What is an exchange rate?
An exchange rate is the price of one currency expressed in terms of another.
It tells you how much of one currency is needed to buy a unit of another and is the central price around which the foreign exchange market revolves.
In simple terms, an exchange rate shows how much one currency is worth in another.
How exchange rates work
Exchange rates are usually quoted as currency pairs, such as one currency against another, showing how much of the second currency is needed to buy one unit of the first. In freely traded markets, rates move constantly with supply and demand, influenced by interest rates, economic data, trade flows and sentiment. Some countries instead fix or manage their exchange rate against another currency.
What influences exchange rates
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Interest rate differences between countries
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Inflation and economic growth
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Trade balances and capital flows
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Market sentiment and political events
Floating compared with fixed rates
| Feature |
Floating rate |
Fixed rate |
| Set by |
Market forces |
Government or central bank |
| Movement |
Continuous |
Held near a target |
| Example use |
Major currencies |
Some pegged currencies |
What drives exchange rates
Exchange rates are shaped by a mix of forces. Interest-rate differences between countries can attract or deter capital, while economic data, inflation and central-bank policy all feed into expectations. Trade flows, political events and overall market sentiment matter too. Because so many factors interact, rates can move quickly and are hard to predict. For traders, understanding these drivers helps make sense of currency moves, even though no single factor explains every shift. Central-bank intervention can also play a part, as some authorities buy or sell their own currency to influence its value or smooth sharp moves. Over the long run, differences in inflation and productivity between countries tend to shape where a rate settles, even though short-term swings are driven more by sentiment and news flow. This mix of forces is why exchange rates are among the harder markets to forecast.
Small rate moves, magnified by leverage
Exchange rates can move quickly and by large amounts, especially around major news or policy decisions. In forex trading, positions are often leveraged, so even small rate changes can have a magnified effect on an account. Understanding what drives rates helps, but they remain difficult to predict, and trading them carries significant risk.
Working through an exchange rate
Say EUR/USD is quoted at 1.10, meaning one euro buys 1.10 US dollars. Rates like this move constantly as supply and demand shift. Because currency pairs are usually traded with leverage, even a small change in the rate can have a sizeable effect on a position, so traders watch them closely.
What moves an exchange rate
Exchange rates sit at the heart of the foreign exchange market and affect trade, travel and investment worldwide. Understanding how they are quoted and what moves them helps traders make sense of currency markets, while remembering that rates can shift sharply and that leveraged trading carries significant risk.
Risk Warning: Trading CFDs involves significant risk and may not be suitable for all investors. Losses can exceed your initial deposit. Please ensure you fully understand the risks involved before trading.
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