The coronavirus pandemic has destroyed many things, from the way people function, lives, livelihoods, companies, industries as a whole, and even economies. The long-lasting consequences remain to be seen, and economists say how 2021 will not be much better than 2020 or could be even worse. But wait, it does get better! Despite some bold predictions from economists and financial experts, some economic sectors are exploding, such as the foreign exchange market (Forex). Amid the pandemic, the Forex market trading volume has surged by 300 percent!But before we explain why Forex is increasing even during the pandemic, let’s understand what Forex is. 1) Forex Trading Has Been Around For A While
We know what you are thinking, “If the Forex market is so prominent, why have I not heard of it before now?” The answer? You likely have. Foreign exchange is precisely what it sounds like; it trades in different currencies and invests in them as they rise in value.
The reality is Forex’s concept, and its practice of different trading currencies has been around for centuries. The earliest documented cases of exchanging foreign currencies can be seen in the Bible, where money changers would do business in city markets and on the steps of temples.
Ever since that time, it’s been a widely accepted practice to formalize different currencies. As the world’s economy continues to boom, and most countries’ production of exports also grows, the market has also expanded into something impressive.
2) The Market is Worth Over $6 Trillion USD
We said that the Forex market was huge, but just how large? $6.6 trillion. Yes, it is exploding as advertised.
According to the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), in 2019, the Forex market has consistently risen for several years, even during Covid. Who is the Bank for International Settlements? The BIS is the largest central bank worldwide. We say “basically” because it is not one physical bank, but rather it is collectively owned by 60 central banks around the world that makeup just about all of the world’s GDP.
The BIS reports that this is a daily turnover; daily turnover boils down to a daily exchange of money worth $6.6 trillion. Another way to put this into perspective is that the Forex market easily beats the equity, futures, bonds, cryptocurrency markets, and the New York Stock Exchange combined.
3) You Don’t Have To Wait; You Can Join Forex Whenever You Want
All this said, you probably think that a market so big would probably already be saturated or that you need to be a big business mogul to understand the ins and outs of a centuries-old industry. And in the past, you would’ve been right.
Back in the day, only banks or people with liquid funds in the millions of dollars could participate in the Forex market. However, now with different Forex brokers providing retail investors access to the largest and most liquid financial market, anyone can start jumping in and experiencing the unique, profitable world of Forex trading!
But Why Is Forex Managing To Boom Even During A Pandemic?
To put it simply, the most potent portion is unemployment. Unemployment has been essentially on a consistent rise since spring 2020. The surging employment losses are a direct result of the pandemic’s ever-growing impact; if you look at it from an economic perspective, it is even worse than the 2008 recession.
Covid has had an outrageous impact on big and small businesses around the world. Many corporations, not just “Mom & Pop” shops, are shutting down or having to release chunks of their staff. Some large corporations are closing their subsidiaries all over Asia, especially in China, and now they are facing critical hurdles. The shutdowns have led to the deceleration of GDP.
So what were people left to do? Many countries turned to Forex, particularly the almighty dollar. Heightened interest in the dollar rocketed due to its standing as the global reserve currency. Its rock-solid strength also affected the currency exchange market, which deepened the connection with the rising stock market.
Now that we know what Forex is and why it is successful even when so many things are down let’s dive into some tips and tricks for Forex novices.