UPSC » UPSC CSE Study Materials » Polity » Explanation of Forex Swap

Explanation of Forex Swap

Understanding What is forex swap is essential for the entities and countries lending money from foreign entities. Forex swaps are practised to get more favourable interest rates and extra benefits.

Nowadays, many countries worldwide are practising forex swaps, so let us get an overview of what is forex swap? Furthermore, why does RBI want to put liquidity in the system? Does it benefit the country? Forex swaps nowadays are in great practice because of the more favourable rates of loans and lending of money in the foreign countries, and when the currency is converted into the currency of the country that has taken a loan, it benefits them in a significant way. Two methods are there on which the countries borrow and lend money to the other country in the foreign exchange swap.

How does a foreign exchange swap work?

Forex exchange is done to get the currency that one country wants from the country with that currency. For example, if A wants to get the currency owned by B and B wants the currency owned by A, they will exchange the amount of money in the agreement to be exchanged at the initial rates of one currency to another, and then the total amount of interest at maturity.

There are two methods in forex exchange: fixed-to-fixed swap and fixed-for-floating swap. First, while exchanging money with each other at initial rates of exchange, if the price of one currency to another is low, it will benefit the country having high power of the currency. However, when the equal amount is to be returned at maturity, the currency that had depreciated or if the currency was poor at the initial rates and now is vital will be a great advantage when debt is matured.

Many countries try to explain to big companies and individuals what forex swaps are through various programs and financial debates because if they do good, the country will also do good and have an appreciating currency, which will directly increase their passive interest rates.

Pumping liquidity in the system

Why does RBI want to pump liquidity into the system of foreign exchange? It is a big question that many institutes ask RBI. The reason is that foreign exchange trading is a great and easy method of making small jumps in the foreign currency value concerning India’s currency value at the time of maturity. If the liquidity for the trading is there, the amount of trading will directly affect the positive value of India’s rupee.

There are many other reasons why RBI wants to pump liquidity in the forex trading and exchange system at trim and high levels. Many more people who understand what forex swaps are will increase the number of people doing forex trading and increase the jumps in currency.

Currency appreciation through forex swap and trading

What happens when a currency appreciates is also an essential question for the people who are indulged in forex trading and is the deciding factor for the benefits received at the time of maturity of forex swaps. Many people in the trading business of forex just for the benefits still do not know what forex swaps are and what happens when a currency appreciates. So it is highly important for every sector of the citizens of the country who are interested in Forex trading to know these basic questions.

Increment in the value of one country’s currency compared to others is known as currency appreciation. For example, if the value of one dollar is seventy-five rupees at the time of initial forex swaps and it becomes seventy rupees when the exchange amount matures, it means that currency having a low value has appreciated will now benefit the same country with some extra amount of money. 

Currency depreciation

At the time of the 2008 recession, all around the globe, the world bank offered developing countries to borrow the exchange amount as loans from the stable country, and when the currency appreciates return the amount and enjoy the benefits.  

At the time of recession around the globe in developing countries, the flow of money stopped, so to provide stability, governments took loans as foreign exchange and utilised them to provide subsidies and facilities to the citizens.

Conclusion

Doing forex swaps for a developing country is always a risk-taking thing because most developed countries’ currency appreciates most of the time as many critical essential items are bought in their currency; hence, understanding the benefits of forex trading is essential as understanding what is essential is forex swap. At the time when developed countries will invest in our country, if the value of our country money will is comparatively low from developed country’s money and is appreciating at a stable rate, then every other big company in the developing countries will seek to invest in our country ultimately benefiting more towards our economy

faq

Frequently asked questions

Get answers to the most common queries related to the UPSC Examination Preparation.

Is appreciation of currency beneficial for the currency all the time?

Ans : No, not all the time, because what happens when a currency appreciates creates a comparative...Read full

Is depreciation of currency beneficial for the currency all the time?

Ans : No, depreciation of the currency brings the value of the country’s currency low, which ...Read full

What is meant by forex trading?

Ans : Forex swap is directly connected with understanding the forex trading, forex trading is a swap of two countries’ curre...Read full

Why is forex trading important for the process?

Ans : The importance of Forex trading is the reason why it wants to pump liquidity in the system so that at the time of maturity o...Read full