It is impossible to quantify the exact amount of money traded in forex markets worldwide since trading is not restricted to one single exchange or location. But several estimates put it between 1-3 trillion US Dollars a day. This is certainly lesser than the volume of stocks traded in all the major stock exchanges around the world and also far less than the gold and forex reserves of the developed world. It also far exceeds the daily volume of foreign trade transactions between different countries. Therefore in terms of size, number of participants and liquidity, forex markets are huge and offer the best opportunities to the investor.
This superior liquidity in forex markets allows traders to open and close positions in a matter of a few seconds or keep that position going on for several years or perhaps indefinitely which is not possible while trading stocks.
Using networked computers, forex trading offers you a world wide market, instantaneously available to you on 24/5 basis from 00:00 GMT on Monday to 10.30 GMT on Friday covering all time zones. When the sun sets in one trading center, it is dawn and the beginning of a trading day somewhere else in the world. On the contrary, stock market in any major country opens at 10 am local time and remains operative till 4p.m local time restricting the possibility of indulging in round the clock trading.
Forex trading is done strictly on your calling. Since forex trading goes on 24 hours a day there is no need to have a fixed schedule, and even if you set one, it’s purely your discretion based on your own trading strategy and of course to your liking.