Forex Market Hours in UAE (2026): Live Dubai/GST Session Times

Q: What are forex market hours in UAE?

In UAE time (Gulf Standard Time, UTC+4): Sydney session 02:00–11:00, Tokyo 04:00–13:00, London 12:00–21:00, and New York 17:00–02:00. The forex market is open 24 hours a day, 5 days a week.

Q: What is the best time to trade forex in UAE?

The best trading window in UAE is 17:00–21:00 GST (Dubai/Abu Dhabi time), when the London and New York sessions overlap. This window produces the highest liquidity, the tightest spreads, and over 50% of daily forex volume.

Q: Does daylight saving time affect forex hours in UAE?

The UAE does not observe daylight saving time — GST remains UTC+4 year-round. However, when the US, UK, and EU enter DST, the London and New York sessions shift one hour earlier in UAE time during summer months.

Q: Is forex trading legal in UAE?

Yes. Forex trading is legal in the UAE and regulated by the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) at the federal level, the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) in DIFC, and the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) in ADGM. Many UAE residents also use offshore brokers regulated by the FCA, CySEC, or ASIC.

Q: What time does the London session open in Dubai?

The London forex session opens at 12:00 GST (Dubai time, 08:00 UTC) and closes at 21:00 GST. During UK summer time (BST), the session shifts to 11:00–20:00 GST. London accounts for roughly 38% of daily forex turnover globally.

Quick answer · UAE

When does the forex market open in UAE?

The forex market opens on Sunday around 02:00 GST (Monday in Asia) with the Sydney session and runs continuously until Saturday 02:00 GST. In UAE time the four major sessions are: Sydney 02:00–11:00, Tokyo 04:00–13:00, London 12:00–21:00, and New York 17:00–02:00. The best window for UAE traders is 17:00–21:00 GST — the London – New York overlap.

UTC+4GST timezone
17–21Best window GST
No DSTUAE year-round
SCAFederal regulator

Forex Sessions in UAE Time (GST)

Standard times. The London and New York sessions shift 1 hour earlier when the UK/EU and US enter daylight saving time.

Session	UTC	GST (UAE)	Volatility
🇦🇺 Sydney	22:00 – 07:00	02:00 – 11:00	Low
🇯🇵 Tokyo	00:00 – 09:00	04:00 – 13:00	Medium
🇬🇧 London	08:00 – 17:00	12:00 – 21:00	High
🇺🇸 New York	13:00 – 22:00	17:00 – 02:00	Highest

Best window for UAE traders

17:00 – 21:00 GST London – New York overlap

Highest liquidity — tightest spreads on majors (EUR/USD ~0.1–0.3 pip).
US economic news — NFP, CPI, FOMC announcements happen 16:30–22:00 GST.
Strong trends — institutional flow from both Europe and the US.
Best pairs — EUR/USD, GBP/USD, USD/CHF, USD/JPY, plus oil-linked CAD pairs.

UAE · DST

How DST Affects Forex Hours in UAE

The UAE does not observe daylight saving time — GST stays at UTC+4 year-round. But when the UK, EU, and US switch to summer time, their forex sessions shift 1 hour earlier in Dubai/Abu Dhabi time for several months.

1

Standard time (winter)

London 12:00–21:00 GST · New York 17:00–02:00 GST · Best window 17:00–21:00 GST.

2

UK/EU summer (BST/CEST)

London shifts to 11:00–20:00 GST. Late March — late October.

3

US summer (EDT)

New York shifts to 16:00–01:00 GST. Mid-March — early November.

Forex Trading in UAE — Regulatory Context

Forex trading is legal and well-regulated in the UAE. At the federal level, the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) oversees the market. In free zones, the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) regulates the DIFC and the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) regulates ADGM in Abu Dhabi.

Many UAE-licensed brokers offer competitive spreads and AED deposit support. UAE residents also frequently use tier-1 offshore brokers regulated by the FCA (UK), CySEC (EU), or ASIC (Australia) for higher leverage and broader instrument access.

Holidays & Liquidity in UAE

The forex market remains open during UAE national holidays since it's a global decentralized market. Liquidity drops noticeably during major Western holidays: Christmas Day, New Year's Day, and US Independence Day. Eid Al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha don't directly affect global forex but can affect local broker support and AED conversion availability.

For the full holiday calendar see our Forex Holiday Hours 2026 guide.

UAE traders

Trade the Best Hours With a Trusted Broker

The prime window is 17:00–21:00 GST — London–New York overlap. Pick a regulated broker with low spreads, fast execution, and AED deposit/withdrawal support.

Tier-1 regulation (FCA / CySEC / ASIC / DFSA)
Tight spreads during London–NY overlap
AED deposit / withdrawal support

Open XM account Compare brokers

Forex trading involves risk. Sponsored link — disclaimer.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are forex market hours in UAE?

In UAE time (GST, UTC+4): Sydney 02:00–11:00, Tokyo 04:00–13:00, London 12:00–21:00, and New York 17:00–02:00. The market is open 24/5.

What is the best time to trade forex in UAE?

17:00–21:00 GST — the London–New York overlap. Highest liquidity, tightest spreads, and over 50% of daily forex volume. US economic releases (NFP, CPI, FOMC) typically fall in this window.

Does daylight saving time affect forex hours in UAE?

No, the UAE does not observe DST. GST remains UTC+4 year-round. But during UK/EU/US summer time, London shifts to 11:00–20:00 GST and New York to 16:00–01:00 GST.

Is forex trading legal in UAE?

Yes. Forex is legal and regulated by SCA federally, DFSA in DIFC, and FSRA in ADGM. UAE residents also commonly use tier-1 offshore brokers regulated by FCA, CySEC, or ASIC.

What time does the London session open in Dubai?

The London session opens at 12:00 GST (Dubai time, 08:00 UTC) and closes at 21:00 GST. During UK summer time, it shifts to 11:00–20:00 GST.

Forex Market Hours by Country

See live session times for other regions: Turkey (TRT) · Pakistan (PKT) · India (IST) · all sessions worldwide.

Forex Market Hours in UAE 🇦🇪