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Forex & Global
Lowest Spread Currency Pairs and the Brokers That Offer Them
EUR/USD and USD/JPY have the lowest spreads at every US broker checked: 1.5 pips each at FOREX.com in August 2026 (monthly median). AUD/USD and EUR/GBP come next, and exotic pairs like USD/MXN cost about 30 times more. Commission accounts at FOREX.com and OANDA cut EUR/USD spreads to about 0–0.1 pips plus $7 per $100K per side.
Which Currency Pairs Have the Lowest Spreads
The most traded pairs are the cheapest to trade at every US broker checked. FOREX.com is the only one that publishes monthly median spreads, so its figures lead this table.
| Pair | FOREX.com median, Aug 2026 | OANDA published | tastyfx minimum |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | 1.5 | 1.4 | 0.8 |
| USD/JPY | 1.5 | 1.4 | 0.8 |
| AUD/USD | 1.6 | 1.4 | 1.0 |
| EUR/GBP | 1.6 | 1.7 | 1.0 |
| GBP/USD | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 |
| USD/CHF | 2.1 | 1.8 | 1.5 |
| EUR/JPY | 2.3 | 1.8 | 1.2 |
| USD/CAD | 2.4 | 2.2 | 1.5 |
| USD/MXN | 45.3 | — | 50 |
| USD/TRY | 96.2 | — | 50 |
| USD/ZAR | 100.4 | — | 110 |
Spreads in pips on standard, commission-free accounts, from each broker’s official pages, checked September 29, 2026. FOREX.com’s figures are the median for August 2026; OANDA doesn’t date or label its figures; tastyfx publishes minimum spreads, which are lower than typical. Spreads widen in quiet hours and around major news.
Which Broker Fits How You Trade
Commission-free majors
tastyfx
EUR/USD and USD/JPY from 0.8 pips on the Standard account, or from 0.0 plus $5 per lot per side on Zero+.
See in comparison table ↑
Checking real typical spreads
FOREX.com
Monthly median spreads for every pair. RAW account medians were 0.1 pips on EUR/USD and 0.0 on USD/JPY, plus $7 per $100K per side.
See in comparison table ↑
Low spreads with no minimum deposit
OANDA
1.4 pips on EUR/USD, USD/JPY and AUD/USD, with Core pricing from 0.0 pips from a $10,000 balance.
See in comparison table ↑
Large trades
Interactive Brokers
Interbank quotes as narrow as 0.1 pip plus 0.20 basis points of trade value, which is about $2 per side on $100,000.
Interactive Brokers review →What a Trade Really Costs
Spread-only and commission accounts price the same trade differently. Enter a trade size to compare the round-trip cost of opening and closing a EUR/USD position.
Round-trip cost on EUR/USD
| Account | Spread used | Commission | Total cost |
|---|
100,000 units is one standard lot, where 1 pip on EUR/USD is worth $10. Spread types differ by broker, as labeled, and “from” figures are best cases. IBKR’s commission is approximated on the unit amount; it is charged on trade value. Figures checked September 29, 2026.
Why Some Pairs Cost More
Liquidity
Trading volume
EUR/USD and USD/JPY are the most traded pairs, so dealers compete hardest on them. Less-traded pairs carry wider spreads.
Timing
Market sessions
Spreads are usually tightest when major markets overlap and widest in quiet hours and over the weekend open.
News
Economic releases
Spreads can widen sharply around central bank decisions and data like US jobs reports.
Exotics
Emerging-market pairs
Pairs like USD/MXN, USD/TRY and USD/ZAR had medians of 45–100 pips at FOREX.com, 30 to 70 times EUR/USD.
What To Check When Comparing Spreads
- Which measure it is. Median, average, minimum or a live quote can differ by more than a pip on the same pair.
- Commission on both sides. $7 per $100K per side is $14 per round trip, which equals 1.4 pips on EUR/USD.
- When you trade. Compare spreads for the hours you actually trade, not calm-market figures.
- Account requirements. OANDA’s Core pricing needs $10,000 and tastyfx Prime $50,000.
- Overnight financing. Positions held past the daily cut-off pay or earn rollover interest, which can outweigh the spread.
- Margin on the pair. Some brokers require 5% margin on GBP/USD and USD/JPY, not 2%.
How To Keep Spread Costs Down
- Trade the majors. EUR/USD and USD/JPY are cheapest at every broker checked.
- Trade during active hours. Avoid the quietest hours and the minutes around major news.
- Pick the right account. For frequent or larger trades, a commission account can cost less than a wider spread.
- Use limit orders. They control the price you get, though they may not fill.
- Track your real costs. Compare the spread you paid on filled trades with the broker’s published figures.
- Re-check every few months. FOREX.com updates its medians monthly.
How We Compared
Spreads and commissions come from each broker’s official spread and pricing pages, checked September 29, 2026 and summarized in the comparison table. Brokers publish different measures, so each figure is labeled: FOREX.com monthly medians, OANDA undated published spreads, tastyfx minimums and an IBKR live snapshot. Only brokers that offer spot forex to US residents are included; IG, Saxo, CMC Markets, Pepperstone, IC Markets, XTB and AvaTrade don’t. Firms marked “Special Offer” are AInvest partners, and AInvest may be compensated when you open an account through this page. Forex trading is leveraged and risky.
FAQ & Glossary
Which currency pair has the lowest spread?
EUR/USD and USD/JPY had the lowest spreads at every US broker checked on September 29, 2026: 1.5 pips each as FOREX.com’s August 2026 median, 1.4 at OANDA and from 0.8 at tastyfx. AUD/USD and EUR/GBP were next. Exotic pairs such as USD/MXN, USD/TRY and USD/ZAR had medians of 45 to 100 pips.
What is a typical USD/JPY spread at a US broker?
FOREX.com’s median USD/JPY spread in August 2026 was 1.5 pips on its Spread-only account and 0.0 pips on its RAW account plus $7 per $100K per side. OANDA publishes 1.4 pips, and tastyfx’s minimum is 0.8 pips. Spreads widen in quiet hours and around news.
What is the difference between a minimum and a typical spread?
A minimum or “as low as” spread is the tightest the broker quoted, usually in the busiest market conditions. A typical spread, such as FOREX.com’s monthly median, shows what most trades actually paid. On EUR/USD in August 2026, FOREX.com’s median was 1.5 pips against a minimum of 1.2.
Are major pairs always cheapest?
Usually, but session and broker routing differences can change pair-level rankings. Test in your actual trading window.
Should I switch brokers for one cheap pair?
Only if operational reliability and withdrawal quality remain strong. Lowest cost alone isn't enough.
What is Pair?
Currency pair like EUR/USD = Euro vs. US Dollar. The first currency (EUR) is the base, the second (USD) is the quote.
What is Spread?
The cost charged by the broker, shown as the difference between bid (buy) and ask (sell) prices.
What is Commission?
A fee charged per trade or per lot, in addition to the spread. Some brokers use commissions instead of wider spreads.
What is Swap (Rollover Interest)?
Interest charged or credited if you hold a position overnight. Depends on central bank rates of the two currencies.
What is Liquidity?
How easy it is to buy or sell a pair at competitive prices. Major pairs (EUR/USD) have high liquidity; exotics (NOK/SEK) have low.
What is Session?
Global FX trading sessions: Tokyo, London, New York. Each session has different liquidity and spreads for various pairs.