What are the major currency pairs?
In one line: The major pairs are the most traded currency pairs, each pairing the US dollar with another big currency, like EUR/USD or USD/JPY.
The list
Most traders count seven major pairs. Each one has the US dollar on one side:
| Pair | Nickname | Central banks behind it |
|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | Fiber | ECB and Fed |
| USD/JPY | The yen | Bank of Japan and Fed |
| GBP/USD | Cable | Bank of England and Fed |
| USD/CHF | Swissie | Swiss National Bank and Fed |
| AUD/USD | Aussie | Reserve Bank of Australia and Fed |
| USD/CAD | Loonie | Bank of Canada and Fed |
| NZD/USD | Kiwi | Reserve Bank of New Zealand and Fed |
Each pair has its own page in our market guides, like GBP/USD.
A simple example
The cost of trading a pair is mostly the Spread, the gap between the buy and sell price. On a major like EUR/USD in busy hours, many brokers show a spread under 1 Pip. On a standard Lot, 1 pip is about $10, so a 0.8-pip spread costs about $8 to get in and out.
On a thinly traded pair, the same lot can cost several times more. That's the practical reason beginners often start with majors.
Why it matters
- Tight spreads in busy hours, because so many people trade them.
- Lots of news coverage, so you can learn what moves each one.
- Leverage rules. In the US, the CFTC and NFA cap retail forex leverage at 50:1 on major currencies and 20:1 on others. See leverage and margin explained.
A common mistake
Treating "major" as "safe." Majors still jump hard on big news like the jobs report or a Fed decision, and spreads can widen for a few minutes. Size every trade from your stop with the position size calculator, on majors too.
Questions
What is the most traded major pair?
EUR/USD. It's the most traded currency pair in the world in the Bank for International Settlements' surveys.
Is USD/CNH a major pair?
Most brokers don't list it as one of the seven majors, even though China's yuan is widely traded. It's usually grouped with the Exotic pairs or listed on its own.
Which major pair is best for beginners?
There isn't a best one. Many beginners start with one major and learn its habits well, such as when it's busiest and which news moves it.
Want the next step? We'll walk you through it.
Four free lessons by email, one every few days — each with a 10-minute exercise on a real chart.
Send Me the Free Lessons 4 short emails · No spam · Unsubscribe anytimeOr see the whole method, step by step:
See What’s Inside the Course Try everything free first. Decide when you're ready. · Open the free chart tool (works in the TradingView phone app)One chart idea a day, in plain English. Follow along: