6A futures explained: Australian dollar futures vs AUD/USD
The Australian dollar is often called a commodity currency. 6A puts it on a US exchange, but the forces behind it are still iron ore, China and the Reserve Bank of Australia.
At a glance
| Item | 6A (Australian Dollar futures) |
|---|---|
| What it is | A futures contract for 100,000 Australian dollars, priced in US dollars per AUD |
| Tick size | 0.00005 (half a pip) |
| One tick is worth | $5.00 ($10 per full pip) |
| Busiest hours (ET) | About 7 pm – 2 am (Sydney and Asia) and 8 am – noon (New York) |
| What moves it most | The RBA, China's economy, iron ore and metals, global risk mood |
| Trading hours | Sunday to Friday, 6 pm – 5 pm ET, with a daily one-hour break |
Specs checked Oct 2026. Check cmegroup.com for current specs before you trade. Some older sites still list a 0.0001 tick; CME moved 6A to half-pip ticks in 2020. A micro contract (10,000 AUD) also trades.
6A vs spot AUD/USD
| 6A futures | Spot AUD/USD | |
|---|---|---|
| Where | CME exchange | Forex broker |
| Size | Fixed: 100,000 AUD | Flexible lots |
| Pip value | $10 per pip, $5 per tick | $10 per pip on a standard lot |
| Costs | Commission + exchange fees | Mostly the spread |
| Expiry | Quarterly (Mar, Jun, Sep, Dec) | None, with daily swaps |
Both quote US dollars per Australian dollar, so the charts look the same.
What moves it
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA). Since 2024 it meets 8 times a year. Decisions come out at 2:30 pm Sydney time, which lands in the late evening or around midnight ET, depending on the season.
China. China is Australia's biggest customer. Chinese factory surveys, trade data and stimulus news often move 6A in the US evening.
Iron ore and metals. Iron ore is one of Australia's biggest exports. Stronger metal prices tend to support the Aussie. See our copper futures page for the growth link.
Risk mood. The Aussie usually rises when markets feel confident and falls in a scare. That's Risk-on and risk-off.
The Fed. US data at 8:30 am ET and the FOMC at 2:00 pm ET.
When it's busiest
Sydney is 14 hours ahead of New York in the US summer and 16 in the US winter, because the two countries change clocks in opposite seasons. Our market hours tool does that math.
- About 7 pm – 2 am ET: Sydney and Asian hours. Australian and Chinese data.
- 3 am ET: London adds volume.
- 8 am – noon ET: New York, the busiest stretch.
Its personality
- Tied to growth. It often moves with stocks and metals.
- Evening news. Big Australian and Chinese releases land while the US is winding down.
- Smooth trends. Long moves often follow a shift in China's outlook or the RBA's.
- Physically delivered. Roll before expiry. See Contract rollover.
Reading it with our method
- Daily chart first. Mark the last places price turned around. Then glance at copper or the S&P 500. Does the risk story agree?
- Trade with the bigger direction.
- Body-close rule. China-data spikes leave tails. Only a candle body closing past a level counts.
- Stop first, size second. Example: a 35-pip stop is 70 ticks × $5 = $350 of risk per contract. If your plan says $100, the micro fits better. A math example, not a promise.
The futures tick value calculator does the math.
Common mistakes
- Using the old $10 tick. A tick is half a pip, $5. A pip is $10.
- Ignoring evening data. Chinese and Australian releases can move it overnight.
- Forgetting the clock flip. Sydney's offset to ET changes twice a year, by more than you'd guess.
- Doubling up on risk. Long 6A plus long copper is often one growth bet.
Questions
How much is one tick on 6A?
$5.00. The tick is 0.00005 dollars per AUD on 100,000 AUD, so a full pip is $10.
Why does China move the Australian dollar?
China buys a large share of Australia's exports, especially iron ore. Stronger Chinese demand tends to support the Aussie.
When does the RBA announce rates?
8 times a year at 2:30 pm Sydney time. That's late evening or around midnight ET, depending on daylight saving.
Is 6A the same as AUD/USD?
It tracks the same rate. 6A is a fixed-size exchange contract with quarterly expiry. AUD/USD is a forex position with flexible size and daily swaps.
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