The week's first open
Sydney Trading Session
22:00 - 07:00 UTC
Quick Answer
The Sydney forex trading session runs from 22:00 to 07:00 UTC and is the first major session to open each week. It is dominated by AUD, NZD, and JPY flows, with moderate liquidity and generally low volatility compared to the London and New York sessions.
Session Window (UTC)
22:00 - 07:00 UTC
Session Characteristics
Volatility
Low
Liquidity
Moderate
Global FX Share
~5-6% of daily global FX turnover
Key Participants
Australian and New Zealand banks, regional institutions, early Asian retail and algorithmic traders
Best Currency Pairs to Trade
| Pair | Why | Avg Range |
|---|---|---|
| AUD/USD | Home-market pair with the deepest Sydney liquidity and tightest spreads during the session. | 35-50 pips |
| AUD/JPY | Classic Sydney cross — Australian data drives AUD, Japanese yen is the most traded Asian currency. | 40-60 pips |
| NZD/USD | New Zealand dollar is actively traded during Sydney hours alongside local economic releases. | 30-45 pips |
| AUD/NZD | Cross with both currencies most liquid during Sydney — ideal for range trades. | 25-40 pips |
| USD/JPY | Japanese yen activity begins in Sydney before Tokyo opens, providing early directional hints. | 30-50 pips |
Average ranges are typical intraday high-minus-low measurements during the session and vary with market conditions.
Best Strategies for the Sydney Session
Range Trading
Sydney's low volatility makes mean-reversion between well-defined support and resistance highly effective. Fade extreme moves and scale out at the opposite range boundary.
Asian Range Breakout
Mark the high and low of the Sydney session and wait for a clean breakout in either direction as Tokyo opens at 00:00 UTC. The Sydney range is often the precursor to the Asian session directional bias.
Low-leverage Swing Entries
Thinner liquidity means you can scale into positions at favourable levels before the Tokyo and London sessions add volatility.
Key Economic Releases
| Time (UTC) | Event | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| 01:30 | Australian Retail Sales / Employment | High |
| 01:30 | Australian CPI | High |
| 03:30 | RBA Interest Rate Decision | High |
| 21:45 | New Zealand CPI / GDP | High |
| 23:50 | Japanese BoJ Minutes | Medium |
Historical Average Pip Ranges
The average pip ranges shown in the pairs table above are based on typical intraday high-minus-low measurements during the Sydney session across major EU-regulated broker feeds over the most recent 90 trading days. Actual ranges vary meaningfully with volatility regime, central bank cycles, and news calendar.
Why Trade the Sydney Session?
The Sydney session is ideal for traders who prefer calmer, less noisy conditions. It opens the trading week and often establishes the tone for Asian trading. Traders who are based in APAC, or Europeans who prefer early morning sessions, can build high-probability setups that carry through into the Tokyo overlap. Because liquidity is thinner, spreads are slightly wider than London/NY hours, so broker execution quality matters more.
Recommended Brokers for the Sydney Session
Choose brokers with deep liquidity providers that maintain tight AUD and NZD spreads into the APAC open.
Other Trading Sessions
Frequently Asked Questions
What hours is the Sydney forex session open?
The Sydney forex trading session runs from 22:00 - 07:00 UTC.
What are the best pairs to trade during the Sydney session?
The most active pairs during the Sydney session are AUD/USD, AUD/JPY, NZD/USD, based on liquidity and typical intraday range.
How volatile is the Sydney session?
Volatility during the Sydney session is generally low, with liquidity rated moderate. The session accounts for ~5-6% of daily global FX turnover.
What strategies work best in the Sydney session?
Range Trading: Sydney's low volatility makes mean-reversion between well-defined support and resistance highly effective. Fade extreme moves and scale out at the opposite range boundary. Asian Range Breakout: Mark the high and low of the Sydney session and wait for a clean breakout in either direction as Tokyo opens at 00:00 UTC. The Sydney range is often the precursor to the Asian session directional bias. Low-leverage Swing Entries: Thinner liquidity means you can scale into positions at favourable levels before the Tokyo and London sessions add volatility.
Why trade the Sydney session?
The Sydney session is ideal for traders who prefer calmer, less noisy conditions. It opens the trading week and often establishes the tone for Asian trading. Traders who are based in APAC, or Europeans who prefer early morning sessions, can build high-probability setups that carry through into the Tokyo overlap. Because liquidity is thinner, spreads are slightly wider than London/NY hours, so broker execution quality matters more.