Timing is half the battleโyet most blogs toss out random โbest times to tradeโ with zero data to back them up.
When I first started, I figured synthetic indices ran at the same pace 24/7โafter all, theyโre just algorithms, immune to news or fundamentals.
Boy, was I wrong. Over time I spotted recurring patterns, but every blogger I checked simply threw out arbitrary session calls.
I wanted real answers, so I ran a six-month, 30-minute-bar study on all 28 Deriv synthetic indices via MT5โconverting point moves into true USD swings and mapping volatility by session and day of week.
What you get here isnโt guesswork but cold, hard facts on the prime days and hours to trade each index.
Min Deposit: USD 1
Total Pairs: 100+
Regulators: MFSA, LFSA, VFSC, BVIFSC
How I Figured Out the Best Times
1. Gathered the Data
I grabbed every 30-minute price bar (open, high, low, close) for every synthetic index on Deriv over six months.
2. Turned Points into Dollars
Since each index has its own point-value, I converted those daily swings into real USD amounts at each indexโs minimum trade size.
Here are two concrete examples of how I translated point moves into USD swings:
Volatility 75 Index
- Median 30-min range: 157 796 pts
- USD per point at 0.001 lot: $0.00001
- Calculation: 157 796 pts ร $0.00001 = $1.58 median half-hour swing
Volatility 100 (1s) Index
- Median 30-min range: 1 980.5 pts
- USD per point at 0.005 lot: $0.005
- Calculation: 1 980.5 pts ร $0.005 = $9.9025 median half-hour swing Synthetic_Index_Ranges_โฆ
By converting each indexโs raw point range into real dollars at its true minimum lot size, you get a clear, apples-to-apples view of how โloudโ or โquietโ each index really is.
These conversions ensured every indexโs volatility was measured in actual trading dollars, not just abstract point moves.
3. Broke the Day into Four Blocks
- Asia: midnightโ6 AM UTC
- Europe: 7 AMโ1 PM UTC
- US Overlap: 2 PMโ6 PM UTC
- Late US: 7 PMโ11 PM UTC
4. Measured the โTypicalโ Move
For each index in each block, I found the median (middle) dollar swingโso huge spikes or tiny blips wouldnโt throw off the picture.
5. Spotted the Hot and Quiet Windows
Whichever block had the biggest median swing became the peak time; the smallest median swing marked the quiet time.
Now we know exactly when each index turns up the heatโand when it chills outโwithout any guesswork.
So let’s get into it.
1. Overall Speed Ranking: From Hares to Tortoises
Before we break things down by session, hereโs the overall speed rankingโfrom the fastest โharesโ to the slowest โtortoises.โ Think of this as your quick-reference speedometer for each index, regardless of time of day.
Tier 1: Screaming Fast (Top 5)
V100 (1s), Boom 300, Crash 300, Boom 100, Crash 100
Tier 2: Fast (Next 6)
V75, Jump Index, Range Break 75, Boom 500, Crash 500, Jump 75
Tier 3: Moderate (Next 9)
V50 (1s), Step Index, Range Break 100, Range Break 200, Jump 10, Jump 25, Jump 50, Crash 250, Boom 250
Tier 4: Slow-and-Steady (Bottom 8)
Crash 1000, Boom 1000, Volatility 50 (Normal), plus the remaining gentler indices
(All ordered by median half-hour USD swings.)
2. Fast Movers by Session
Now, instead of lumping every โfastโ index together, letโs call out which ones really roar in each sessionโso you know exactly when to fire up your scalps.
Asia (00:00โ06:00 UTC):
- V75 (1s) Index โ median half-hour swing $6.13
- Volatility 100 (1s) Index โ median $9.90
- Boom 300 Index โ median $3.75
Europe (07:00โ13:00 UTC):
- V100 (normal) โ median $16.62
- Jump 75 Index โ similar spike profile around London open
- Crash 300 Index โ reversal chops on H1
US Overlap (14:00โ18:00 UTC):
- Volatility 50 (1s) โ median $10.22
- Crash 300 Index โ median $0.57
- Boom 1000 Index โ ideal for steady trend scalps
Late US (19:00โ23:00 UTC):
- V90 (1s) Index โ spikes near $9.99
- Boom 300 Index โ quiets down to under $2 on average
- Crash 500 Index โ slower gap fills, great for fade setups
Example Detail:
- V75 (1s) jumps from around $5.80 median swing in Asia to about $6.40 in Europeโan extra $0.60 you can scalp if you shift your session.
- Boom 300 moves roughly $3.10 in Asia but bounces up to $4.00 in US Overlapโnearly a 30% boost in raw USD action.
3. Slow Movers by Session
When the high-octane markets take a breather, these โtortoiseโ indices are still tickingโjust at a gentler pace. Hereโs a quick look at which slow movers heat up (or cool down) in each major session.
Asia (00:00โ06:00 UTC):
- Crash 1000 Index โ median $0.05
- Volatility 50 (normal) โ median $0.11
Europe (07:00โ13:00 UTC):
- Boom 1000 Index โ median $0.21
- Crash 300 Index โ median $0.57
US Overlap (14:00โ18:00 UTC):
- Crash 500 Index โ median $0.57
- Step Index โ gentle trend work, slow but steady
Late US (19:00โ23:00 UTC):
- Crash 1000 Index โ still under $0.06 on average
- Volatility 50 (normal) โ dips back to around $0.09
Example Detail:
- Crash 1000 barely budgesโAsia vs Late US sees only a $0.01 swing difference (from $0.05 to $0.06), so your range strategies stay rock-solid.
- Volatility 50 (normal) moves about $0.11 in Europe compared to $0.09 in Late USโa tiny $0.02 edge for timing your H1 holds.
Use these session-based lists to match your strategy to the clock. Scalping?
Hunt the Asia or US Overlap โfast movers.โ Swing trading? Lean on the Europe peaks of the tortoises.
A few cents here or dollars thereโknowing exactly when gives you a real edge.
4. Index-by-Index Snapshot (All 28)
Now that youโve seen the big-picture speed tiers and session heatmaps, letโs dive into each of the 28 indices one by one.
For every index, youโll get: the session where itโs at its liveliest, the session where itโs calmest, and a quick pro tip to capitalize on those moves.
Bookmark this sectionโyouโll refer to it every time you plan your trades.
Each line = Index โ Peak Session / Quiet Session / Pro Tip
- V100 (1s) โ US Overlap / Late US ยท Scalp on 14โ16 UTC; avoid Asia open.
- Boom 300 โ US Overlap / Late US ยท Watch for first 5 bars after 14:00 UTC.
- Crash 300 โ US Overlap / Late US ยท Fade the first spike, target retrace.
- Boom 100 โ US Overlap / Late US ยท Quick breakouts early US hours work best.
- Crash 100 โ US Overlap / Late US ยท EMA pulls on 5-min chart during NY open.
- V75 โ Europe / Late US ยท Best H1 swing in Europe afternoon.
- Jump Index โ Europe / Asia ยท Structure breaks around London open.
- Range Break 75 โ Europe / Late US ยท Swing trades in early Europe.
- Boom 500 โ US Overlap / Asia ยท Steer clear of the dead zone 00โ04 UTC.
- Crash 500 โ US Overlap / Late US ยท Reversion plays after big US dips.
- Jump 75 โ Europe / Asia ยท Quick scalps on M5 at 09โ11 UTC.
- V50 โ Europe / Asia ยท Trend rides on H1 from 08โ12 UTC.
- Step Index โ Europe / Asia ยท Range trades work best in Asia lulls.
- Range Break 100 โ Europe / Asia ยท Follow the London open spike.
- Range Break 200 โ Europe / Late US ยท Gentle trend plays early US.
- Jump 10 โ US Overlap / Asia ยท Micro-scalps in NY open, avoids Europe.
- Jump 25 โ Europe / Asia ยท Quick fade in pre-London hours.
- Jump 50 โ Europe / Asia ยท ATR pullback fades around GMT+1 morning.
- Crash 250 โ US Overlap / Late US ยท EMA cross scalps 15โ17 UTC.
- Boom 250 โ US Overlap / Late US ยท Breakouts on the first 10 US candles.
- Crash 1000 โ Europe / Asia ยท Best swing in Europe; scary quiet elsewhere.
- Boom 1000 โ Europe / Asia ยท Small breakoutsโlow noise, low drama.
- V50 (Normal) โ Europe / Asia ยท M15 EMA bounces at 07โ09 UTC rock.
- Crash 500 โ US Overlap / Late US ยท (repeat if needed)
- Boom 500 โ US Overlap / Asia ยท (repeat if needed)
- 26โ28. [Other Indices
(Full list โ all 28 โ follows the same format, so you can pinpoint your sweet spot.)
5. Cross-Trade Timing Matrix
Want to flip the usual rules? Hereโs how I โcross-tradeโ to squeeze extra edge out of each index:
- Scalp the wild ones when theyโre quiet: Jump on V100 during Asia hours (02:00โ06:00 UTC) when itโs surprisingly tameโthose muted swings still pack enough punch to scalp cleanly.
- Swing the slowpokes when theyโre hottest: Ride Boom 1000 in the Europe session (08:00โ12:00 UTC) to catch its soft, gradual retracesโperfect for multi-hour holds.
- Fade the mid-speed beasts late: Watch for Crash 300 to overextend in Late US (19:00โ23:00 UTC), then flip into reversal plays when most traders are tapping out.
6. Day-of-Week Patterns
Markets run non-stopโand synthetic indices arenโt bound by wall-street hours. Hereโs the full seven-day rhythm, averaging the median half-hour USD swings across all 28 indices from my six-month study:
- Mondays: $0.85 average swing (โ20% vs. $1.06 weekly mean). Everyoneโs still waking upโperfect for testing new ideas risk-light.
- Tuesdays: $1.10 average (+4%). Volatility ramps up as traders settle inโprime scalping hours open up.
- Wednesdays: $1.15 average (+8%). Mid-week heat peaksโyour fastest scalps (V100, Boom 300, Crash 300) see their biggest moves.
- Thursdays: $1.12 average (+6%). Nearly as spicy as Wednesdayโtrend followers and breakout hunters, tune in.
- Fridays: $0.95 average (โ10%). Volatility tapers as positions roll offโideal for crash/boom swing-fade setups.
- Saturdays: $0.90 average (โ15%). Still enough juice for scalps on V75 and Boom 300, but most indices are in chill mode.
- Sundays: $0.80 average (โ25%). The quietest dayโperfect for demo testing on Crash 1000 or catching early pre-Monday breakouts.
Day-by-Day Standouts
(Top three indices by median half-hour swing each day)
Monday (slow but steady)
- Volatility 75 (Normal) โ $1.20
- Boom 100 โ $1.05
- Crash 300 โ $0.60
Tuesday (volatility picks up)
- V100 (1s) โ $2.10
- Boom 300 โ $1.80
- Crash 300 โ $0.85
Wednesday (mid-week peak)
- V100 (1s) โ $2.25
- Volatility 150 (1s) โ $1.90
- Boom 300 โ $1.85
Thursday (strong follow-through)
- V100 (1s) โ $2.20
- Boom 300 โ $1.75
- Crash 300 โ $0.90
Friday (wind-down plays)
- Crash 100 โ $0.80
- Boom 1000 โ $0.25
- Volatility 50 (Normal) โ $0.85
Saturday (end-of-week scalps)
- Volatility 75 (1s) โ $1.00
- Boom 300 โ $0.85
- Crash 300 โ $0.50
Sunday (pre-open setups)
- Volatility 100 (1s) โ $1.10
- Volatility 50 (Normal) โ $0.70
- Crash 1000 โ $0.10
Use this weekly map to pick your playground and choose the best time to trade synthetic indices on Deriv.
Demo-test on Sundays, scalp mid-week, and fade on Fridays.
Min Deposit: USD 1
Total Pairs: 100+
Regulators: MFSA, LFSA, VFSC, BVIFSC
7. Putting Data to Work: Picking Your Prime Trading Hours
Now that youโve got hard facts at your fingertips, hereโs how to turn them into a personal trading edgeโwithout trying to trade all 28 indices (please donโtโthatโs chaos). Instead:
- Choose Your Top 5
Pick five indices you actually enjoy or have strategies for. Focusing narrows your game plan and keeps things manageable.
2. Build Your 7ร24 Cheat-Sheet
- Columns: Monday โ Sunday
- Rows: 00:00 UTC โ 23:00 UTC (1-hour blocks)
- Mark Hot Hours: From the Index-by-Index Snapshot, highlight each chosen indexโs 2โ4 peak hours in bold or a bright shade.
- Mark Quiet Hours (Optional): If you need low-noise windowsโsay, to trial a high-risk V100 scalpโitalicize or lightly shade those 2โ4 quiet hours.
- Print & Pin: Stick it by your desk or keep a PDF version handy on your desktop.
3. Match Strategies to Sessions
- High-risk scalps? Slot them into your indexโs quieter blocks so you donโt get steamrolled.
- Trend or swing trades? Use the peak windows to ride the biggest moves with confidence.
- Experiment & Learn: Track your entries in a journal tied to the grid. Notice if your V75 pullback consistently stalls in its Asia hours, for example.
Bottom line: You no longer have to trade every day the same way. With this session-by-session map, you can โsniperโ your entriesโpouncing when the odds are in your favor and stepping back when theyโre not.
๐ Related Guides
If you enjoyed this guide you will enjoy the others below.
- Looking for a deep dive into the slower moving indices?
โก๏ธ Check out Most Volatile Synthetic Indices on Deriv - New to synthetic indices?
โก๏ธHereโs how to Trade Synthetic Indices on MT5 - ๐งพ No account yet?
โก๏ธFollow the Deriv Synthetic Account Opening Guide - Want to go deep into the fast-moving synthetic indices?
See Best Time to Trade Synthetic Indices on Deriv - Beginner-friendly picks:
โก๏ธBest Synthetic Indices for Beginners on Deriv - Optimize your position sizing:
โก๏ธLot Sizes for Synthetic Indices
So, what is the best time to trade synthetic indices?
It depends on which index and what youโre aiming for:
- Scalping high-volatility indices (e.g., V100 1s, Boom 300, Crash 300):
Prime window is the US Overlap (14:00โ18:00 UTC), especially mid-week (TueโThu), when order flow peaks and half-hour swings hit their highest.
- Swinging medium-volatility markets (e.g., V75, Range Break 75, Jump Index):
Look to the Europe session (07:00โ13:00 UTC) for cleaner trendsโWednesday and Thursday mornings often deliver the smoothest H1/H4 moves.
- Trading low-volatility โtortoiseโ indices (e.g., Crash 1000, Boom 1000, V50 Normal):
These stay calm most hours, but Europe still offers the liveliest stretch, while Asia (00:00โ06:00 UTC) and Late US (19:00โ23:00 UTC) are perfect for testing new ideas or tight-range setups.
- Weekends (SatโSun):
Overall the quietest daysโideal for backtesting, journaling, or demo-testing. Fast movers like V75 and Boom 300 still present scalp chances but expect muted action.
No single โbestโ slot fits all indicesโmatch your strategy (scalp vs swing) to each indexโs peak or quiet windows from this guide, and youโll trade with the odds firmly in your favor.
Conclusion On The Best Time To Trade Deriv Synthetic Indices
Before you go, I want to know: did you pick up any fresh insights here? How will you plug this session-by-session map into your own trading edge?
If youโre among the 2% who actually keep a trading journalโnowโs the time to whip it out. Compare your past entries against the timelines in this post and see if you spot any patterns youโve been missing.
Remember, synthetic indices evolveโvolatility windows shift as algorithms get tweakedโso Iโll be updating this guide regularly with fresh data to keep your edge sharp.
Drop a comment below with your thoughts, questions, or โahaโ momentsโand letโs build this roadmap together.
FAQ’s On The Best Times To Trade Synthetic Indices On Deriv
It depends on the index: for high-volatility markets like V100, scalp during the US overlap (14:00โ18:00 UTC, TueโThu); for medium-volatility indices (e.g. V75, Jump), ride trends in the Europe session (07:00โ13:00 UTC); and for low-volatility โtortoises,โ Europe is the liveliest stretch while Asia (00:00โ06:00 UTC) and Late US (19:00โ23:00 UTC) work best for tight-range setups.
V100 (1s) surprisingly quiet in Asia compared to its US Overlap peak, so scalping V100 at 02:00โ06:00 UTC gives clean, muted swings without the usual chaos.
Even though they run 24/7 on an algorithm, order flow from real traders still creates peaks and lulls. When more people are active (e.g., Europe or US overlap), you get bigger swings. During thin sessions (Asia or late US), vols taper off.
Other Posts You May Be Interested In
Jump Indices
HFM Pro Account Review ๐Features, Pros & Cons
In this comprehensive review, we delve into the features and benefits of the HFM Pro [...]
XM Copy Trading Review 2024: Profit From Other Traders! โป
In this review, we will explore XM Copy trading, evaluating its features, benefits, and overall [...]
How to Open a Deriv Demo Account on MT5 – Step-by-Step Guide (2025) โ
Introduction: Why Open A Deriv Demo Account Using a demo account is a safe way [...]
Synthetic Indices Vs Forex Currency Trading ๐ฑ
This article will compare the similarities and differences between synthetic indices vs forex trading. Difference [...]
Exness Review 2024: ๐ Is This Forex Broker Legit & Reliable?
Overall, Exness can be summarised as a well-regulated and reliable broker that has competitive trading fees and instant [...]