Forex spreads explained – How do they work?

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In Forex trading, spread stands for the difference between the bid and ask price of a currency pair. When you are trading Forex, as you might have already noticed, there always are two prices shown in a currency pair, the bid and the ask price. The bid is the price at which you can sell the base currency, while the ask is the price you would pay to buy the base currency.

In a currency pair, the base currency is shown on the left side, while the quote currency, sometimes also called the counter currency, is shown on the right. The pair tells how much of the counter currency equals the base currency. In Forex, the buy price is always higher than the selling price, while the underlying market price is somewhere in between.

In most cases, there are no commissions for trading currency pairs, however, the spread is the one cost that applies to most of the trades in Forex. Rather than charging a commission, the brokers charge spreads. Forex spread rates vary and are influenced by several different factors, such as the currency pair you are trading, the volatility of it, and many others.

Forex spreads explained – How do they work?

As you might already know, Forex trading involves exchanging one currency for another at a certain exchange rate. The Forex spread stands for the difference between the exchange rate that a Forex broker sells a currency and the rate at which the broker buys the currency. They can be narrower or wider, depending on the currency you are trading, the time of the trade, and many other conditions.

forex spread explained

Spreads are an integral part of Forex trading and understanding them can be a huge help for beginner traders. In Forex, there are different types of spreads available, but all of them serve the same purpose. They are a tool for Forex brokers to earn some type of income, but they do come in different shapes and sizes. There are many of them available in the market, today, in this guide to spreads in Forex we will discuss the major ones, such as:

Bid/Ask spread
Negative spread
Z spread
Option Adjusted spread
Yield spread

Let’s discuss some of these spreads one by one to understand how they differ from one another.

Bid/Ask spread in Forex

When talking about spreads in Forex trading, many people usually start thinking about bid-ask spreads right away. This happens because bid/ask spreads stand to be the most commonly used spreads in the Forex world. This happens for several reasons, the main one being that it is very easy to use. The difference between the bid and ask price is what you are paying the broker to receive and enjoy their services.

You might think that 1 pip is simply not enough for a company to make profits, but, keep in mind that there are millions of people trading Forex every day. Also, spreads in Forex are calculated according to the size of the lot you are trading. For a standard lot in Forex, 1 pip would be equal to $10, while for a mini lot, it would be $1. The more you trade, the more money broker makes.

Negative spread in Forex

forex spreads explained While talking about a Forex spreads comparison, it is a great idea to discuss different types of spreads. Negative spreads, although not as popular, can be very useful for traders. The name might be a little scary at first, but, the spread is negative for the brokers, not for investors. This means that if you come across the negative spread, you will be able to trade without having to pay anything to the broker.

However, keep in mind that the Forex negative spread only works if you end up making the right call. If the currency pair that you bought starts to fall, you won’t receive a negative spread. Also, the negative spread is mostly only offered to those who are trading high-interest currencies. This happens because, in this situation, brokerages can earn a lot of money from holding or trading the currency. Thus, they are able to offer traders a negative spread.

Yield spread in Forex

Yield spreads are very similar to the bid and ask spreads. However, they are usually calculated for different assets. In most cases, yield spreads are associated with bonds, while the yield Forex spread cost is calculated in the following way: if you are trading two bonds of equal size and value, the difference of yields of these bonds will result in yield spread. So, if you are trading a bond with a yield of 10 percent, and another one has a yield of 5 – you would end up having a spread yield of 5%.

Forex fixed spreads and floating spreads

This might not exactly be a type of a spread, but we believe that it should be discussed. Every type of spread in the Forex trading market can be either fixed or floating. When traders are using fixed spreads, it means that the broker gives them the guarantee that no matter what happens, the spread will not change and remain the same. Let’s say that you are trading with a Forex broker that offers you a spread of 2 pip for a currency pair EUR/USD.

This means that no matter how the market conditions change, the spread will remain to be exactly the same for you. On the other hand, there are other spreads called floating. Most of the spreads offered by the brokers are of this nature, meaning that the amount of them is changing frequently according to the market conditions.

How to have the lowest Forex spreads?

forex spread meaning There are several things that traders can do to make sure that they have the lowest spreads. First of all, to have the best outcome you will have to understand exactly what influences the price of spreads in Forex trading. One thing that you should always keep in mind is liquidity.

Because of this, it is a great idea to trade highly liquid assets to make sure that you are paying lower spreads. Another smart idea to do is to look out for the market trading hours. The thing is, when several markets are open at the same time, it creates a huge activity in the market. This, in turn, increases trading volume, which ends up increasing liquidity. Thus, the spreads tend to be lower.

Many traders strive to have access to Forex low spread, the main reason behind this is that they do not want to pay additional money for the services. Rather, they prefer to trade the money to its fullest.

Trade with the lowest spreads – XM

Forex spreads meaning – How to calculate them?

As you already know, while trading Forex, you are dealing with currency pairs. There are different types of them available in the Forex market, they are Majors, Minors, and Exotic currency pairs. Let’s say that you are trading a EUR/USD currency pair, which is one of the most traded ones in the market.

Let’s assume that the EUR is worth 1.2105 USD, if you believe that the EUR is going to increase, you will be buying the pair, however, the ask price won’t be the same. It should be a little higher, maybe around 1.9208. The difference between these two is the amount of spread that you will have to pay for trading the currency pair.

Forex broker spreads – Why do they exist?

what is a forex spread Forex brokers are companies that are offering people to trade Forex without having to leave their homes. This is a great offering for everyone. But these brokers need to have some type of income to make sure that the needs of traders are met at all times. For this purpose, the brokers are charging spreads, which is, in most cases, the main type of income for brokers. Some brokers also charge commissions and fees on deposits and withdrawals, but most brokers only charge spreads.

You might think that 1 or 2 pip might not be that much money for the broker, but, you should keep in mind that there are millions of retail traders participating in the Forex trading market. Every time they open a position, they are paying for the services.

Start Trading with 0.6 pips – XM

Final thoughts on Forex average spreads

Spreads are an integral part of Forex trading. They are the main source of income for most brokers online. Understanding them can be a huge help for traders as well. Knowing how spreads work will help you decide when to open positions. There are different types of spreads available in Forex, but the main idea behind them is the same. Some brokers offer floating spreads, some offer fixed. There are some that offer both of them to traders.

Fixed spreads in Forex trading rarely change, while floating spreads are changing very frequently.

Frequently asked questions on Forex spread cost

What are spreads in Forex trading?

In trading, spreads stand for the difference between the bid (sell) and ask (buy) prices of a currency pair. If you have ever traded Forex, you should already know that while opening positions, there are two prices shown. One is the selling price of the currency pair, while the other is the buy price. Some brokers offer traders fixed spreads, while others offer you floating spreads. The difference between them is very self-explanatory. The fixed spreads in Forex rarely change, while the floating spreads are changing constantly according to the market conditions.

Which one is better, fixed or floating spread?

Comparing Forex spreads is not easy. While some people prefer fixed spreads, there are others who prefer floating spreads. Both of them have their advantages and disadvantages. With fixed Forex spreads, you can be sure that no matter what happens, the spread that you have to pay remains the same. For many, this creates a sense of stability. Also, this gives them the ability to plan their trading much better. On the other hand, there are other traders who prefer to take control of trading. For these people, floating spreads might be a better choice.

What is average Forex spread?

Generally, spreads are somewhere between one and five pips, however, they can either be wide or narrow depending on where and what you trade. It is also important to note that Forex brokerage companies are able to charge different spreads, which adds to the overall cost of transactions made during the trading process.