Forex trading begins Sunday evening in the United States, but the exact time depends on your time zone and which market centre you're in
The forex market opens Sunday at 5 p.m. Eastern Time (or 4 p.m. Central, 3 p.m. Mountain, 2 p.m. Pacific). This is when trading resumes after the weekend close. The market opens first in Asia — specifically in Wellington, New Zealand and Sydney, Australia — and the wave of trading activity moves west across the globe. By the time Sunday evening arrives in North America, the Asian markets have already been open for hours.
If you're in Europe, forex trading is already underway Sunday afternoon your time. London opens at around 8 a.m. Monday morning UK time, which is still Sunday evening in New York. The continuous nature of forex — it never truly closes, it just moves between regions — means there is no single "opening bell" for the entire market.
Most retail traders in North America access forex through a broker, and your broker's platform may open slightly earlier or later than 5 p.m. ET depending on their own systems and liquidity arrangements. Check your broker's trading hours in their account settings or help documentation.
Key Takeaways
- Forex trading resumes Sunday at 5 p.m. Eastern Time, when the Asian markets have already been trading for several hours.
- The market opens at different local times in each region: Sunday evening in New York, Sunday afternoon in London, and early Monday morning in Asia.
- Your broker may open trading slightly before or after the standard 5 p.m. ET time, so check your platform's specific hours.
- Sunday evening often sees lower trading volume and wider spreads than weekday sessions because fewer traders and institutions are active.
- The forex market does not close on weekends — it simply pauses in each region and resumes in the next, moving continuously around the globe.
Why Sunday opening time matters for your trades
The Sunday evening open is when many traders re-enter the market after the weekend, and price gaps can occur — the price you see when markets reopen may be significantly different from where it closed Friday. This happens because news and events over the weekend can shift market sentiment, but no one was trading to adjust prices in real time.
Volume is typically lower on Sunday evening than during the main trading day, which means the bid-ask spread (the difference between the buy and sell price) is often wider. A wider spread costs you more money on each trade. If you're planning to trade Sunday evening, expect less liquidity and potentially less favourable prices than you'd see Monday morning.
Some traders specifically trade the Sunday open because price movements can be larger and faster when volume is thin. Others avoid it for exactly that reason. Understanding what to expect helps you decide whether Sunday evening trading fits your strategy.
How to find your broker's exact Sunday opening time
Log into your trading platform and look for a section called "Market Hours", "Trading Hours", or "Session Times". Most brokers display this information in the help menu or in a dedicated page within your account. The information should show you the opening and closing times for each currency pair you trade, because not all pairs open at exactly the same moment.
Major pairs like EUR/USD and GBP/USD typically open at or very close to 5 p.m. ET on Sunday. Exotic pairs or those involving currencies from smaller markets may open later or have different hours. Your broker's platform will tell you which pairs are available to trade at any given time — if a pair is greyed out or shows "market closed", you cannot trade it yet.
If you cannot find this information in your platform, contact your broker's support team directly. They can confirm the exact Sunday opening time for your account and explain any differences from the standard times.
Time zone conversion for Sunday forex opening
| Time Zone | Sunday Opening Time |
|---|---|
| Eastern Time (ET) | 5:00 p.m. Sunday |
| Central Time (CT) | 4:00 p.m. Sunday |
| Mountain Time (MT) | 3:00 p.m. Sunday |
| Pacific Time (PT) | 2:00 p.m. Sunday |
| Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) | 10:00 p.m. Sunday |
| Central European Time (CET) | 11:00 p.m. Sunday |
| Australia Eastern Time (AEST) | 2:00 p.m. Monday |
Remember that daylight saving time shifts these times by one hour in regions that observe it. The United States, Europe, and Australia do not all change their clocks on the same dates, so the time difference between regions changes twice a year. If you trade across daylight saving transitions, double-check your broker's hours during those weeks.
What happens to forex prices between Friday close and Sunday open
When the New York market closes Friday at 5 p.m. ET, forex trading does not stop — it continues in Asia and Europe. Prices move throughout the weekend, but retail traders on most platforms cannot see or access those prices. When your broker's platform reopens Sunday evening, the price may have moved significantly from where it closed Friday.
This gap can work in your favour or against you. If you held a position over the weekend, you will see the new price when you log in Sunday evening. If you were planning to enter a trade at a specific price, that price may no longer be available. Some traders place orders before the market closes Friday, and those orders execute at the Sunday open if the price reaches them — but the execution price may differ from what you expected because of the gap.
Major news events over the weekend — central bank announcements, geopolitical events, economic data releases — can cause larger gaps. Check the economic calendar before Friday close to see if any significant events are scheduled over the weekend.
Differences between Sunday evening and weekday forex trading
Sunday evening trading is quieter than Monday through Friday. Fewer banks, hedge funds, and professional traders are active, which means less volume and less predictable price movement. The spreads are wider, meaning you pay more to enter and exit trades. Slippage — the difference between the price you see and the price you actually get — is more common on Sunday.
Some traders view Sunday evening as a warm-up session before the main trading week. Others skip it entirely and wait for Monday morning when volume picks up and spreads tighten. There is no right answer — it depends on your trading style and risk tolerance.
If you are new to forex trading, you may want to observe Sunday evening price action without trading, just to see how it behaves. This helps you decide whether Sunday trading is something you want to do.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I trade forex on Saturday?
No. The forex market is closed on Saturday in all regions. Trading resumes Sunday evening when the Asian markets open. Some brokers offer limited trading on Saturday morning in certain currency pairs, but this is rare and usually only available to institutional clients.
Why does forex open at 5 p.m. on Sunday and not earlier?
The 5 p.m. ET Sunday opening aligns with when the Asian markets — particularly Tokyo — have been trading for several hours. Forex is a global, decentralized market that operates continuously across regions. The Sunday evening ET time is when enough volume and liquidity exist for retail brokers to safely open their platforms to traders.
What if my broker opens forex trading before 5 p.m. on Sunday?
Some brokers do open slightly earlier, around 4:30 p.m. ET, to capture early traders. However, liquidity is even lower at that time, spreads are wider, and price movement can be erratic. Check your broker's specific hours and understand that earlier opening does not mean better trading conditions.
Do all currency pairs open at the same time on Sunday?
Most major pairs open at or very close to 5 p.m. ET Sunday. Exotic pairs or those involving currencies from markets that open later may not be tradeable until later Sunday evening or early Monday. Your broker's platform will show you which pairs are available to trade at any given moment.
How do I know if the market is open on my broker's platform?
Your trading platform will show the market status for each currency pair — usually a green indicator for "open" or a red one for "closed". You can also check your broker's market hours page or contact their support team. Most platforms also display a countdown timer showing when the next market session opens.