Forex has approximately 260 trading days per year. The foreign exchange market usually operates 24 hours a day, five days a week. It opens on Sunday evening and closes on Friday evening in New York time. The exact total depends on the calendar year, broker, currency pair and holiday schedule.
Forex Trading Days at a Glance
| Measure | Typical figure |
|---|---|
| Forex trading schedule | Sunday evening to Friday evening |
| Trading days in a typical year | About 260 |
| Weekdays in 2026 before broker holidays | 261 |
| Weekend trading days | 0 |
| Daily maintenance breaks | Usually a few minutes, depending on the broker |
A Sunday evening opening begins the next trading week. It is not usually counted as a separate sixth trading day.
Why the Exact Number Varies
Spot forex is an over-the-counter market, not one centralized exchange. Brokers, liquidity providers and trading venues can follow different holiday schedules.
Holiday treatment also varies. OANDA lists regular forex trading on several major U.S. holidays in 2026, while showing a late opening for New Year's Day. CME's FX Spot+ schedule lists Good Friday, Christmas Day and New Year's Day as special holiday dates.
Depending on the broker and date, you may see:
- A full trading day
- A late market opening
- An early market close
- Lower liquidity without a full market closure
- Different hours for particular currency pairs
How Many Forex Trading Days Are There in 2026?
There are 261 Monday-to-Friday weekdays in 2026. This is the calendar baseline before broker-specific holiday hours are taken into account.
The number of full trading sessions may be lower because a broker can close, delay the opening or shorten the session on selected holidays. OANDA, for example, says its forex market opens Sunday at 17:05 and closes Friday at 16:59 New York time, with a short daily break.
How to Calculate Forex Trading Days for Any Year
Use these steps:
- Count the weekdays in the calendar year.
- Subtract the dates when your broker completely closes forex trading.
- Check for late openings and early closes.
- Confirm the broker's time zone and daily candle cutoff.
- Use the final figure for backtesting or annual performance calculations.
For a general estimate, use 260 forex trading days per year. For performance analysis, use your broker's trading calendar and historical data.
Forex Trading Days Versus Stock-Market Trading Days
Forex should not automatically be counted in the same way as the U.S. stock market. Stock exchanges such as the New York Stock Exchange follow a defined exchange holiday calendar. Spot forex operates across global venues and may remain available on days when stock markets are closed.
Bottom Line
Use 260 days for general estimates. For backtesting, calculate the figure from the broker and period used in your data so the denominator matches the trading sessions in the results.