Forex Trading, Clearly Explained
Forex trading, gold, stocks and crypto without the hype: market hours, trading costs and position maths, with free calculators so you can check the numbers of any FX trade before you risk a cent.
- Live market open and close status
- Every formula shown
- No accounts, no sign-ups
Pip value calculator
How it worksMarkets open right now
Your time: –
Status is worked out in your browser from each venue's regular trading hours. Public holidays and early closes are not included.
Calculators for the questions traders ask most
Each tool runs in your browser, shows the formula it uses and explains what the answer means for your risk.
Markets at a glance
The instruments beginners meet first, how they are quoted and what usually moves them.
| Instrument | Market | Quoted as | What usually moves it | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | Forex major | US dollars per euro | ECB and Federal Reserve rate expectations, eurozone and US data | Forex guide |
| USD/JPY | Forex major | Japanese yen per US dollar | The gap between US and Japanese interest rates, risk sentiment | Pips and lots |
| XAU/USD | Precious metal | US dollars per troy ounce of gold | Real interest rates, the dollar, central bank buying, safe-haven demand | Gold guide |
| Crude oil | Commodity | US dollars per barrel | OPEC+ supply, inventories, global growth, geopolitics | Commodities |
| US shares | Stocks | US dollars per share | Company earnings, interest rates, market sentiment | Stock guide |
| BTC | Crypto | Usually against USDT or US dollars | Demand and sentiment, regulation, liquidity, fund flows | Bitcoin |
| USDT | Stablecoin | Designed to stay at 1 US dollar | Confidence in the issuer's reserves and redemptions | USDT |
Guides by market
Written for people who want to understand a market, and the venues it trades on, before they put money into it.
Forex and gold
- How forex trading worksCurrency pairs, quotes, sessions and what moves exchange rates.
- Pips and lot sizesThe two units every forex price and position is measured in.
- Trading gold (XAU/USD)Why gold moves, how it is quoted and what a lot of gold means.
- What CFDs areThe contract most retail forex and index trades are made with.
Orders, costs and risk
- Order typesMarket, limit and stop orders, and when each one can cost you.
- Trading costsSpreads, commissions and overnight fees, with worked examples.
- Risk managementSizing trades so one loss never sinks you.
- How the stock market worksShares, exchanges, orders and investing versus trading.
Crypto and exchanges
- How crypto exchanges workOrder books, custody, fees, proof of reserves and what can go wrong.
- What Bitcoin isThe fixed supply, halvings and why the price is so volatile.
- What USDT isHow the largest stablecoin works and where its risks sit.
- Spotting scamsThe warning signs of fake brokers, fake exchanges and "guaranteed" returns.
A sensible order to learn in
If you are starting from zero, these five pages build on each other.
- How markets work
What is actually being bought and sold, and by whom.
- How exchanges work
Order books, matching and who holds your money.
- Pips and lots
Turning price moves into money.
- Managing risk
Sizing trades so one loss never sinks you.
- Checking a broker
How to verify a platform before you send it money.
What VividPip is, and what it isn't
VividPip is an independent information website about exchanges and markets. We publish market hours, guides and calculators. We are not an exchange, broker or bank: you cannot open an account, deposit money or trade here, and nobody from VividPip will ever contact you offering to manage your money. If someone does, it is a scam.
Our guides explain how things work; they do not tell you what to buy. Read more about who we are, how we write our guides and our disclaimer.
