What Is XAUUSD In Forex? (This Is What You Need To Know)

Have you ever heard about XAUUSD?

If you have been trading currencies for a while, you’ve probably heard about XAUUSD.

But what is XAUUSD? Why is it important?

Let’s be honest – currencies are not the easiest thing to trade. With a lot of different things to consider and the possibility of making mistakes, many traders feel overwhelmed.

Fortunately, I have a solution for you.

In this article, I will share everything you need to know about XAUUSD and why it’s important to understand it.

What Is XAUUSD In Forex?

XAUUSD is the abbreviation for the exchange rate of the US dollar to the gold price. Gold is one of the most stable trading assets on the planet.

XAUUSD – or ‘gold vs. USD’ – is one of the most popular currency pairs in the forex market.

It’s a simple market structure and the currency pair is the perfect comparison between gold and the US dollar.

Gold is a physical commodity that has been used for centuries as a store of value and is one of the most valuable metals in the world and no other metal can compare to its value.

The value of the XAUUSD is derived from the price of gold because gold is traded around the world in dollars. If a currency’s value is linked to the value of gold, it’s referred to as a XAUUSD

Gold has been traded for thousands of years.

It is one of the oldest forms of money.

It was the first form of currency that was used in trade.

It was the primary form of currency for a long time.

In the last few centuries, gold has been used as a way to store value and protect wealth.

Today, it is still used to store value and protect wealth.

It is traded all over the world. It is traded in many different places. It is traded in the United States, Europe, Asia, and Africa.

The price of gold and silver has been on a steady upward trend since the 2008 financial crisis and has risen above $2,000 per ounce.

What is XAUUSD in Forex

The reason for this is that the US Dollar has lost some of its value.

So, when you trade for Gold, you are effectively trading against the US Dollar.

Why Is It Written As XAU/USD?

Chemistry lesson time.

The chemistry symbol for gold is AU.

And because trading pairs consist of 3 letters before the forward-slash and 3 letters after (EUR / USD), it is given an X to initiate it’s a cross pair of Gold and US Dollar.

Hence why it’s noted as XAU/USD.

Also, Silver is noted as XAG/USD based on the same principles.

Simple, right?

Why Is Gold Under Forex Trading?

I get it.

Gold is a commodity but it appears when you trade forex.

Why is that?

Well, the value of XAUUSD is derived from the price of gold because gold is traded around the world in dollars.

Global currencies were once linked to the number of gold reserves they held, which controlled the amount of paper money they could print and the potential value of their currencies.

This new approach to keeping national currencies in check kept them stable, but there were a few flaws such as a lack of flexibility and transparency.

In 1973, the United States (US) went off the gold standard, allowing gold to be traded on the free market while the US dollar would be controlled by the US Federal Reserve.

Gold is traded on the London and New York Exchanges. The two exchanges set the prices for the gold, which helps to stabilize the price.

If you understand how central banks use gold in relation to their currencies, then you will also understand the relationship between gold and the Forex market.

Gold’s value continued to rise after 1973.

By making gold more valuable, it has become recognized as a global currency, traded and accepted by governments, people, and even other countries.

This worldwide recognition gave us an international currency that governments can use to exchange for paper currency and more.

Nowadays, the value of gold is influenced by governments and traders on the free market.

And countries that have a large gold reserve gives significant strength over their currencies.

This is because if a government has a large gold reserve, its currency is seen as stable. 

What is XAUUSD?

FAQs about XAU/USD (Gold) Trading

What is the difference between XAU and USD?

XAU is the name of the currency used in the Gold market. USD is the currency used in the U.S.

What is a ‘Gold ETF’?

ETFs are a sort of investment vehicle that follows the price of a certain asset, like gold. An ETF that invests in gold bullion or other assets backed by gold is known as a gold ETF. These funds give investors access to the gold market without requiring them to purchase and keep real gold. Others may use futures contracts or other financial instruments to obtain exposure to the price of gold. Some gold ETFs are built to mimic the spot price of gold.

Why would someone use XAU/USD as a trading pair?

Because gold is seen as a safe-haven asset, it’s a good way to hedge against inflation.

How often are XAU/USD pairs traded?

XAU/USD is traded very frequently.

How does XAU/USD Trading work?

XAU/USD Trading works like any other currency trading. You buy gold in XAU and sell it in USD.

What does xauusd mean?

The “XAU” in the symbol denotes “gold,” while the “USD” indicates that the contract’s currency is the US dollar. The contract’s price is quoted in US dollars per troy ounce and it represents 100 troy ounces of gold. XAUUSD is a popular market for investors to trade gold and get exposure to the metal’s price.

To Wrap It All up

So now you know what is XAU/USD in forex and like most traders, you’ll probably end up trading it. Here’s a quick recap on gold trading:

The Gold-based currency pair XAUUSD is the second most liquid pair in the forex industry. The value of the XAUUSD is determined by its price relative to the US Dollar.

If the dollar rises, gold goes down in value, and vice versa. This is a result of the dollar being the world reserve currency.

Gold is considered a safe-haven asset, which means that investors prefer to hold it over other assets.

Gold is a physical asset, which makes it more stable than other financial assets.

This is the reason why gold is considered a safe-haven asset. If the financial markets are going down, people tend to invest in gold.

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About the author

Seasoned forex trader John Henry teaches new traders key concepts like divergence, mean reversion, and price action for free, sharing over a decade of market experience and analysis expertise in a clear, practical style.