If you’ve ever asked are forex markets open 24/7?, the answer is: not exactly. While the forex market operates 24 hours a day, it does not trade continuously 7 days a week. Instead, it is open 24 hours a day, five days a week, from Monday through Friday — closing over the weekend.

Forex Market Operating Hours

The forex market opens every Monday at 10:00 PM GMT (Sydney session) and closes every Friday at 10:00 PM GMT (New York session close). During this time, trading is available continuously due to overlapping trading sessions across global financial centres.

The Four Major Trading Sessions

1. Sydney Session

• Opens the forex market for the week.
• Good for trading AUD and NZD pairs.

2. Tokyo Session

• Active during Asian hours.
• Best for JPY-based currency pairs.

3. London Session

• The most liquid and active session.
• Major currency pairs see high volatility.

4. New York Session

• Overlaps with London, creating the highest trading volume of the day.
• Best time for USD-related pairs.

Weekend Closures: Why Forex Doesn’t Run 24/7

• Global banks and institutions are closed on weekends, limiting liquidity.
• No major economic news is released during this time.
• Retail brokers shut their trading platforms to reset systems and prevent slippage from low-volume trading.

Exceptions: Crypto vs. Forex

While cryptocurrencies trade 24/7, forex does not. Even though you might see prices updating on some apps, actual execution is disabled from late Friday to early Monday.

What Happens Over The Weekend?

• Open trades remain active, but you can’t close or modify them.
• Gaps may occur at the open if significant geopolitical or economic events unfold over the weekend.
• Spreads may widen during Sunday night openings due to lower liquidity.

Conclusion

If you’re wondering are forex markets open 24/7?, the correct answer is: they’re open 24 hours a day, five days a week, but closed on weekends. This schedule supports global access while maintaining stability and liquidity across time zones.

Want to learn how to trade during the most profitable forex sessions and avoid weekend risks? Join our elite Trading Courses at Traders MBA and discover how full-time traders master market timing.