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Trading Glossary

Take a look at our list of the financial terms associated with trading and the markets. From beginners starting their trading journey to experts with decades of experience, all traders need to clearly understand a huge number of terms.

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Cryptocurrency

What is cryptocurrency?

Cryptocurrency is a digital currency supported by decentralised cryptographic technology. It does not rely on any central authority such as a central bank or government like a traditional currency. Instead, transactions are verified by multiple independent computers along a network. This creates several benefits including speed and general transparency. 

Cryptocurrency ownership is recorded in a digital ledger. This ledger then uses strong cryptography to maintain the integrity of transaction records. This controls the creation of more digital currency within the network and to verifies the transfer of coin ownership. Cryptocurrencies are generally viewed as a distinct asset class, yet do not exist in physical form.  
 
What is an example of a cryptocurrency? 
Some examples of popular cryptocurrencies are Bitcoin (BTC), Litecoin (LTC) and Ethereum (ETH).

What is cryptocurrency CFD trading?
Cryptocurrency CFD trading is using CFDs to trade crypto. This enables traders to take a position on whether a cryptocurrency rises or falls. Cryptocurrency CFD trading opens up more trading opportunities as it allows traders to buy or sell the asset without physically owning it.

Currency Appreciation

What is Currency Appreciation?

Currency appreciation in relation to Forex trading is defined as when one currency in a forex pair increases in value relative to the other currency in that pair. As such, the now “stronger” currency will cost more of the “weaker” one to buy. The reverse is also true, as that same stronger currency can now buy more of the weaker one when sold.  
  
Is it good if a currency appreciates? 
As one of the currencies in a currency pair goes up (or down), as the demand for it drives it up (or lack of it) or demand for the other currency) drives it down, than the supply does also follows – either less (when in demand) or more of it (when not in demand).  
  
There are several reasons for Currency Appreciation, including the balance of trade, speculation on any of the currencies in that pair, or issues occurring within the international capital market. Traders may attempt to predict currency appreciation by utilizing the economic calendar. This calendar details economic issues which might determine the strengths and weaknesses of the global or local economies and currencies.

Currency Pair

What is a Currency Pair?

A Currency Pair is a term used in the Foreign Exchange, or Forex, domain. Currency pairs compare the value of one currency to another — the base currency versus a second comparative or 'quote' currency. A currency pair shows how much of a currency is required to buy a single unit of the currency it is being compared to. It is also known as an exchange rate and is used for all currencies traded in FX markets

What is a foreign currency?
A foreign currency is, very simply, any currency used in a country that isn't your own.

What is the structure of a foreign exchange market?
The foreign exchange market is a decentralized market where global currencies are traded. In this market, participants buy, sell, exchange and speculate on currencies. It operates through a global network of banks, corporations, and individual traders, who buy and sell currencies for both hedging and speculative purposes. The market is open 24 hours a day and it is considered the largest and most liquid financial market in the world.

What are the most commonly traded currency pairs?
The most commonly traded currency pairs are USD/CAD, EUR/JPY, GBP/USD and AUD/CAD.

What is an ISO code?
Each currency is identified by an ISO code. An ISO code is a three-character abbreviated name that is standardised and internationally recognised. For example, the ISO code for the United States Dollar is USD. 

Base Currency

What is base Currency?

For Forex trading, a “Base Currency” is the first currency in any currency pair, representing the traded currency. The second currency in the pair is the quote currency. Example: in EUR/USD, the Euro is the base currency, and you can buy 1 EUR by paying 1.1 USD. 

An exchange rate attached to a currency pair indicates how much of the quote currency is needed to buy a single unit of the mentioned base currency. For example, reading EUR/USD = 2.15 means that 1 Euro is equal to $2.15.

What is Base vs. Local currency?
When viewing or receiving a direct quote, the base currency = foreign currency. Likewise, the local currency in a pair is the quote currency.

Currency Futures Contracts

What Are Currency Futures Contracts?

Currency futures are legally binding agreements that are traded on exchanges, where traders can buy or sell a specific currency at a fixed exchange rate on a future date. These contracts allow traders to hedge against foreign exchange risks by fixing the price at which a currency can be obtained (exchanged). On the expiration date of the contract, the "counterparties" to the agreement must deliver the specified currency amount at the agreed-upon price.

What is the benefit of buying a currency futures contract? 
The main benefit of buying a currency futures contract is that it allows traders to fix the price of a currency and thus hedge against foreign exchange risks.

What is a futures contract in simple terms?
A futures contract is a legally binding agreement to buy or sell a specific asset at a fixed price on a future date.

What happens when currency futures expire? 
At expiration, the counterparties to the contract must deliver the specified currency amount at the agreed-upon price. Traders are responsible for having enough capital in their account to cover margins and losses which result after taking the position. If they wish to exit their obligation prior to the contract's delivery date, they need to close out their positions.

Curve DAO Token

Curve acts as a liquidity pool for stable cryptocurrencies. CRV DAO Tokens are given to users who provide liquidity in their pools. Those pooled funds are used by traders to exchange different stable coins, thus avoiding slippage and high fees. Curve DAO Token are priced in USD and is tradeable via the CRV/USD symbol.

Litecoin

Just like many of the other cryptocurrencies, Litecoin was created to improve on some of the perceived failings of Bitcoin - primarily a higher number of tokens and a much faster processing speeds.

Litecoin (LTC) is priced in USD per coin and reached a peak of $341 in December 2017. It was launched in April 2013 by Charlie Lee, a former Google software engineer.

Lee was central to a change in attitude about Bitcoin, helping it gain approval from big names. He wanted to position Litecoin as silver to Bitcoin's gold, and knew that the success of all cryptocurrencies would be tied to stalwart Bitcoin.

Litecoin uses blockchain in a similar way to Bitcoin, but has very low transaction fees and has adopted ‘Segregated Witess (SegWit) - a process by which the size of blocks in a blockchain is reduced by removing data.

BTC Futures

Bitcoin is the first of the ‘cryptocurrencies' and remains the most stable. It was created in 2009 by Satoshi Nakamoto, whose identity remains a mystery. 

His creation - Bitcoin - is a cashless currency. Balances are kept online and it is decentralised, allowing anonymity. Despite Bitcoin not being legal tender in most countries, it has continued to increase in popularity and its launch has sparked the creation of a number of other cryptocurrencies

It is priced in USD per Bitcoin and saw a record high of $68,789.63 in November 2021. Bitcoin futures trade as BTC.

Bitcoin has been criticised for its links to illegal activity and the dark web, as well as the high demand for energy created by ‘mining' Bitcoins. A PIN is necessary to access your Bitcoins, with as many as 20% of all Bitcoins thought to be lost to forgotten PINs

Bitcoin futures allow you to speculate on, or hedge against, changes in the price of Bitcoin. Futures rollover on the last Thursday of every month.
 

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Cryptocurrency

What is cryptocurrency?

Cryptocurrency is a digital currency supported by decentralised cryptographic technology. It does not rely on any central authority such as a central bank or government like a traditional currency. Instead, transactions are verified by multiple independent computers along a network. This creates several benefits including speed and general transparency. 

Cryptocurrency ownership is recorded in a digital ledger. This ledger then uses strong cryptography to maintain the integrity of transaction records. This controls the creation of more digital currency within the network and to verifies the transfer of coin ownership. Cryptocurrencies are generally viewed as a distinct asset class, yet do not exist in physical form.  
 
What is an example of a cryptocurrency? 
Some examples of popular cryptocurrencies are Bitcoin (BTC), Litecoin (LTC) and Ethereum (ETH).

What is cryptocurrency CFD trading?
Cryptocurrency CFD trading is using CFDs to trade crypto. This enables traders to take a position on whether a cryptocurrency rises or falls. Cryptocurrency CFD trading opens up more trading opportunities as it allows traders to buy or sell the asset without physically owning it.

Currency Appreciation

What is Currency Appreciation?

Currency appreciation in relation to Forex trading is defined as when one currency in a forex pair increases in value relative to the other currency in that pair. As such, the now “stronger” currency will cost more of the “weaker” one to buy. The reverse is also true, as that same stronger currency can now buy more of the weaker one when sold.  
  
Is it good if a currency appreciates? 
As one of the currencies in a currency pair goes up (or down), as the demand for it drives it up (or lack of it) or demand for the other currency) drives it down, than the supply does also follows – either less (when in demand) or more of it (when not in demand).  
  
There are several reasons for Currency Appreciation, including the balance of trade, speculation on any of the currencies in that pair, or issues occurring within the international capital market. Traders may attempt to predict currency appreciation by utilizing the economic calendar. This calendar details economic issues which might determine the strengths and weaknesses of the global or local economies and currencies.

Currency Pair

What is a Currency Pair?

A Currency Pair is a term used in the Foreign Exchange, or Forex, domain. Currency pairs compare the value of one currency to another — the base currency versus a second comparative or 'quote' currency. A currency pair shows how much of a currency is required to buy a single unit of the currency it is being compared to. It is also known as an exchange rate and is used for all currencies traded in FX markets

What is a foreign currency?
A foreign currency is, very simply, any currency used in a country that isn't your own.

What is the structure of a foreign exchange market?
The foreign exchange market is a decentralized market where global currencies are traded. In this market, participants buy, sell, exchange and speculate on currencies. It operates through a global network of banks, corporations, and individual traders, who buy and sell currencies for both hedging and speculative purposes. The market is open 24 hours a day and it is considered the largest and most liquid financial market in the world.

What are the most commonly traded currency pairs?
The most commonly traded currency pairs are USD/CAD, EUR/JPY, GBP/USD and AUD/CAD.

What is an ISO code?
Each currency is identified by an ISO code. An ISO code is a three-character abbreviated name that is standardised and internationally recognised. For example, the ISO code for the United States Dollar is USD. 

Base Currency

What is base Currency?

For Forex trading, a “Base Currency” is the first currency in any currency pair, representing the traded currency. The second currency in the pair is the quote currency. Example: in EUR/USD, the Euro is the base currency, and you can buy 1 EUR by paying 1.1 USD. 

An exchange rate attached to a currency pair indicates how much of the quote currency is needed to buy a single unit of the mentioned base currency. For example, reading EUR/USD = 2.15 means that 1 Euro is equal to $2.15.

What is Base vs. Local currency?
When viewing or receiving a direct quote, the base currency = foreign currency. Likewise, the local currency in a pair is the quote currency.

Currency Futures Contracts

What Are Currency Futures Contracts?

Currency futures are legally binding agreements that are traded on exchanges, where traders can buy or sell a specific currency at a fixed exchange rate on a future date. These contracts allow traders to hedge against foreign exchange risks by fixing the price at which a currency can be obtained (exchanged). On the expiration date of the contract, the "counterparties" to the agreement must deliver the specified currency amount at the agreed-upon price.

What is the benefit of buying a currency futures contract? 
The main benefit of buying a currency futures contract is that it allows traders to fix the price of a currency and thus hedge against foreign exchange risks.

What is a futures contract in simple terms?
A futures contract is a legally binding agreement to buy or sell a specific asset at a fixed price on a future date.

What happens when currency futures expire? 
At expiration, the counterparties to the contract must deliver the specified currency amount at the agreed-upon price. Traders are responsible for having enough capital in their account to cover margins and losses which result after taking the position. If they wish to exit their obligation prior to the contract's delivery date, they need to close out their positions.

Curve DAO Token

Curve acts as a liquidity pool for stable cryptocurrencies. CRV DAO Tokens are given to users who provide liquidity in their pools. Those pooled funds are used by traders to exchange different stable coins, thus avoiding slippage and high fees. Curve DAO Token are priced in USD and is tradeable via the CRV/USD symbol.

BTC Futures

Bitcoin is the first of the ‘cryptocurrencies' and remains the most stable. It was created in 2009 by Satoshi Nakamoto, whose identity remains a mystery. 

His creation - Bitcoin - is a cashless currency. Balances are kept online and it is decentralised, allowing anonymity. Despite Bitcoin not being legal tender in most countries, it has continued to increase in popularity and its launch has sparked the creation of a number of other cryptocurrencies

It is priced in USD per Bitcoin and saw a record high of $68,789.63 in November 2021. Bitcoin futures trade as BTC.

Bitcoin has been criticised for its links to illegal activity and the dark web, as well as the high demand for energy created by ‘mining' Bitcoins. A PIN is necessary to access your Bitcoins, with as many as 20% of all Bitcoins thought to be lost to forgotten PINs

Bitcoin futures allow you to speculate on, or hedge against, changes in the price of Bitcoin. Futures rollover on the last Thursday of every month.
 

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Litecoin

Just like many of the other cryptocurrencies, Litecoin was created to improve on some of the perceived failings of Bitcoin - primarily a higher number of tokens and a much faster processing speeds.

Litecoin (LTC) is priced in USD per coin and reached a peak of $341 in December 2017. It was launched in April 2013 by Charlie Lee, a former Google software engineer.

Lee was central to a change in attitude about Bitcoin, helping it gain approval from big names. He wanted to position Litecoin as silver to Bitcoin's gold, and knew that the success of all cryptocurrencies would be tied to stalwart Bitcoin.

Litecoin uses blockchain in a similar way to Bitcoin, but has very low transaction fees and has adopted ‘Segregated Witess (SegWit) - a process by which the size of blocks in a blockchain is reduced by removing data.

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