What Are the Best Hours and Days of the Week to Trade Forex?

The foreign exchange market, commonly known as Forex, is a decentralized global marketplace for trading foreign currencies. Recognized as the largest financial market in the world, Forex witnesses a staggering daily trading volume of over $6.6 trillion. In this vast and dynamic market, participants from around the globe exchange currencies, directly impacting the relative values of various currencies through their trading decisions. Unlike traditional centralized markets, Forex has no specific physical location and operates 24 hours a day, five days a week, from Monday to Friday. This unique characteristic enables traders to participate in the market at any hour, day or night. The core function of the Forex market lies in determining currency exchange rates. In essence, through buying and selling different currencies, the forces of supply and demand are established, which in turn causes exchange rates to fluctuate. One of the most attractive features of Forex is its high liquidity, allowing traders to easily convert currencies into cash without delays or complications. This makes Forex an ideal platform for both investment and speculative opportunities. Fenefx, as a comprehensive platform for Forex education and funding, opens the gateway to this highly profitable market. With its free and specialized educational programs, Fenefx enables you to take confident steps toward enhancing your knowledge and skills in Forex trading—and ultimately, toward achieving meaningful profitability in this arena.

Forex Market Hours

The Forex market, much like a roaring river, flows continuously 24 hours a day, five days a week, providing an unparalleled opportunity for the exchange of currencies across the globe.
However, due to time zone differences, Forex trading hours vary across different regions of the world. To better understand this, it's important to become familiar with the concept of trading sessions in Forex.

Forex Trading Sessions: A Journey Through the Global Currency Exchange

The Forex market is divided into four major trading sessions, which are as follows:
Asian Session
This session operates from 00:00 to 08:00 GMT, primarily in financial centers such as Tokyo, Singapore, and Hong Kong. The trading volume during this session is relatively lower compared to other sessions.
European Session
Running from 08:00 to 16:00 GMT, this session is centered in financial hubs like London and Frankfurt. Due to its overlap with the end of the Asian session and the beginning of the American session, it is considered the most active Forex session in terms of trading volume.
American Session
Operating from 13:00 to 21:00 GMT, this session is dominated by New York and other financial centers in the United States. The trading volume is significant, and the overlap with the European session creates increased price volatility.
Oceanic Session
This session runs from 21:00 to 05:00 GMT, centered in Sydney and Wellington. It generally sees lower trading volume, similar to the Asian session.
Due to the fact that this market operates across various time zones, it remains accessible almost continuously—except for weekends. The Forex market opens at 5:00 PM (local time in New York) on Sunday and closes at 5:00 PM on Friday, observing a 48-hour break over the weekend.

Forex Opening and Closing Times in Iran

The Forex market hours in Tehran time start at 3:30 AM on Monday and end at 11:30 PM on Friday. Essentially, the trading week begins with the Sydney exchange and closes with the New York session.

Why Do Forex Market Hours Shift Throughout the Year?

Throughout the year, Forex session times in Iran may shift due to Daylight Saving Time (DST) changes in some countries. While certain regions adjust their clocks (e.g., the United States, United Kingdom, Australia), others do not, leading to changes in session timings.
These shifts usually occur in October, November, and March, when countries either enter or exit daylight saving time. As a result, local session times change, which affects the Forex trading hours accordingly.

Forex Market Holidays

The functioning of global financial markets must align with announced trading hours. However, these markets are also influenced bycentral bank holidays, during which trading volumes typically decrease.
Each country has its own official holidays, and Forex market closures are often dependent on specific countries and thecurrencies being traded. Nonetheless, global holidays that are widely observed across multiple nations often result inreduced market activityor even complete market closures. For instance,ChristmasandEasterare two major events during which many countries—especially those following the Gregorian calendar—observe public holidays, affecting Forex operations globally.

National Holidays and Market Impact

National holidays may also influence Forex trading within their respective regions. While trading might technically still be possible,liquidity tends to be lower, andpotential spreads may widen, increasing trading costs. Thus, although you might still access certain platforms or trade specific currency pairs during holidays, the trading environment may not be ideal.
Before entering the exciting and potentially profitable world of financial markets, it's critical to understand their inherently risky nature and toinvest only surplus capital.Fenefx Prop Tradingoffers a unique opportunity for skilled and motivated traders to generate substantial incomewithout the need for initial capital, relying solely on knowledge and skill.

Key Global Holidays That Affect Forex Trading

Here are some of the major global holidays during which the Forex market is typically closed:

New Year’s Day (January 1):Observed in most countries around the world, the Forex market remains fully closed on this day.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Third Monday of January):A U.S. federal holiday in honor of the civil rights leader, during which Forex trading is halted.
Presidents’ Day (Third Monday of February):Commemorates U.S. presidents; Forex markets in the U.S. are closed.
Good Friday (Friday before Easter Sunday):Commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, this is a global Christian holiday affecting market operations.
Easter Monday:Observed in many European and Commonwealth countries; financial markets are usually closed.
Labor Day (May 1):Widely celebrated across Europe and Asia in recognition of workers’ contributions, impacting Forex activity.
Memorial Day (Last Monday of May):A U.S. holiday honoring fallen military personnel, during which markets close.
Independence Day (July 4):Celebrated in the U.S. with a full market shutdown.
Labor Day (First Monday of September):Recognized in the U.S. and several European countries; trading activity is minimal or halted.
Thanksgiving (Fourth Thursday of November):A major holiday in the U.S., during which the market is closed.
Christmas Day (December 25):Observed globally in Christian nations; Forex markets are closed.

View Forex Market Hours in Iran Time Online

As the largest financial market in the world, Forex operates24 hours a day, 5 days a week(Monday to Friday), driven by its global geographic coverage and theoverlapping of major financial center hours.
To fully capitalize on market volatility and price fluctuations, it's essential to know theprecise open and close timesof trading sessions in various regions—adjusted to your local time.
Here are two reliable online tools for checking Forex market hours inIran time:

ForexFactory.com

Navigate to the"Sessions"section to view the full schedule of Forex market hours for various currency pairs.
To see accurate times in Iran, go to settings and setTehranas your time zone.

Market24hClock.com

In the settings, selectUTC+4:30(for the first half of the year) andUTC+3:30(for the second half) as your local time zone.
This allows you to see Forex market hours onlinebased on Iran's local time.

Best Time to Trade Forex

Selecting the right time to trade in financial markets is a challenging and crucial issue for all traders, as this choice can have a direct impact on their profitability. The Forex market, as one of the largest and most active financial markets in the world, operates 24 hours a day, 5 days a week. This continuous operation makes identifying the most precise time for trading a complex matter.

Choosing the Right Time to Trade: A Key to Profitability

While the Forex market is open 24 hours, it doesn't operate without structure. Trading starts at 1:30 AM Tehran time with the opening of the Australian market and continues until 1:30 AM the following day with the closing of the New York session. During this window, two other major markets, Japan and the UK, are also active.
Therefore, traders encounter five distinct trading sessions throughout the day, each with its own characteristics and conditions. Understanding these sessions and identifying the optimal time to trade during each can significantly impact a trader’s success and profitability.
Here is a brief overview of the five main trading sessions and key factors for selecting the best time to trade:

Australian Market (1:30 AM to 10:30 AM Tehran time): As the first market to open each day, it typically experiences lower price volatility.
Asian Market (Overlapping with the Australian session until 3:30 PM Tehran time): The entry of major Asian markets like Tokyo and Hong Kong increases trading volume and price fluctuations.
European Market (8:30 AM to 5:30 PM Tehran time): With the activation of major financial centers like London and Frankfurt, this session sees the highest trading volume and market volatility.
American Market (1:30 PM to 1:30 AM Tehran time): The New York session plays a crucial role in determining the overall market trend.
New Zealand Market (11:30 PM to 8:30 AM Tehran time): As the last market to open each day, it generally sees lower volatility.

In addition to these general factors, traders should also consider their trading strategy, lifestyle, and internet access hours when choosing the best time to trade.

Best Time to Trade Forex in Iran Time

While the Forex market operates continuously from Monday to Friday, identifying the best time to trade for optimal profit requires attention to multiple factors. The first consideration for Iranian traders is the base time zone used by their broker—some use Eastern European Time (EET), while others use Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).
Secondly, Iran's daylight saving time shifts, as well as seasonal clock changes in other countries, impact the overlapping of global trading sessions and, consequently, ideal trading times.
Volume and volatility are not uniform throughout the day. Generally, market activity is higher at the beginning of each session due to trader participation, offering more stable price movements. The overlap between different sessions leads to increased trading volume and volatility. For example, between 4:30 PM and 8:30 PM Tehran time, when both the UK and US markets are active, liquidity surges—making it an ideal window for Iranian traders.

Best Days of the Week to Trade Forex

Many traders agree that Tuesday to Thursday are the best trading days, as market volatility is higher during this period, providing more opportunities for profitable trades.
Avoid trading on days like:

The day before major economic announcements (e.g., U.S. monetary policy releases)
During U.S. holidays affecting the European and U.S. sessions
Mondays, which are generally calm with low volatility
Fridays, which can be highly volatile and unpredictable

Best Time to Trade Gold in Forex

The ideal time to trade gold varies depending on timing and strategy. Preferably, trade gold during highly active Forex hours.
Gold markets are open for 23 hours daily. For Iranian traders, the best time to trade gold is between 10:30 AM and 12:30 PM during the Tokyo-London session overlap, and 4:30 PM to 8:30 PM during the London-New York overlap.

Best Time to Trade Oil in Forex

Oil trading aligns with Forex market hours. The best times are during major market activity or following impactful news events that shift supply and demand.
The New York session is particularly ideal due to high liquidity. Additionally, the London–New York overlap (from 4:30 PM to 7:30 PM Tehran time) is among the most active periods for oil trading. Traders should also monitor:

OPEC meetings
Inventory reports
Economic calendars of oil-exporting and industrial countries

Best Months to Trade Forex

The best trading months are typically:

January to May: Active market conditions
September to November: High volatility in fall
Early December: Strong opportunities before the holiday slowdown

Summer months (June to August) often have lower volatility. August is particularly quiet due to institutional vacations in Europe and North America.

Best Hours to Trade Forex

The most favorable trading hours are during periods of high liquidity and volume—usually when two major sessions overlap.

Asia-Europe Overlap: 8:00 AM to 9:00 AM GMT
US-Europe Overlap: 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM GMT

These overlapping periods offer optimal trading opportunities due to increased market activity and tighter spreads.

Important Points to Know About the Best Time to Trade Forex

High-volume trading hours can be very profitable for traders; however, due to high leverage ratios—up to 1:1000 or even 1:1800—there is also the risk of losing the entire capital. It is recommended that beginner traders open demo accounts with companies offering simulated trading environments. Also, various trading strategies such as scalping, position trading, range trading, trend-following, and price action-based strategies can be used in Forex trading.
Continuing education is a fundamental pillar for success in any field, including Forex. Fenefx Prop Trading, by offering free Forex training, helps beginners generate significant profits in this financial market.
Among these educational resources, the "Zero to Hero Forex" course by Mohammad Ahangari Asl stands out as one of the most valuable free learning platforms for Iranian traders. This course comprehensively covers everything from basic to advanced concepts of Forex trading and plays an essential role in enhancing the knowledge and skills of its participants.

Final Thoughts

The Forex market, with its unique scale and dynamism, provides an exceptional opportunity for profit and wealth creation for traders around the world. However, this thrilling journey, if taken without knowledge, experience, and smart choices, can quickly turn into a serious risk.
In this article, we provided a comprehensive and practical guide for Iranian traders by examining the best times and days of the week for Forex trading. By considering factors such as base time zones, time differences, trading volume, and market overlap, you can choose the time to trade with the highest potential for profitability.
Keep in mind that Forex is a complex and fluid world, and no definitive formula guarantees success in it. Entering this field requires continuous study, gaining knowledge and experience, using appropriate analytical tools, and proper risk management. With commitment, patience, and strategic effort, you can find your place in this vibrant market and achieve your financial goals.
The "Zero to Hero Free Forex Course" will teach you everything from A to Z about trading in this market. For more information, visit the link below and get familiar with the nature of the Forex market.
Additionally, to reach consistent profitability in Forex trading, you will need at least six months of practical experience after fully learning the concepts. Using a reliable educational source like Mohammad Ahangari Asl’s Zero to Hero course can help you acquire the necessary skills for successful trading. The first step in this journey is choosing the right type of trading account. By understanding the features of each account, you can make an informed decision and trade with greater confidence.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is meant by the best time to trade in the Forex market?
The best time to trade in the Forex market is when trading volume is at its highest, often resulting in more profitable trades.
What are Forex trading sessions?
Forex sessions refer to the four major global trading markets that operate at different times. Trading volume is usually highest during the overlap of two sessions.
Which days of the week are best for Forex trading?
According to many traders, Tuesday to Thursday are the best days for financial trading due to higher market volatility.
What is the best time to trade Forex for Iranians?
Between 4:30 PM to 8:30 PM Tehran time, when both the UK and US markets are active, offering higher trading volume and greater participation.
Which months are best for trading Forex?
The first good period for trading is January through May, while the second peak is during the fall months of September, October, and November, which are among the most volatile.
Which Forex trading hours are the riskiest?
The riskiest time to trade is after a major win, as a false sense of security may lead to irrational decisions. Traders should also avoid entering the market during holidays, major economic or political announcements, election days, and around the opening or closing of major financial markets.