Forex, short for "foreign exchange," refers to the global marketplace for buying and selling currencies. It is one of the largest and most liquid financial markets in the world, with daily trading volumes exceeding $6 trillion. Forex trading allows individuals, businesses, and financial institutions to exchange one currency for another, such as exchanging U.S. dollars for euros or British pounds for Japanese yen.
The primary function of the forex market is to facilitate international trade and investment by enabling the conversion of currencies. It also serves as a platform for speculation, where traders can profit from fluctuations in currency exchange rates.
Forex trading involves buying one currency while simultaneously selling another. Currency pairs are quoted in terms of one currency relative to another. For example, in the currency pair EUR/USD, the euro (EUR) is the base currency, and the U.S. dollar (USD) is the quote currency. If the pair is trading at 1.2000, it means 1 euro is equal to 1.20 U.S. dollars.