Forex session times in South Africa by date
Each row is one stretch between clock changes, on SAST.
| Period | London | New York | Overlap | Tokyo | Sydney | Week opens |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Now → 25 Oct 2026 | 09:00 – 18:00 | 14:00 – 23:00 | 14:00 – 18:00 | 02:00 – 11:00 | 22:00 (previous day) – 07:00 | Sun 23:00 |
| 25 Oct 2026 → 1 Nov 2026 London's clocks go back to GMT | 10:00 – 19:00 | 14:00 – 23:00 | 14:00 – 19:00 | 02:00 – 11:00 | 22:00 (previous day) – 07:00 | Sun 23:00 |
| 1 Nov 2026 → 14 Mar 2027 New York's clocks go back to EST | 10:00 – 19:00 | 15:00 – 00:00 (next day) | 15:00 – 19:00 | 02:00 – 11:00 | 22:00 (previous day) – 07:00 | Mon 00:00 |
| 14 Mar 2027 → 28 Mar 2027 New York's clocks go forward to EDT | 10:00 – 19:00 | 14:00 – 23:00 | 14:00 – 19:00 | 02:00 – 11:00 | 22:00 (previous day) – 07:00 | Sun 23:00 |
| 28 Mar 2027 → 3 Apr 2027 London's clocks go forward to BST | 09:00 – 18:00 | 14:00 – 23:00 | 14:00 – 18:00 | 02:00 – 11:00 | 22:00 (previous day) – 07:00 | Sun 23:00 |
| 3 Apr 2027 → 2 Oct 2027 Sydney's clocks go back to AEST | 09:00 – 18:00 | 14:00 – 23:00 | 14:00 – 18:00 | 02:00 – 11:00 | 23:00 (previous day) – 08:00 | Sun 23:00 |
| 2 Oct 2027 → 18 Oct 2027 Sydney's clocks go forward to AEDT | 09:00 – 18:00 | 14:00 – 23:00 | 14:00 – 18:00 | 02:00 – 11:00 | 22:00 (previous day) – 07:00 | Sun 23:00 |
Why the times move, and what changes next
The sessions move on SAST whenever New York, London or Sydney changes its clocks. Each row is one stretch between changes over the next twelve months.
Right now until 25 Oct 2026: London 09:00–18:00 SAST, New York 14:00–23:00, both open 14:00–18:00; the week opens Sunday 23:00 SAST. From 25 Oct 2026 (London's clocks go back to GMT): London 10:00–19:00, New York 14:00–23:00, overlap 14:00–19:00.
Forex providers and the FSCA in South Africa
From 2 official sources, checked 8 October 2026.
What the official sources say
The Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) authorises financial services providers (FSPs) in South Africa. Its FSP search confirms whether a provider is registered and under which FSP number, which is worth checking before you deposit with a forex or CFD provider.
The FSCA regularly warns the public about forex schemes and about people impersonating authorised brokers. In a warning of 3 September 2026 it said the public should not accept financial advice, assistance or investment offers from anyone the FSCA has not authorised, and that authorised providers must clearly display their authorisation status in their documentation.
This is a summary of public sources, not legal or tax advice. Rules and hours change: check with your regulator, and with your broker, before you open an account.
- FSCA: regulated people and entities (FSP search), checked 8 October 2026
- FSCA: media releases and public warnings, checked 8 October 2026
Forex session times in South Africa: January and July
Each city's business day on its own clock, converted to SAST for a mid-January and a mid-July day.
| Session (local hours) | SAST, mid-January (UTC+2) | SAST, mid-July (UTC+2) |
|---|---|---|
| Sydney 07:00–16:00 | 22:00 (previous day) – 07:00 | 23:00 (previous day) – 08:00 |
| Tokyo 09:00–18:00 | 02:00 – 11:00 | 02:00 – 11:00 |
| London 08:00–17:00 | 10:00 – 19:00 | 09:00 – 18:00 |
| New York 08:00–17:00 | 15:00 – 00:00 (next day) | 14:00 – 23:00 |
Session overlaps in South Africa
London–New York, and the shorter Sydney–Tokyo and Tokyo–London overlaps, on SAST.
| Overlap | Mid-January | Mid-July |
|---|---|---|
| Sydney + Tokyo | 02:00 – 07:00 (5 h) | 02:00 – 08:00 (6 h) |
| Tokyo + London | 10:00 – 11:00 (1 h) | 09:00 – 11:00 (2 h) |
| London + New York | 15:00 – 19:00 (4 h) | 14:00 – 18:00 (4 h) |
Why London–New York, with the source
London and New York overlap when the two largest trading locations' business days coincide; the UK alone handled 38% of global FX turnover in April 2025 (BIS). That is a fact about volume by location, not a forecast for any pair or hour.
Best time to trade forex in South Africa
The London–New York overlap: the two largest FX trading locations, both in their business day.
The times, and the limits
If you want the hours when the two largest FX trading locations are both in their business day, trade the London–New York overlap: 15:00–19:00 SAST in mid-January and 14:00–18:00 SAST in mid-July; this week's dated times are in the first table on this page. No window is best for every pair, strategy or news day, so check the spread and the economic calendar before relying on it.
Weekly open and close in South Africa
Sunday 17:00 to Friday 17:00 New York time, read on SAST.
| Weekly | Mid-January | Mid-July |
|---|---|---|
| Opens (Sunday 17:00 New York) | Monday 00:00 | Sunday 23:00 |
| Closes (Friday 17:00 New York) | Saturday 00:00 | Friday 23:00 |
Broker hours, with a source
The week runs from Sunday 17:00 to Friday 17:00 New York time. Brokers differ by minutes: OANDA lists 17:05 to 16:59 with a daily 16:59–17:05 break (OANDA, checked 7 October 2026).
Does daylight saving change forex hours in South Africa?
South Africa stays on UTC+2 all year.
How the clock changes move the sessions
The session times on this clock still move by an hour, because New York, London and Sydney change their clocks, on different dates. The live clock above applies every change for today's date.