After years of low volatility, foreign exchange trading is roaring back to life. The currency desk, once overshadowed by stocks and bonds, is thriving as global interest rate policies diverge and trade tensions resurface. 

Optiver’s FX volumes have doubled since 2024, prompting a shift to 24-hour operations, with new hires and strategic relocations to meet surging demand. Banks are also rebuilding their currency trading teams, recruiting veterans from the 2008 financial crisis alongside fresh talent eager to navigate the revived market turbulence. 

Hedge funds are fueling the momentum, with record-breaking activity in Asian currencies and a renewed belief that FX can add real value to portfolios. 

Finsum: Whether this marks a long-term shift remains uncertain, but for now, the “sleeping giant” of foreign exchange has undeniably awakened.