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Major, Minor and Exotic Pairs, A Simple Map

Currency pairs fall into groups, and knowing them helps you choose where to trade.

Major pairs. These all include the US dollar and are the most traded:

- EURUSD
- GBPUSD
- USDJPY
- USDCHF
- AUDUSD
- USDCAD
- NZDUSD

They typically have the tightest spreads and deepest liquidity.

Minor pairs (cross pairs). These don't include the US dollar, but involve other major currencies:

- EURGBP
- EURJPY
- GBPJPY
- AUDJPY
- EURAUD

They can have wider spreads and sometimes larger, faster moves.

Exotic pairs. A major currency paired with one from a smaller or emerging economy:

- USDZAR
- USDTRY
- USDMXN

They tend to have wide spreads, lower liquidity, and unpredictable gaps.

How to choose as a beginner:

1. Start with one or two major pairs, such as EURUSD.
2. Learn how they behave in different sessions.
3. Add crosses only after you're consistent.
4. Treat exotics with caution, since costs and risks are higher.

A simple map helps you avoid wandering into difficult territory too early.

Mastery of one familiar pair beats shallow knowledge of twenty. Choose where to stand, and learn the terrain.

Write down your chosen pair and the reason you picked it. Revisit that note after three months and see whether your reasons still hold.

One thing I'd add to the map: minors like EURGBP, EURJPY and AUDNZD can be a good middle ground. Spreads are usually wider than majors but much tighter than exotics, and some of them behave quite cleanly during their main session. AUDNZD, for example, often moves in slower ranges because the two economies are closely linked, which some range traders like. EURJPY tends to move more and responds to risk mood. For a beginner, though, I'd still start with one or two majors for the first few months. Learn how spreads, sessions and news work on the easiest pairs first. Then add a minor once your journal shows you're following the plan consistently.

A caveat on the major pairs are safest idea: majors can still move a lot on big news. Tight spreads don't mean low risk. They mean low cost per trade. Risk still comes from your position size and stop. USDJPY dropped hundreds of pips in a few days in August 2024, and EURUSD moves 50 pips in minutes on a surprise NFP. A beginner using 1 lot on a 1,000 dollar account can lose most of it on a major just as easily as on an exotic. Start with the majors for the lower cost and smoother price, but size as if any pair can move hard.