Mean reversion in the Asian session, and why it fades near the handover

[Amanhasnoname]

Asian hours often feature tight ranges on the major pairs, particularly EURUSD, GBPUSD, and USDCHF. Price oscillates between small boundaries, and fading extremes can work.

The edge is fragile. Spreads are wider than in London hours, so the cost per trade is higher. Ranges are small, so targets must be modest, and the cost-to-target ratio is uncomfortable.

Time matters. As London approaches, volatility picks up, and range trades can turn into breakout losses. Closing positions before the handover avoids the worst of it.

Pairs with active local participation, like AUDJPY or NZDJPY, tend to offer cleaner ranges and better trends than the European majors in the same hours.

Testing the strategy by hour reveals the point where the edge disappears, usually as the transition begins. A hard stop time applied to the strategy keeps it within the safe window.

Recording the exact time each range trade was closed helps pinpoint when the quiet window actually ends for each pair.

Is the Asian session traded, and which pairs and hours seem most reliable?