealand is the largest exporter of dairy-based products, which means that if milk prices rise, theNZDUSD tends to follow.

The Minor Forex Pairs

Next up is the minors, which are different crosses of currency pairs that are less popular but are still liquid and tradeable.

However, the minors tend to be slightly more expensive to trade and can tend to be more volatile.

To some, more experienced traders would see minors as a better option as they tend to react to technical analysis slightly better.

So the minors are basically currency’s paired with non-USD.

These are the forex minors, which are:

Euro Minor Crosses

EUR/CHF Euro-Zone / Switzerland

EUR/GBP Euro-Zone / United Kingdom

EUR/CAD Euro-Zone / Canada

EUR/AUD Euro-Zone / Australia

EUR/NZD Euro-Zone / New Zealand

EUR/JPY Euro-Zone / Japan

Great British Pound Minor Crosses

EUR/GBP Euro-Zone / United Kingdom

GBP/JPY United Kingdom / Japan

GBP/CHF United Kingdom / Switzerland

GBP/AUD United Kingdom / Australia

GBP/CAD United Kingdom / Canada

GBP/NZD United Kingdom / New Zealand

Japanese Yen Minor Crosses

EUR/JPY Euro-Zone / Japan

GBP/JPY United Kingdom / Japan

CHF/JPY Switzerland / Japan

CAD/JPY Canada / Japan

AUD/JPY Australia / Japan

NZD/JPY New Zealand / Japan

Different Minor Crosses

AUD/CHF Australia / Switzerland

AUD/CAD Australia / Canada

AUD/NZD Australia / New Zealand

CAD/CHF Canada / Switzerland

NZD/CHF New Zealand / Switzerland

NZD/CAD New Zealand / Canada

The Exotic Forex Pairs

Lastly, the exotic pairs.

These are a basket of currency pairs from emerging markets.

The exotic pairs tend to have the widest spreads, thinnest liquidities but can be the least volatile compared to the others.

There are exotic pairs, which are:

USD/HKD United States / Hong Kong

USD/SGD United States / Singapore

USD/ZAR United States / South Africa

USD/THB United States / Thailand

USD/MXN United States / Mexico

USD/DKK United States / Denmark

USD/SEK United States / Sweden

USD/NOK United States / Norway

USD/INR United States / India

GBP/INR United Kingdom / India

Which Forex Pairs to Trade?

This is a difficult question, it’s kind of like which car should you drive – everyone has their preferences.

The majors are the cheapest to trade due to the sheer volume traded each day. To find out what you should trade is by simply loading up a platform and going through each currency pair and figuring out whether or not it fits your trading style.

Even though it is a 24-hour market, 5 days a week, it is usually better to trade currency pairs in your time zone – this is due to liquidity and cheaper pricing again.

You may even want to take note of forex pairs that correlate as this could also give you an added benefit.

All of this is a preference to you.

There is no right or wrong way of investing YOUR money in forex trading for beginners.

Over time, you will learn everything about the currency pair, how it reacts to news, price action etc. – so everything is learnable.

Conclusion: The Complete 28 Major Forex Pairs List

If you’re interested in trading foreign exchange, you’ll need to understand the forex market, the global economy, the world’s currencies and their relationships to one another.

With this comprehensive list of 28 major forex pairs, you’ll know exactly which pairs to watch, trade and invest in.

This is the perfect guide to learn more about the forex market.

If you found this article helpful, you should check out some of the other articles below:

The Complete 28 Major Forex Pairs List (2024)

FAQs

What are the 28 currency pairs? ›

  • EUR/USD (Euro/US Dollar)
  • USD/JPY (US Dollar/Japanese Yen)
  • GBP/USD (British Pound/US Dollar)
  • USD/CHF (US Dollar/Swiss Franc)
  • USD/CAD (US Dollar/Canadian Dollar)
  • AUD/USD (Australian Dollar/US Dollar)
  • NZD/USD (New Zealand Dollar/US Dollar) EUR Pairs.
  • EUR/JPY (Euro/Japanese Yen)
Jan 12, 2024

How many major forex pairs are there? ›

Major forex pairs FAQ's

The 7 major currency pairs all include the dollar. Here they are: EUR/USD, USD/JPY, GBP/USD, USD/CHF, AUD/USD, USD/CAD, and NZD/USD. These pairs involve the world's most traded currencies and are known for their liquidity and stability.

Which forex pairs range the most? ›

In forex, crosses are defined as currency pairs that do not have the USD as part of the pairing. The EUR/CHF is one such cross, and it has been known to be perhaps the best range-bound pair to trade.

What is the hardest forex pair to trade? ›

The 10 most volatile forex pairs (USD)
  1. USD/ZAR - ​Volatility: 12.9% ...
  2. AUD/USD - Volatility: 9.6% ...
  3. NZD/USD - Volatility: 9.5% ...
  4. USD/MXN - Volatility: 9.2% ...
  5. GBP/USD - Volatility: 7.7% ...
  6. USD/JPY - Volatility: 7.6% ...
  7. USD/CHF - Volatility: 6.7% ...
  8. EUR/USD - Volatility: 6.6%

Which forex pairs are most correlated? ›

EUR/USD and GBP/USD are positively correlated forex pairs, with an increase or decrease in one often seeing an equal increase of decrease in the other.

What forex pairs are most active right now? ›

Top Movers
DPairRate
1AUDNZD1.0880
2AUDJPY105.39
3GBPNZD2.0743
4AUDUSD0.6673
6 more rows

What is the most predictable forex pair? ›

Beginners might find the AUD/USD pair to be an excellent choice, since it is more predictable and less likely to spike or drop suddenly. In many studies, this pair has also been cited as one of the least volatile. In conclusion, the best currency pairs to trade for beginners are EUR/USD, GBP/USD, USD/JPY.

Which is the most stable forex pair? ›

List of Top 10 Stable Currency Pairs
  1. EUR/USD. The EUR/USD currency pair takes the largest portion of the overall trading volume. ...
  2. GBP/USD. GBP/USD is another heavily traded currency pair. ...
  3. USD/JPY. USD/JPY is the second most traded currency pair. ...
  4. USD/CAD. ...
  5. AUD/USD. ...
  6. USD/CNY. ...
  7. USD/CHF. ...
  8. GBP/JPY.

Which forex pair pays the most? ›

Frequently Asked Questions About Forex Currency Pairs

The EUR / USD is actually the best currency to trade, its the most liquid and cheap to trade and most of the moves are quite logical in a way, the EURUSD currency pair often has a negative correlation with USD / CHF and a positive correlation with GBP / USD.

What pairs move 100 pips a day? ›

The AUD/JPY, AUD/USD, CAD/JPY, NZD/JPY, GBP/AUD, USD/MXN, USD/TRY, and USD/ZAR move the most pips daily but are not the most liquid currency pairs. Among highly liquid currency pairs, the EUR/USD and the GBP/USD move between 70 to 120 pips daily, followed by the USD/CHF and the USD/JPY.

What are the least manipulated forex pairs? ›

The least volatile currency pairs include currencies traded in large volumes with small price movements over a given period. Major currency pairs are highly liquid, so they are less volatile. The least volatile currency pairs include USD/CHF, USD/JPY, EUR/CHF, and USD/EUR.

Which forex pairs give the most pips? ›

Currency pairs like GBP/JPY, EUR/JPY, AUD/JPY, and USD/ZAR are notable for their substantial pip movements. Traders seeking opportunities in these pairs must tailor their strategies to the inherent volatility, prioritize risk management, and stay vigilant about economic developments.

What is the easiest forex pair to trade? ›

Opting for stable, liquid, and easily understandable currency pairs such as EUR/USD, USD/JPY, GBP/USD, USD/CHF, and AUD/USD provides a solid foundation for novice traders.

Which forex pair is always trending? ›

Of all the pairs listed in our table, the EUR/JPY, NZD/USD, and AUD/USD are the most trending currency pairs at the moment. Although these trends are not extremely forceful, they have produced numerous trading opportunities during the last 12 months.

What are the big 5 forex pairs? ›

The five currencies that make up the major pairs—the U.S. dollar, euro, Japanese yen, British pound, and Swiss franc—are all among the top seven of the most traded currencies as of 2021. The EUR/USD is the world's most heavily traded currency pair, representing more than 20% of all forex transactions.

What are the basic currency pairs? ›

Common Currency Pairs
  • USD/JPY. This currency pair sets the US dollar against the Japanese Yen.
  • USD/GBP. This currency pair sets the US dollar against the United Kingdom pound and is commonly referred to as the pound-dollar.
  • USD/CHF. ...
  • USD/CAD. ...
  • AUD/USD. ...
  • NZD/USD.

What are the major currency pairs today? ›

Currency pairs of the major economies
SymbolPriceChange %
EURUSD1.07451+0.05%
USDJPY158.047+0.14%
GBPUSD1.2718+0.08%
AUDUSD0.66710+0.23%
3 more rows

What's the best currency pairs to trade? ›

According to the most recent Bank of International Settlements (BIS) Triennial Survey in 2022 , these pairs are:
  • EUR/USD.
  • USD/JPY.
  • GBP/USD.
  • USD/CNY.
  • USD/CAD.
  • AUD/USD.
  • USD/CHF.
  • USD/HKD.

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