Future Exchange Rate Calculator
Calculate implied future exchange rates based on Interest Rate Parity (IRP).
Understanding the Future Exchange Rate
The Future Exchange Rate Calculator utilizes the concept of Interest Rate Parity (IRP) to estimate the future value of a currency pair. In international finance, the difference in interest rates between two countries is the primary driver of the "forward" exchange rate relative to the current "spot" rate.
This calculation assumes that investors should not be able to earn an arbitrage profit by borrowing in a country with a lower interest rate, exchanging the currency, and investing in a country with a higher interest rate, once the forward exchange contract is taken into account.
How It Works
The calculation uses the following standard formula:
Future Rate = Spot Rate × [ (1 + Domestic Rate) / (1 + Foreign Rate) ] ^ Time
- Spot Exchange Rate: The current price to exchange one currency for another today.
- Domestic Rate: The risk-free interest rate of the quote currency (the second currency in the pair).
- Foreign Rate: The risk-free interest rate of the base currency (the first currency in the pair).
- Forward Premium/Discount: If the future rate is higher than the spot rate, the base currency is trading at a premium. If lower, it is trading at a discount.
Practical Applications
Businesses and investors use these calculations to hedge against currency risk. For example, an importer who needs to pay a supplier in a foreign currency in six months might use a forward contract to lock in a specific rate today, based on these interest rate differentials, rather than gambling on the spot market in the future.