GITNUXREPORT 2025

Forex Trading Statistics

Most retail traders lose money; Forex's massive $6.6 trillion volume.

Jannik Lindner

Jannik Linder

Co-Founder of Gitnux, specialized in content and tech since 2016.

First published: April 29, 2025

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Key Statistics

Statistic 1

Approximately 60% of retail traders are male, and 40% are female

Statistic 2

The bid-ask spread for EUR/USD averages around 0.1 pip for major traders

Statistic 3

Approximately 40% of retail traders trade Forex as a full-time profession

Statistic 4

Retail traders account for approximately 5% of total Forex market volume

Statistic 5

Algo trading accounts for roughly 60% of all Forex trades globally

Statistic 6

The typical Forex trading account size is around $5,000 for retail traders

Statistic 7

The Forex market has a daily trading volume of approximately $6.6 trillion as of 2023

Statistic 8

Major currency pairs account for about 85% of all Forex trading volume

Statistic 9

The most traded currency pair is EUR/USD, representing roughly 23% of daily trading volume

Statistic 10

Forex trading platforms generate over $2 billion in revenue annually

Statistic 11

The average daily trading volume of the USD/JPY pair is about $500 billion

Statistic 12

The average Forex trader holds a position for about 18 hours

Statistic 13

Over 70% of retail Forex traders use leverage over 10:1, which significantly increases risk

Statistic 14

Over 90% of retail Forex traders lose money

Statistic 15

The most common reason traders lose money is poor risk management

Statistic 16

The average annual return for professional Forex hedge funds is around 5-8%

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Key Highlights

  • Over 90% of retail Forex traders lose money
  • The Forex market has a daily trading volume of approximately $6.6 trillion as of 2023
  • Approximately 40% of retail traders trade Forex as a full-time profession
  • The average Forex trader holds a position for about 18 hours
  • Major currency pairs account for about 85% of all Forex trading volume
  • The most traded currency pair is EUR/USD, representing roughly 23% of daily trading volume
  • Retail traders account for approximately 5% of total Forex market volume
  • Forex trading platforms generate over $2 billion in revenue annually
  • The bid-ask spread for EUR/USD averages around 0.1 pip for major traders
  • Over 70% of retail Forex traders use leverage over 10:1, which significantly increases risk
  • The average daily trading volume of the USD/JPY pair is about $500 billion
  • Approximately 60% of retail traders are male, and 40% are female
  • The most common reason traders lose money is poor risk management

Did you know that despite a staggering $6.6 trillion in daily Forex trades, over 90% of retail traders lose money, highlighting the high risks and complexities of the world’s most traded financial market?

Demographics

  • Approximately 60% of retail traders are male, and 40% are female

Demographics Interpretation

While the Forex market's gender divide leans toward male dominance at around 60%, the 40% female traders demonstrate that currency trading is increasingly a level playing field—not just a men's club.

Market Infrastructure and Costs

  • The bid-ask spread for EUR/USD averages around 0.1 pip for major traders

Market Infrastructure and Costs Interpretation

With the EUR/USD spread averaging just 0.1 pip for major traders, it's clear that this currency pair operates in a remarkably tight market, where razor-thin margins demand precision and agility from traders aiming to turn micro-movements into meaningful gains.

Market Participants and Demographics

  • Approximately 40% of retail traders trade Forex as a full-time profession
  • Retail traders account for approximately 5% of total Forex market volume
  • Algo trading accounts for roughly 60% of all Forex trades globally
  • The typical Forex trading account size is around $5,000 for retail traders

Market Participants and Demographics Interpretation

While nearly half of retail traders have boldly turned Forex into full-time careers, their modest $5,000 accounts are dwarfed by algorithmic powerhouses executing 60% of trades, reminding us that in the currency jungle, code often reigns supreme.

Market Size and Liquidity

  • The Forex market has a daily trading volume of approximately $6.6 trillion as of 2023
  • Major currency pairs account for about 85% of all Forex trading volume
  • The most traded currency pair is EUR/USD, representing roughly 23% of daily trading volume
  • Forex trading platforms generate over $2 billion in revenue annually
  • The average daily trading volume of the USD/JPY pair is about $500 billion

Market Size and Liquidity Interpretation

With a mind-boggling daily turnover of $6.6 trillion, dominated chiefly by the EUR/USD pair—bringing in over $1.5 trillion daily and substantiated by Forex platforms raking in more than $2 billion annually—it's clear that the Forex market is less a financial arena and more an immense, high-stakes ocean where trillions ebb and flow with the relentless certainty of gravity.

Trading Behavior and Strategies

  • The average Forex trader holds a position for about 18 hours
  • Over 70% of retail Forex traders use leverage over 10:1, which significantly increases risk

Trading Behavior and Strategies Interpretation

With the typical Forex trader holding positions for just under a day and over 70% leveraging beyond 10:1, it's clear that while many chase quick gains, excessive risk often turns the pursuit into a high-stakes game of chance.

Trading Outcomes and Performance

  • Over 90% of retail Forex traders lose money
  • The most common reason traders lose money is poor risk management
  • The average annual return for professional Forex hedge funds is around 5-8%

Trading Outcomes and Performance Interpretation

While the Forex market notoriously claims over 90% of retail traders through poor risk management, professional hedge funds demonstrate that with discipline, even modest annual returns of 5-8% are achievable—highlighting the importance of strategy over speculation.