How Manage Foreign Exchange Risk

During the Covid-19 pandemic, the foreign exchange market has seen dramatic fluctuations, including changes in currency rates. The global economy has almost ceased due to strict regulations regarding lockdowns and contain the outbreak. The pandemic has affected the stock market and oil prices, putting brakes on the global economy.

According to Alan Safahi, a San Francisco-based startup founder and entrepreneur, the forex market seeks safe-havens, and traders move toward the U.S. Dollar, Swiss Franc, and Japanese Yen. Safahi’s research and analysis show that commodity and smaller currencies have also suffered during the pandemic.

These currencies include the New Zealand Dollar, Australian Dollar, Swedish Krona, and Norwegian krone. In today’s article, we will guide you on how to manage foreign exchange risk. Make sure you read this guide thoroughly to get the most out of it. Read on!

Do Some Background Research

Alan Safahi of Orinda suggests traders do some background research on currency volatility to source the right supplier or search for overseas property. Because foreign exchange is a complex market, it is crucial to consult a specialist or expert who can guide you on the risk mitigation strategies and explain how to stay stable in the market.

Invoice and Contract in U.S Dollars

Individuals and businesses use different protection strategies against fluctuations in exchange rates. Invoicing and contracting in U.S dollars is the easiest strategy to keep your expenses, revenues, and profits in the same currency.

Traders who are active in their home currencies will have no transaction and translation risk because these risks are passed to their overseas business partners. However, some overseas business partners may charge you for them to take over the risks.

Use a Foreign Currency Bank Account

According to Safahi, Founder at Zed Network, a payment orchestration platform focused on cross border payments and FX, “matching” is another effective option to mitigate or manage risks in foreign exchange. For instance, you need to open a foreign currency account and match your sales receipts from foreign customers with payments due to foreign suppliers with the same currency.

Make sure you deposit the receipt in the bank account and then use your balance to pay the supplier. It is an effective strategy because it reduces your currency exposure to your balance left in the account, especially after meeting the foreign-currency liabilities.

Use Hedging Methods

Safahi, a global entrepreneur with thorough knowledge of hedging methods for foreign exchange risk management, suggests that, if several months are likely to pass between your contract signing and payment in a foreign currency, it is better to hedge it through a forward exchange contract.

Bear in mind that such contracts are typically the “purchase now and pay later” deal, allowing you to lock in exchange rates at a determined date in the future. According to Alan Safahi of Orinda, the set date is usually anywhere between 6-24 months.

A forward contract is an excellent way to manage foreign exchange risk because one party buys and another sells currency on a set date in the future at a predetermined exchange rate. You can make contracts with a bank or currency provider through Zed to minimize risks.

Final Words

Foreign exchange risks involve fluctuations in currency exchange rates, affecting a company’s financial performance. Remember, these changes in currency exchange rates can significantly damage your business profits by consuming into margins. If you want to manage foreign exchange risks, follow the tips and tricks given above. These guidelines are based on Alan Safahi’s years of experience and up-to-date knowledge of the market.

Originally Posted: https://vocal.media/trader/how-to-manage-foreign-exchange-risk-an-essential-guide

How Does Foreign Exchange Trading Work?

According to Alan Safahi, a leading San Francisco startup founder, advisor, and entrepreneur, foreign exchange trading, also known as forex trading, is a global marketplace that focuses on exchanging currencies against one another and involves the relative value of one specific currency over another.

Research conducted by Alan Safahi of Orinda, CA highlights that forex markets are the largest and most liquid asset markets worldwide due to streamlined trading, commerce, and finance. The foreign exchange market has a colossal amount of liquidity, enabling people to actively trade trillions of dollars every trading day. In today’s article, we will discuss how foreign exchange or forex trading works? Read on!

Currency Value Measurement

A currency value is analyzed and measured through the amount of another currency it can purchase. The process is known as the price quote, which contains two prices: a bid and asks. People use the “ask price” when buying a currency. Likewise, traders use the bid price when selling currencies.

Bear in mind that a financial instrument’s ask price is usually higher than the bid price, meaning a bank purchases your currency at slightly lower prices. In contrast, the bank will sell it at a higher rate. Safahi advises traders to learn the basic and advanced concepts of a bid and ask price to measure currency value.

Liquidity Analysis

According to Safahi, liquidity refers to the activity levels of the market. Traders determine liquidity by analyzing the number of traders who are actively trading and measuring their total volume.

Because forex trading occurs 24/7, it is the most liquid market in the world. More liquidity means tighter spread, which favors everyone. Because trading is ongoing, traders can conduct it smoothly with plentiful liquidity. However, Safahi advises traders to keep an eye on price gaps to evaluate significant price shifts over the shortest periods.

Placing a Buy Order

Traders must focus on forex mechanics. You can trade at the click of a mouse on any trading platform. For instance, you will place a buy order on the USD/EUR currency pair and use a portion of funds from your account to buy the pair’s base currency. For example, you will buy the USD and sell the pair’s quoted currency, the EUR.

You will place the order with the broker, market maker or communicate with the Forex Interbank Market directly. Remember, the interbank market has big players. Safahi states that you can place orders to sell currencies that you don’t own.

Close the Order

Depending on your trading strategies, you will wait until your purchased currency has increased value relative to the sold one. When you are satisfied with the accumulated profit, you will close the order.

Likewise, the broker will perform the opposite transactions – selling dollars and purchasing euros. Bear in mind that you can also place a sell order to reverse the process. Understanding these concepts is essential for beginners to streamline their trading.

Final Words

It is often confusing for beginners to understand the concepts of buying and selling in foreign exchange markets because, in every trade, traders exchange one currency for another. It means there is always a “buy” and “sell” in every trading process.

Originally Posted: https://alansafahi.com/how-does-foreign-exchange-trading-work/

Businesses Benefit from Currency Exchange

Small-medium businesses play a crucial role in a country’s overall gross-domestic-product (GDP). According to Alan Safahi, a business advisor, entrepreneur, and San Francisco Startup Founder, small-medium enterprises contribute to 50% of the U.S GDP.

However, Safahi says that companies often find it challenging to manage cash flow, especially when they do business overseas with significant currency fluctuations, leading to uncertainty and risky profit margins.

Alan Safahi of Orinda advises businesses to use the right combination of cash management payment strategies to improve their cash flow and protect profits. For instance, Safahi recommends having foreign currency accounts because they are ideal solutions for companies that have several transactions in specific currencies.

Besides, having cash ready in a particular currency can help businesses make informed decisions, react quickly, and reduce risks. Foreign currency accounts also lessen the need for multiple currency transfers. In today’s article, we will give you five currency exchange strategies to benefit your business. Read on!

1. Use Spot Payments

Spot payment is an excellent strategy for businesses, allowing them to buy or sell currency at the current rate. Safahi recommends spot rates for smaller and less regular payments. You can also use it for rapid currency exchange. Make sure you look for providers that offer competitive spreads and low fees between buying and selling rates.

2. Hedge with a Forward Contract

It is an effective strategy that allows you to buy a set amount of currency for settlement at a predetermined exchange rate and a determined value date in the future. A forward contract is suitable for businesses, especially when they want to protect against fluctuations. It is also helpful for budgeting and money management. For instance, when you fix prices in advance, you can budget and plan easily while knowing their costs.

3. Leverage from Online Transfers

Online transfers provide effective and easier cash management, allowing you to increase payment visibility. Using online transfers enables you to set cost-effective invoices with overseas vendors. For example, Zed Network, a payment orchestration platform focused on cross border payments and foreign exchange (FX), offers an online FX platform, allowing business owners to manage global payments online effectively and easily at any time with the lowest costs and the most competitive FX rates.

4. Use a Budgeting Tool

Safahi recommends selecting the right budgeting tool that streamlines the currency exchange process and gives you more visibility overexposures. Use a budgeting tool that calculates currency exposures for different invoices automatically.

For instance, you can go to a single platform and evaluate your cross-border cash flows, especially incoming and outgoing cash flows in your home currency. That way, you can make informed decisions and mitigate risks.

5. Settle Invoices in Local Currency

It is crucial to settle invoices with your overseas vendors in the local currency. According to Alan Safahi, one in five suppliers from China adds 3–4% to U.S dollar invoices. The purpose is to cover fluctuations in foreign exchange. When you deal with vendors in their local currency, you can negotiate with them and get a discount.

Final Words

If you want to streamline your currency exchange operations, make sure you implement a solid plan. Don’t worry about where the rates of exchange go because after you determine the rate, it is still suitable for you even if the rate moves down the line. The five tips given above will help you optimize your currency exchange processes and reduce risks.

Originally Posted: https://safahi.com/5-ways-businesses-can-benefit-from-currency-exchange-b3c94b8cb175

Tips for Currency Exchange Investment

Alan Safahi, the San Francisco-based startup company Founder and currency exchange expert, says that currency trading could be a stable and profitable way to improve your investment portfolio as long as you do your homework and hedge against volatility.

If you don’t have a thorough knowledge of global politics, macroeconomic, and geo-economics, however,  it is better for you to avoid doing currency exchange investing, according to Safahi who manages Safahi Global Advisors.

If you want to start a currency exchange business and earn profits, make sure you learn ways to create an investment strategy. Here are five beginner tips for a currency exchange investment.

1. Focus on Basics of Currency Investment

People trade different currencies on the forex market every day. The forex market operates between traders who are represented by brokers. Although currency exchange investment through forex is the best way, you can also do this by purchasing ETFs and investing in corporations.

Bear in mind that people trade currencies in “currency pairs.” The pair includes a “base currency” and a “counter currency.” The counter currency helps determine the base currency value. These currencies can appreciate or depreciate separately or together, meaning you have to monitor them closely.

2. Hire an Exchange Broker

According to Alan Safahi of Orinda, CA, beginners should hire an exchange broker or service to get started in the forex market. Professional service or broker has all the necessary knowledge and experience in forex trading.

A broker keeps an eye on the market and knows how to streamline the operations for profit. Many beginner investors find it challenging to trade currencies, but they can hire or use an authorized broker to safeguard their investment capitals.

3. Invest in Stable Currencies

The U.S Dollar, the Swiss Franc, the Swedish Krona, the Japanese Yen, and the British Pound Sterling are some of the most popular currencies for beginners to make investments. Safahi says that these are stable currencies with lower fluctuation risks, meaning beginners can earn good profits by investing in these stable currencies.

Moreover, as a beginner, you can also invest in the Singapore Dollar, the Australian Dollar, and the Norwegian Krone. Although these are stable currencies, the forex market is unpredictable, meaning anything can happen at any time.

Therefore, Safahi recommends looking at the market conditions of the time before making investments. A currency that is stable today can experience drastic changes within a matter of seconds. So, you have to be very careful and consult experts to keep things optimized.

4. Consider Various Market Factors

Before making a currency exchange investment, Safahi says it is wise to consider a few factors, evaluate them, and make an informed decision based on the results. Some of the critical factors you should consider are:

• A strong GDP
• Low Inflation
• Low unemployment rate
• High economic activities

These are key indicators that show the currency is stable enough, and making investments in it will help you earn profits.

5. Discover Opportunities

Although the forex market is full of opportunities, Alan Safahi, an entrepreneur, says that beginners should focus on discovering undeveloped and underdeveloped aspects of a nation’s economy. Alan Safahi advises that economic innovations, oil-&-gas discoveries, small business investments and infrastructure development are indicators of a growing currency value.

Moreover, you must examine currencies that have gained value for the last couple of years. Once you have identified and analyzed these currencies, determine factors or aspects that led to the momentum or growth of the currency. Unlike other traders, if you focus on these underdeveloped aspects of a country’s economy, you can find excellent opportunities and make profits.

Final Words

According to Alan Safahi, a professional currency trader has an in-depth knowledge of countries, geopolitics, geo-economics, and socioeconomics. Beginners should explore the concepts of nationalization, sovereign defaults, corruption, GDP levels, employment rates, inflation levels, and governmental instability. Changes in these factors are directly proportional to fluctuation in currency stocks.

Originally Posted: https://www.allperfectstories.com/currency-exchange-investment