Currency Abbreviations

3-letter symbols are commonly used to denote currencies such as USD for the US dollar and EUR for the Euro.

The currencies available on the FXCM Asia Trading Station are:

Currency Symbol

US dollar

 USD

European Euro

 EUR

British Pound

 GBP

Japanese Yen

 JPY

Swiss Franc

 CHF
Currency Symbol

Canadian Dollar

 CAD

Australian Dollar

 AUD

New Zealand Dollar

 NZD

Danish Krone

 DKK

Hong Kong Dollar

 HKD

Singapore Dollar

 SGD

Currency Pairs

Currencies are quoted in pairs, such as EUR/USD or USD/JPY. The first listed currency is known as the base currency, while the second is called the counter or quote currency. The base currency is the "basis" for the buy or the sell. For example, if you BUY or "GO LONG ON" EUR/USD you have bought Euros (and simultaneously sold dollars). You would do so in expectation that the euro will appreciate (go up) relative to the US dollar. On the other hand if you thought that there were reasons that demand for dollars would rise compared to the Euro you would SELL or 'SHORT" EUR/USD (selling Euros for dollars).