IC Markets
Forex statistics 2026: the numbers behind the market
The figures journalists, researchers and students ask for most, each with its source and date: how much is traded, which currencies dominate, how many retail traders lose money, what the leverage limits are and where forex is legal.
Updated 20 October 2026. Sources are linked under each section.
8 forex statistics to quote
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Global forex trading averaged $9.6 trillion a day in April 2025, up 28% from $7.5 trillion in 2022.
Source: BIS Triennial Survey 2025The US dollar was on one side of 89.2% of all forex trades, followed by the euro (28.9%) and the Japanese yen (16.8%).
Source: BIS Triennial Survey 2025The United Kingdom handled 38% of global forex turnover, and four centres (the UK, the US, Singapore and Hong Kong) handled 75%.
Source: BIS Triennial Survey 2025On average 70.1% of retail CFD accounts lose money across 16 UK- and EU-regulated providers, from 61% to 76.6%.
Source: FX Recap CFD loss-rate tracker, 20 October 2026Every one of the 16 providers checked reports that most of its retail CFD accounts lose money; 8 report 70% or more.
Source: FX Recap CFD loss-rate tracker, 20 October 2026UK and EU retail traders are limited to 30:1 leverage on major currency pairs, and 2:1 on crypto CFDs in the EU.
Source: FCA PS19/18; ESMA measures adopted in the EUOf 53 countries FX Recap tracks, 37 license and regulate retail forex brokers, while residents of 3 (Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal) may not trade leveraged forex online.
Source: FX Recap forex legality map12 of 14 brokers FX Recap reviews advertise maximum leverage of 1:500 or more for clients outside the UK and EU, where retail leverage on major pairs is capped at 30:1.
Source: FX Recap broker dataset (licences checked on regulator registers)
How much forex is traded?
Trading in global foreign exchange markets averaged $9.6 trillion a day in April 2025, up 28% from $7.5 trillion three years earlier. The figure comes from the Bank for International Settlements' Triennial Survey, which collected data from more than 1,100 banks and dealers in 52 jurisdictions. FX swaps remained the largest instrument, while spot and outright forwards grew fastest.
The United Kingdom remained the largest trading centre, with 38% of global turnover. Sales desks in four centres, the UK, the United States, Singapore and Hong Kong, handled 75%; Singapore's share rose to 11.8%.
Source: BIS Triennial Central Bank Survey 2025 and BIS media release, 30 September 2025. The survey runs every three years; the next is due in April 2028.
The most traded currencies
The US dollar was on one side of 89.2% of all trades. Because every trade involves two currencies, the shares add up to 200%.
How many retail traders lose money?
Across 16 UK- and EU-regulated providers, 70.1% of retail CFD accounts lose money on average (median 69.5%), from 61% at Spreadex to 76.6% at OANDA. Every provider reports that most of its retail accounts lose money. The figures are each provider's own mandatory risk warning.
See all 16 providers in the CFD loss-rate tracker →
Source: FX Recap CFD loss-rate tracker, figures read 20 October 2026.
Maximum leverage for retail traders in the UK and EU
Since 2018, retail clients in the EU, and in the UK under the FCA's permanent rules, can only trade CFDs within these limits.
| Underlying market | Maximum leverage | Minimum margin |
|---|---|---|
| Major currency pairs | 30:1 | 3.33% |
| Non-major pairs, gold and major indices | 20:1 | 5% |
| Commodities other than gold, non-major indices | 10:1 | 10% |
| Individual shares | 5:1 | 20% |
| Cryptocurrencies (EU) | 2:1 | 50% |
Retail accounts must also be closed out when margin falls to 50% of the requirement, and clients cannot lose more than the money in their account (negative balance protection). The FCA banned the sale of crypto CFDs to UK retail clients from January 2021.
Source: FCA PS19/18, restricting contract for difference products. EU rules apply the same limits under measures introduced by ESMA in 2018.
Where is retail forex trading legal?
Of the 53 countries on FX Recap's legality map, 37 license and regulate retail forex brokers and 10 have no local licence. In India, China, Malaysia it is legal only through limited local channels, and residents of Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal may not trade leveraged forex online.
Source: FX Recap forex legality map; each country links to its regulator.
Central bank policy rates
Interest rates are the biggest scheduled driver of currencies. Current policy rates at the eight central banks behind the major pairs, with the latest decision.
| Central bank | Policy rate and latest decision |
|---|---|
| US Federal Reserve | 3.75–4.00% (raised 16 Sep 2026) |
| European Central Bank | Deposit 2.50% (raised 10 Sep 2026) |
| Bank of England | 3.75% (held 17 Sep 2026, 6-3) |
| Bank of Japan | 1.25% (raised 18 Sep 2026) |
| Reserve Bank of Australia | 4.60% (raised 29 Sep 2026) |
| Bank of Canada | 2.25% (held 2 Sep 2026) |
| Swiss National Bank | 0% (held 24 Sep 2026) |
| Reserve Bank of New Zealand | 2.75% (raised 2 Sep 2026) |
Source: each central bank's official website, via the FX Recap economic calendar, which lists every upcoming decision date.
The brokers FX Recap reviews
From our dataset of 14 reviewed brokers, with every licence checked on the regulator's own register.
Leverage outside the UK and EU
12 of 14 advertise maximum leverage of 1:500 or more to clients outside the UK and EU, against a 30:1 retail cap on major pairs inside them.
Minimum deposits
4 of 14 have no minimum deposit, and 7 accept a first deposit of $10 or less.
Licences
8 hold a CySEC (Cyprus) licence, 6 an ASIC (Australia) licence and 7 are licensed by the Financial Services Authority of Seychelles. Most serve clients outside Europe through offshore entities.
Compare them
See every broker side by side, including regulators, costs and platforms, on the broker comparison.
Source: FX Recap broker reviews, licences checked October 2026. Counts include a broker once per regulator, whatever the number of entities.
Cite this page
Free to use, including commercially, with a credit to FX Recap and a link to this page (CC BY 4.0). Please also credit the original source named under each figure.
FX Recap, "Forex statistics 2026", updated 20 October 2026, https://fxrecap.com/forex-statisticsMedia enquiries
Method: we only publish figures we can trace to an official source or to our own published data, and we date every update. Spotted an error? Email us and we will correct it.
Forex statistics: common questions
How much forex is traded per day?
About $9.6 trillion a day on average in April 2025, according to the Bank for International Settlements' Triennial Survey, up 28% from $7.5 trillion in 2022.
What is the most traded currency?
The US dollar, which was on one side of 89.2% of all trades in April 2025, followed by the euro (28.9%) and the Japanese yen (16.8%).
What percentage of forex and CFD traders lose money?
Across 16 UK- and EU-regulated providers we checked on 20 October 2026, 61% to 76.6% of retail CFD accounts lose money, 70.1% on average, according to the providers' own risk warnings.
Where is forex trading illegal?
Of the 53 countries on FX Recap's legality map, residents of Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal may not trade leveraged forex online, and in India, China, Malaysia it is allowed only through limited local channels.
Risk warning. Forex and CFD trading carries a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. This page is information, not financial advice.