The Complete Guide to Forex Trading Hours You Need to Know: Seize the Golden Trading Window in the Vietnamese Market

Want to profit in the forex market? Mastering the best trading times is absolutely the first step. Many traders mistakenly believe that the 24-hour Forex market means they can trade at any time, but in reality, market activity and volatility vary greatly at different times of the day. Only by choosing the right times can you encounter genuine trading opportunities.

The Four Major Trading Centers Determine Market Rhythm

Although the forex market operates 24 hours a day, its vitality comes from four major global trading hubs. The opening hours of exchanges in Sydney, Tokyo, London, and New York directly influence the distribution of global forex liquidity.

However, experienced traders usually do not chase all time slots but focus on the three most active phases—the Asian session (Tokyo), the European session (London), and the North American session (New York). This is known as the “Three-Session Trading System.”

Based on global trading volume data, London, New York, Singapore, and Hong Kong account for over 75% of the total global forex trading volume, which explains why professional traders are particularly fond of these time periods.

Trading Schedule for Vietnamese Traders

After understanding the international time zones, let’s look at how these periods correspond to local time for Vietnamese traders—this part is crucial because of seasonal time changes.

Sydney Session (Australian Trading Center)

• Winter: 4:00-13:00 (Vietnam Time)
• Summer: 5:00-14:00 (Vietnam Time)

Tokyo Session (Asian Trading Center)

• Year-round: 6:00-15:00 (Vietnam Time)

London Session (European Trading Center)

• Winter: 15:00-0:00 next day (Vietnam Time)
• Summer: 14:00-23:00 (Vietnam Time)

New York Session (American Trading Center)

• Winter: 20:00-5:00 next day (Vietnam Time)
• Summer: 19:00-4:00 next day (Vietnam Time)

Note that in October, November, March, and April, when Europe and the US switch to daylight saving time (DST), these times will adjust accordingly.

The Golden Window: Overlapping of Three Sessions

The greatest market opportunities often occur during the transition periods between different trading centers. When two major markets are open simultaneously, trader numbers surge, liquidity explodes, and price fluctuations intensify—creating fertile ground for profits.

Overlap of Europe and America: 19:00-23:00 (Vietnam Time)

This is the most active period in the global forex market. During this time, London and New York are both open, leading to concentrated trading in USD and EUR—the two most dominant currencies worldwide. Since these currencies involve the two largest economies, price movements tend to be the most intense, and trading opportunities are abundant. If you’re a forex beginner, this period is the most worth paying attention to.

Overlap of Asia: 6:00-13:00 (Vietnam Time)

While Sydney and Tokyo are both active during this period, their combined activity is relatively moderate. However, this time has its unique advantages—currency pairs related to the Japanese yen (such as EUR/JPY, GBP/JPY) often perform the best, with volatility significantly higher than other pairs.

Brief Overlap of London and Tokyo: 13:00-14:00 (Vietnam Time)

This is just a one-hour window before Tokyo closes and London opens, with relatively mild market movements. Although EUR/JPY and GBP/JPY are still worth watching, overall opportunities are limited.

Trading Rhythm During the Week: Not Every Day Is Worth Trading

In addition to daily time differences, the trading activity during the week also follows clear patterns.

Monday: Economic data releases are usually sparse. Unless there is major news, the market tends to be dull. Daily volatility is about half of that from Wednesday to Friday.

Tuesday to Thursday: The golden days for traders. Economic data is released in clusters, market liquidity is high, and daily volatility can be significant.

Friday: Opportunities still exist in the first half, but in the second half, many traders close positions in preparation for the weekend’s potential surprises. The market usually starts to slow down in the afternoon.

Develop Your Trading Plan

For Vietnamese forex traders, the best strategy is to focus on the overlap of Europe and America (Vietnam Time 19:00-23:00), combined with trading from Tuesday to Thursday. This maximizes the chances of capturing high volatility and high liquidity trading opportunities.

Also, don’t forget to pay attention to seasonal time changes—whenever the US, UK, or Australia adjust daylight saving time, your trading schedule needs to be slightly adjusted to always seize the optimal trading windows.

Choosing the right time, the right currency pairs, and executing your trading strategy is the key. This is the secret behind why many professional traders can consistently profit in the forex market.