Top 3 forex trading strategies

Written by
Krisztián G.
Fact checked by
Tamás D.
Updated
Apr 2024

It is essential to have a plan when trading forex, that is, when you are buying and selling currency pairs on the forex market. Having a forex trading strategy helps a trader keep focus, but strategies have to be customized to each individual forex trader, taking into account personal motivations and factors. In this article, we cover some of the most popular forex trading strategies used by traders.

If you're looking for a forex broker, check our top list of the best forex brokers in the world or read all forex broker reviews.

The essence

  • It is important to have a strategy when trading forex.
  • Forex trading strategies need to be tailored to the individual, there is no one-size-fits-all solution or a "best" forex trading strategy.
  • The three most popular forex trading strategies are trend following, scalping and carry trade.
  • Each forex trading strategy has its own advantages and drawbacks.
  • Risk management is part of every forex trading strategy.

Building a forex trading strategy

A forex trading strategy aids traders in determining when or where they should buy or sell a specific currency pair. There are many different simple forex trading strategies, but there is no such thing as the "best" or most successful forex trading strategy, as each may work differently under certain conditions. There is also a wide range of advanced forex trading strategies, with each needing different levels of technical and fundamental analysis.

Every strategy should be uniquely tailored to each forex trader, adapting it to the individual's risk profile, emotions, mental state, motivation, daily schedule and trading time. A strategy to trade forex cannot be simply copied from someone else: you have to use parts from here and there, and put it together like a puzzle, optimizing it into a forex trading strategy that works for you. This can be quite a long process. 

Also, take note that on the forex market traders have to trade on margin, or in other words, trade using borrowed money, also called leverage. Although this can increase your profits on a successful trade, it can also multiply your losses if the trade is unsuccessful.

If you are looking for a reputable forex broker, check out our top list of the best forex brokers in the world, compiled by our brokerage experts after opening an account at each broker and testing their services with real money. 

Forex trading strategies

There are more forex strategies than drops in the ocean, but most traders follow a major one. Below we list three of the most popular and simple forex trading strategies. 

Trend following strategy

Trend following strategies, as the name says, follow the main trends, or direction, in the value of an instrument. The goal of this strategy is to cut losses quickly while letting winning trades continue to run further. The main trading directions can be identified over relatively high time frames: monthly, weekly or daily. In these cases, one candle on a chart translates to one month, week or day. These trends are long enough to determine which side is dominant, buy or sell. Strong trends are considered ones that last longer than a year.

Check out a detailed description of the trend following forex strategy in this article. or read this detailed description of a forex trade built on trend following strategy.

Scalping

Scalping strategies are about catching small market movements with large positions within a very short time. This is characterized by executing a large number of trades, so it is completely the opposite of holding positions for hours, days, or even weeks.

Click here for a more detailed description of scalping.

Carry trade

The carry trade strategy is about buying a high-interest-rate currency against a low-interest-rate currency. The profit comes from the difference between the high interest you receive and the low interest you pay, plus the favorable exchange rate movement. In other words, carry trade is focused on profiting from a swap and the exchange rate. The time frame of this strategy is months or years.

If you want more infop on carry trade, click here

FAQ section

What is forex trading?

Forex trading means the buying and selling of currency pairs. You are basically buying one currency while selling another in the hopes of closing the position later with a profit.

What is the most successful or profitable trading strategy?

There is no such thing as the single "best" forex trading strategy that works for everyone all the time. Forex traders have to find the best strategy for their specific level of expertise, experience and commitment, which may involve combining various aspects of several different strategies. Success and profits can be achieved in any trading strategy if the conditions and timing are right and the forex trader makes the right decisions at the appropriate time.

Is forex trading profitable?

Forex trading can be highly profitable, but it’s certainly not for everyone and not all the time. The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) requires brokers to emphasize what percentage of retail investor accounts lose money trading CFDs (through which a significant part of forex trading is done). This figure is usually between 60-90%.

What is going long or short?

Essentially, this is your expectation on the direction of price movements: if you ‘go long’, you are expecting a price increase, while if you are 'going short' you are expecting a price decrease.

What drives forex markets?

In general, it can be said that liquidity and market flows dictate short-term price movements on currency markets, while economic fundamentals shape longer-term trends.

Glossary

Currency pair: Forex trading involves exchanging one currency for another, therefore currencies come in twos, in so-called trading currency pairs. A pair is the quotation of two different currencies, with the value of one currency being quoted against the other. The first listed currency is called the base currency, the second currency is called the quote currency. Currencies are expressed with currency symbols, such as USD for the US dollar, GBP for the British pound, and so on.

Financing rate: A financing rate or overnight rate is charged when you hold a leveraged position for more than a day. A typical example of this would be a forex trade or a CFD trade. A leveraged position means you borrow money from the broker to trade. For this borrowed money, you have to pay interest (or in certain cases, can also receive interest). This is the financing rate.

Forex trading: Forex trading means the buying and selling of currency pairs. You are basically buying one currency while selling another in the hopes of closing the position later with a profit.

Leverage: Leverage is an investment strategy of using borrowed money, or debt, rather than fresh equity, to increase the potential return of an investment. Leveraging enables gains to be multiplied, but losses are also multiplied.

Lot: A lot is the number of units of a financial instrument that is traded on an exchange. For stocks, a round lot is 100 share units, but they can also be traded in any number of shares. One option represents 100 shares of the underlying stock, while forex is traded in micro, mini, and standard lots.

Margin: In trading, the margin is the money borrowed from a brokerage firm to purchase an investment. It is the difference between the total value of securities held in an investor's account and the loan amount from the broker. Buying on margin is the act of borrowing money to buy securities. The practice includes buying an asset where the buyer pays only a percentage of the asset's value and borrows the rest from the bank or broker. The broker acts as a lender and the securities in the investor's account act as collateral.

Stop-loss order: This is a stop order for minimizing your losses. Once your market or limit buy order is executed and you have an open position, you'll probably want to both secure your profits and minimize your losses, depending on how the market turns. This is what stop orders are designed to do.

Currency swap: A currency swap is an agreement between two parties to exchange their periodic interest-rate payments based on a set amount of money, though in different currencies, for a set amount of time. 

 

For more commonly-used terms and phrases, visit BrokerChooser's financial glossary page. 

 

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author
Krisztián Gátonyi
Author of this article
I have 15 years of experience in proprietary trading, mainly in the interbank currency market as a foreign exchange risk manager. I'm actively involved in reviewing the 100+ brokers listed on our site. I personally open accounts with real money, execute trades, test customer services. I hold an MSc in International Business from the University of Middlesex. My purpose is to help people find the best investment provider.
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