This guide is for Malaysian investors who keep seeing forex hours quoted in GMT or New York time and want them in plain Malaysia time. It also covers when the market is busiest, when it goes quiet, and how to stay on the right side of Malaysian regulations.
Many of my clients ask me about this, usually after an overseas forex advert pops up on their phone. Here is how I explain it to them.
Forex Trading Time in Malaysia: How the 24-Hour Week Works
Unlike Bursa Malaysia, forex has no single exchange. Banks and dealers in different financial centres trade with each other, so the market passes from one region to the next through the day.
The trading week runs from Monday morning in Asia to Friday afternoon in New York. For Malaysians, that means:
- Weekly reopen: about 5am Monday MYT (US daylight saving) or about 6am Monday MYT (rest of the year)
- Weekly close: about 5am Saturday MYT (US daylight saving) or about 6am Saturday MYT (rest of the year)
Individual platforms may open a little after the official reopen or stop accepting orders a few minutes before the close. Always check the hours your platform publishes.
The Four Forex Sessions in Malaysia Time
The market is usually described in four sessions named after the main centres. Session times are approximate and vary by source, so treat the table below as a guide, not a timetable.
| Session | Approx. MYT (roughly March to November) | Approx. MYT (roughly November to March) |
|---|---|---|
| Sydney | 5am to 2pm | 4am to 1pm |
| Tokyo | 8am to 5pm | 8am to 5pm |
| London | 3pm to midnight | 4pm to 1am |
| New York | 8pm to 5am | 9pm to 6am |
Tokyo stays fixed because Japan, like Malaysia, does not use daylight saving. Sydney is the odd one out, which I explain next.
Why Daylight Saving Shifts Your Forex Hours
Malaysia stays on GMT+8 all year. The US, UK and Australia move their clocks, so the same session lands at a different Malaysian hour depending on the season.
- US: daylight saving runs from the second Sunday of March to the first Sunday of November.
- UK: British Summer Time runs from the last Sunday of March to the last Sunday of October.
- Australia (Sydney): daylight saving runs from the first Sunday of October to the first Sunday of April, the opposite half of the year.
This is where people trip up. Because the US and UK switch on different dates, there are a few weeks in March and in late October or early November when the London and New York times shift separately. If you rely on a fixed alarm, double-check during those weeks.
Busiest and Quietest Hours for Malaysian Traders
The London–New York overlap usually has the most liquidity. In Malaysia that is roughly 8pm to midnight during US and UK summer time, and roughly 9pm to 1am for the rest of the year.
The quieter periods are the Asian session for many major pairs and the run-up to the Friday close. Thin liquidity tends to mean wider spreads and sharper, less predictable moves, so costs can rise even if the price looks calm.
Weekend Gaps and Holiday Closures
Prices can move over the weekend because news does not stop. When the market reopens on Monday morning MYT, the first price can be well away from Friday’s close. This is called a gap, and a stop-loss order may be filled at a worse level than you set.
Christmas and New Year are the other trouble spots. Liquidity is thin in the days around them, and many brokers close early or do not quote at all on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Check your platform’s holiday notices in the app before December.
Is Forex Trading Legal in Malaysia?
Foreign exchange matters in Malaysia fall under Bank Negara Malaysia, and the Securities Commission Malaysia regulates capital market activities, including derivatives. Both regulators have repeatedly warned the public about unlicensed overseas forex platforms targeting Malaysians.
If you deal with an unlicensed platform, you have little practical recourse if withdrawals are blocked or the operator disappears. Before you send any money anywhere:
- Note the exact company name and website of the platform, not just the app name.
- Search for it on the SC Investor Alert List on the SC website.
- Search for it on Bank Negara Malaysia’s Financial Consumer Alert List as well.
- Check whether the entity holds a licence from a Malaysian regulator. A licence from another country does not cover offering services to Malaysians.
- Walk away if anyone promises guaranteed returns, pushes very high leverage or asks you to deposit into a personal bank account.
Not appearing on an alert list does not prove a platform is licensed. It only means it has not been flagged yet.
Regulated Alternatives I Can Help You With
As an SC-licensed remisier, I handle regulated markets: Bursa Malaysia, US stocks and Hong Kong stocks through M+ Global. If you want currency exposure, buying US-listed shares means your holdings are priced in US dollars, alongside the company’s own performance.
Timing works differently too. US stocks trade from 9:30pm to 4am MYT during US daylight saving and 10:30pm to 5am MYT otherwise. For details, see my US stock market trading hours guide and my Bursa trading hours post on this blog.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using one fixed set of MYT times all year and missing the daylight saving shift.
- Assuming the market reopens at midnight Sunday Malaysian time. It reopens early Monday morning MYT.
- Holding positions over the weekend without considering gap risk.
- Trading in thin holiday markets and being surprised by wide spreads.
- Trusting a platform because it has a slick app or a foreign licence, without checking Malaysian alert lists.
Key Takeaways
- Forex closes at 5pm Friday New York time, about 5am or 6am Saturday MYT.
- It reopens about 5am or 6am Monday MYT and trades 24 hours on weekdays.
- Malaysia has no daylight saving, so session times in MYT shift by about one hour across the year.
- The London–New York overlap, roughly 8pm or 9pm to midnight or 1am MYT, is usually the most liquid.
- Check the SC Investor Alert List and avoid unlicensed overseas forex platforms.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I trade forex on Saturday and Sunday in Malaysia?
No, the main forex market is closed from about 5am or 6am Saturday until about 5am or 6am Monday MYT. Some platforms show weekend prices on other products, but these are not the regular interbank forex market.
Does forex close on Malaysian public holidays?
No, forex keeps trading on Malaysian public holidays because it is a global market. Bursa Malaysia closes on those days, and ringgit pairs may be thinner, so spreads can be wider.
What happens to my open forex position over the weekend?
It stays open and carries gap risk when the market reopens on Monday morning MYT. Many platforms also apply an overnight financing charge, so check the terms in the app before holding positions over the weekend.
What should I do if an overseas forex platform will not release my money?
Stop depositing immediately, keep every record of transactions and messages, and report the matter to the Securities Commission and Bank Negara Malaysia. If you paid through a Malaysian bank, contact your bank as early as possible.
If you would rather invest through a regulated route, I am Dexter Chia, a remisier at Malacca Securities Sdn Bhd. Open an M+ Global account with invitation code UBZQ to get my personal remisier service at no extra charge, with Bursa brokerage at 0.08% for trades up to RM50,000 and 0.05% above RM50,000 (minimum RM8). New UBZQ clients also get 7 days of free access to my AI Stock Trend Terminal. WhatsApp me at +60169059789 if you need help with US, Hong Kong or Bursa trading.
Need Help With This?
If you are an M+ Global client and need help with this process, message me directly — I handle these requests for clients every week.
WhatsApp: +60169059789 | M+ Global Invitation Code: UBZQ
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Always do your own research before making investment decisions.
Want to invest in Bursa Malaysia or US markets? Contact Dexter Chia, an AI Driven Remisier who has 2,300+ clients at Malacca Securities Sdn Bhd (M+ Global). M+ Global Invitation Code: UBZQ | WhatsApp: +60169059789 | Why Choose Dexter?
