AUD
USD
What AUDUSD is
AUDUSD, also written AUD/USD, is the price of the Australian dollar in US dollars. The Australian dollar, often called the "aussie dollar" or "aussie", is the base currency, the currency you buy or sell. The US dollar is the quote currency, the currency the price is shown in.
If the quote rises, the Australian dollar is getting stronger against the US dollar. If it falls, the US dollar is getting stronger against the Australian dollar. AUDUSD is a major pair. Majors are pairs with the US dollar on one side and a large, actively traded currency on the other. See Majors, minors, exotics for how pairs are grouped.
How to read the quote
A trading platform shows two prices:
- Bid: the price at which you can sell AUD for USD.
- Ask: the price at which you can buy AUD with USD.
The gap between them is the spread. That is the cost you pay when you open a position. A buy position opens at the ask and closes at the bid. A sell position opens at the bid and closes at the ask.
Pip size and pip value
A pip is the standard unit of price change for a currency pair. On AUDUSD it is the last digit of the standard quote. Platforms such as MetaTrader often show an extra digit after it, called a fractional pip or pipette.
USD is the quote currency, so the value of a pip on AUDUSD is a fixed amount in US dollars for a given lot size. If your account is in USD, no conversion is needed. If your account is in another currency, for example PKR or a cent currency, the pip value is converted at the current rate. Use the calculator to get the exact figure for your lot size and account currency:
Fill in the empty fields to see the result.
A lot is the trade size unit. The smallest size on standard Exness accounts is 0.01 lot. On a Standard Cent account, sizes are in cent lots: 1 cent lot = 1,000 USD = 0.01 standard lot. More on lots and pips is in Trading basics.
What tends to move AUDUSD
The pair reflects two economies, so drivers come from both sides. This is general background, not a forecast.
Australian dollar side
- RBA policy. Interest rate decisions and statements from the Reserve Bank of Australia change the return on holding AUD.
- China demand. China is a large buyer of Australian exports. Chinese growth data and trade figures often affect the aussie.
- Iron ore and metals. Australia exports a lot of iron ore and other raw materials. Commodity prices feed into the currency.
- Global risk appetite. The aussie is often treated as a "risk-sensitive" currency. It tends to strengthen when markets are calm and weaken when investors look for safety.
US dollar side
- Fed policy and the dot plot. Federal Reserve rate decisions matter, and so does the dot plot. The dot plot is a chart of policymakers' rate projections, and it shapes expectations about future US rates.
- US jobs (NFP) and CPI. The Non-Farm Payrolls report and Consumer Price Index inflation data can move USD sharply when they are released.
- Treasury yields. Higher US government bond yields can attract money into USD.
- Global risk appetite. In stressed markets, the US dollar often gains as a safe-haven currency, which also weighs on AUDUSD.
For how to follow these releases, see Fundamental analysis. For chart-based AUDUSD analysis, see Technical analysis. AUDUSD also tends to move with related pairs such as NZD/USD and AUD/JPY. Pair correlations explains how to read those links.
Liquidity by session and spread behaviour
Forex trades around the clock on weekdays, but activity is uneven:
- Asian session (Sydney and Tokyo). Australian data comes out during these hours, so AUD is active then.
- London session. Volume rises across all majors.
- London and New York overlap. Liquidity is usually deepest here, and US data releases fall in this window.
- Late US hours and the daily rollover. Liquidity thins, and spreads often widen.
Spreads also widen around high-impact news and when markets reopen after the weekend. A fast move can also cause slippage, which means your order fills at a different price from the one you requested.
AUDUSD at Exness: what the sourced facts say
The figures below come from Exness's general account pages, not from an AUDUSD-specific page. Conditions change, so check the current AUDUSD specification in the platform (in MetaTrader, open the symbol's specification) before trading.
| Account | Spread | Commission | Margin call / stop out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | From 0.2 pips | No commission | 60% / 0% |
| Standard Cent | From 0.3 pips | No commission | 60% / 0% |
| Pro | From 0.1 pips | No commission | 30% / 0% |
| Raw Spread | From 0 pips | Up to 3.50 USD each side per lot | 30% / 0% |
| Zero | From 0 pips | From 0.05 USD each side per lot | 30% / 0% |
Other points from Exness's pages:
- Leverage. Forex majors are on the list of instruments eligible for unlimited leverage. That level applies only when conditions are met: on real accounts: equity below 5,000 USD and at least 10 closed orders totalling 5 lots or more across real accounts.
- High margin requirements. Forex leverage during high margin requirement periods is 1:200 (0.5%). This applies to orders opened from 15 minutes before to 90 seconds after high-impact news.
- Maximum lot size. 200 lots (7:00–20:59 GMT+0), 60 lots (21:00–6:59 GMT+0).
- Swaps. A swap is the overnight fee or credit for holding a position. Clients registered from Pakistan are on Exness's list for automatic swap-free status. Details are in Swap fees.
Margin is the amount your account sets aside to keep a position open. It depends on lot size, price and leverage:
Fill in the empty fields to see the result.
High leverage makes positions larger compared with your deposit. Losses grow at the same speed as gains, and a leveraged forex position can wipe out an account quickly. Read Risk management before using leverage.
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Partner link · trading carries a high risk of loss
A note for traders in Pakistan
Pakistani law has rules on offshore forex trading. On this point, per the SBP, remitting foreign exchange to overseas forex/margin/CFD platforms is not allowed through any payment channel (FERA s.5(1)). Read Law and regulators before opening any account.
Frequent questions
Is AUD/USD the same as the aussie dollar?
Yes. "Aussie" is the market nickname for the Australian dollar, and AUD/USD is its main pair against the US dollar.
What is the pip value on AUDUSD?
It is a fixed USD amount per lot, because USD is the quote currency. Use the pip calculator on this page to see it for your lot size and account currency.
When is AUDUSD most active?
Usually during the Asian session, when Australian data comes out, and during the London and New York overlap.
Why do spreads widen sometimes?
Spreads widen when liquidity is thin, around the daily rollover, around major news, and when markets reopen after the weekend.
Where do I find the exact Exness specification for AUDUSD?
Open the symbol specification in your trading platform, or check the current conditions in the Exness personal area or on the official site.
Can I practise on AUDUSD first?
Exness provides demo accounts on most account types. See Demo account.
