Foreign currency trading is a huge endeavor staged by the world's largest decentralized financial market called the foreign exchange market or Forex market. In this highly volatile market, trading is done in currency pairs and involves the simultaneous buying and selling of the currencies involved in the pair.

The major currencies that are traded in the foreign currency trading market are the US dollar (USD), Euro (EUR), Japanese yen (JPY), British pound sterling (GBP) and Swiss franc (CHF). The transactions are done in pairs such as EUR/USD. The first one in the pair is called the base currency and the second one is the quote/counter currency. For instance, EUR/USD 1.3031 means that the value of one Euro is equal to 1.3031 US Dollars.

The bid and ask prices which stands for the rate for which you can buy the counter currency by selling the base currency and the rate for which you can sell the counter currency by buying the base currency are two commonly used terms in Foreign currency trading. The difference in the bid and ask prices is termed as the spread. In order to have a proper footing in this fluctuating financial market, it is imperative that you understand the basic terms such as these as well as plenty of others.

The first step involved in foreign currency trading is the setting up of an account with a broker. A number of firms provide online services and you can choose one after diligently going through all their terms, conditions and descriptions of services offered. You should take care to start an account with a regulated firm with excellent security measures as well as a well-developed and efficient platform. It is prudent to sign up for a demo account before agreeing on a real account. This will not only gain you experience in the field, but also will give a foretaste of getting associated with the company.

Once you feel comfortable with the idea of carrying out a real trade, you can start with a small initial budget and place your trade. It should be noted that a proper understanding of the market and its trends will take years to master and as a novice, your best bet in foreign currency trading is to not let go of your patience and to keep your emotions at bay.

The foreign currency trading involves high risks especially due to its unpredictability as it fluctuates along with the financial, political and other conditions of nations around the world.