When is the best time to exchange currency?

Currency markets trade around the clock and rates change second by second, so there is no reliable "best time of day" to convert — anyone who could predict it consistently would be very wealthy.

What you can do:

• Avoid weekends. Markets are effectively closed, and providers widen their spreads to cover the risk of gaps.
• Watch central-bank announcements. Rate decisions and major economic data can move a currency sharply within minutes.
• Average large amounts. For a big transfer, converting in a few tranches over time reduces the risk of catching a bad moment.
• Set a rate alert. If you have a target rate, an alert beats refreshing a converter all day.

For everyday amounts, the markup your provider charges matters far more than timing. Getting the mid-market rate reliably beats trying to guess the market.