IC Markets
The forex day runs in overlapping sessions: Sydney, then Tokyo, then London, then New York, then round again. The best conditions for most retail strategies are during the busiest hours, which are the Tokyo open and, above all, the London-New York overlap. What those clock times are for you depends on your city. Here is the map.
The key windows in GMT
| Window | GMT | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Tokyo open | 00:00-02:00 | Most active part of the Asian session; range often sets here |
| London open | 07:00-09:00 | First big volume and directional push of the day |
| London-NY overlap | 12:00-16:00 | Deepest liquidity, tightest spreads, largest moves |
| NY afternoon | 16:00-19:00 | Fading; Fed decisions land at 18:00-19:00 |
Converted to Asian cities
| City (offset) | Tokyo open | London open | London-NY overlap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tokyo, Seoul (GMT+9) | 09:00-11:00 | 16:00-18:00 | 21:00-01:00 |
| Manila, Singapore, KL (GMT+8) | 08:00-10:00 | 15:00-17:00 | 20:00-24:00 |
| Jakarta, Bangkok, Hanoi (GMT+7) | 07:00-09:00 | 14:00-16:00 | 19:00-23:00 |
| Dhaka (GMT+6) | 06:00-08:00 | 13:00-15:00 | 18:00-22:00 |
| Mumbai, Colombo (GMT+5:30) | 05:30-07:30 | 12:30-14:30 | 17:30-21:30 |
Which window for a day job
For most of Southeast Asia, the London-NY overlap falls in the evening, roughly 19:00 to 24:00 local. That is the deepest, most tradeable window and it is available after work. The trade-off is that it is fast: JPY pairs, gold and the majors can do 100-plus pips in an hour, and US data lands in the middle of it. So you trade it with wider stops, smaller positions sized for the volatility, and a rule to stay flat around scheduled US releases if you cannot watch closely. The session volatility guide covers the sizing adjustment.
The alternative is the Tokyo open, which for GMT+7 and GMT+8 cities is early morning. It is slower and more range-bound, which suits a patient strategy and a trader who prefers calm. It is a good window to trade before work if you can be up for it, and it is where a lot of Asian traders build their first consistent results.
Farah works 9 to 6. She tried trading the Tokyo open at 08:00 local before work and found she was rushed and distracted. She switched to the London-NY overlap, 20:00 to 23:00 local, which is calmer for her mentally even though the market is faster. She sizes for the volatility, avoids the 20:30 to 21:30 window on US data days, and does most of her trading in a focused two-hour block. Her results are steadier than when she was fitting trades around the morning rush.
Hours to avoid
- The middle of the Tokyo session, roughly 03:00-05:00 GMT: quiet, choppy, wide spreads, lots of false breakouts.
- Late New York into the Sydney open, roughly 20:00-23:00 GMT: the thinnest hours of the day, gappy, avoid unless a specific event is in play.
- The Friday New York close and the Sunday-into-Monday open: low liquidity and weekend gap risk.
- The first few minutes after any major scheduled release, when the two-way spike makes fills unreliable.
Pick one window and learn it deeply rather than trading across all of them. Traders who scatter their attention across every session tend to overtrade the marginal hours. One good two-hour block, most days, is enough.
Frequently asked
What is the single best time to trade forex from Asia?
The London-New York overlap, 12:00-16:00 GMT, which for most of Southeast Asia is the evening (roughly 19:00-24:00 local). It has the deepest liquidity, tightest spreads and the largest, most tradeable moves.
Is the Tokyo session good for beginners?
Yes, because it is slower and more range-bound, which gives more time to think and a simpler market to learn on. For GMT+7 and GMT+8 cities it falls in the early morning.
Can I trade forex with a full-time job in Asia?
Yes. The London-NY overlap is in the evening for most of the region and is the best window, available after work. Trade it with wider stops for the volatility and avoid it around major US data if you cannot watch.
Why avoid the middle of the Tokyo session?
Roughly 03:00-05:00 GMT is the quietest part of the day for forex: thin liquidity, wide spreads, choppy price and frequent false breakouts that clip stops on strategies that would work in the active hours.
Should I trade multiple sessions?
Most part-time traders do better focusing on one window and learning its behaviour deeply. Trading across every session tends to lead to overtrading the marginal hours.