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FX Initiative Blog

Actionable insights on foreign exchange risk management from FX Initiative.

Simplifying FX Spot Transactions

Simplifying FX Spot Transactions (Video): Discover how FX spot transactions serve as the basis for all currency derivatives such as forwards, options, and option combinations. This video is a preview of FX Initiative’s FX Spot & Derivatives course as part of Learning Objective #1.

 

To learn more, start your FX risk management training today, which provides 24/7 365 access to our complete suite of foreign exchange (FX) continuing professional education (CPE), examples & events at FXCPE.com.

 

FX Pricing & Booking Best Practices

FX Pricing & Booking Best Practices (Video): Explore how multinational corporations can retain and reduce FX risk by pricing and booking FX transactions strategically. This video is a preview of FX Initiative’s FX Risk Management course as part of Learning Objective #1.

 

To learn more, start your FX risk management training today, which provides 24/7 365 access to our complete suite of foreign exchange (FX) continuing professional education (CPE), examples & events at FXCPE.com.

 

Time Zones & FX Trading Trends

Time Zones & FX Trading Trends (Video): Discover how time zones impact global foreign exchange (FX) market trading, volume, and liquidity. This video is a preview of FX Initiative’s FX Market Overview course as part of Learning Objective #2.

 

To learn more, start your FX risk management training today, which provides 24/7 365 access to our complete suite of foreign exchange (FX) continuing professional education (CPE), examples & events at FXCPE.com.

 

Mastering FX Risk Management Webinar

Program Overview

FX Initiative cordially invites you to attend our webinar titled “Mastering Currency Risk Management”. Join us for a continuing professional education (CPE) program and earn CPE credit as we address the fundamental concepts of corporate foreign exchange (FX) risk management. This informational session will share best practices on how to identify, analyze, execute, and optimize a foreign exchange (FX) risk management program. Participants will learn how to assess a firm’s FX risk profile using a step-by-step analysis framework, the four approaches for managing FX risk, the impact FX risk has on the financial statements, and key terminology and takeaways for building a world class FX risk management program.

Learning Objectives
  1. Discover how leading multinational corporations identify foreign exchange (FX) risk, including transaction, translation, and economic risk.
  2. Explore how to analyze FX risk management strategies, including balance sheet hedging, cash flow hedging, and net investment hedging.
  3. Identify key considerations when executing FX risk management plans, including the importance of strategy, policy and financial reporting.
  4. Recognize approaches to optimizing FX risk management plans by investing in personnel, resources, and operations to improve results.
Who Should Attend?

New and seasoned finance, accounting, treasury, and related professionals (CPA, CIA, CRMA, CFE, etc.) interested in international business.

White Label Web Applications

FX Initiative's white label web applications are designed to help treasury professionals and FX sales teams with a wide variety of foreign exchange (FX) risk management challenges and opportunities. Whether you are creating a FX risk policy or analyzing economic and accounting scenarios, our risk models and strategy simulations share best practices in easily understandable formats.

Examples include:

  • FX Risk Policy
  • FX Terms Glossary
  • ISO Currency Codes
  • Foreign Subsidiaries
  • FX Revenues
  • FX Expenses
  • FX Receivables
  • FX Payables
  • FX Spot Transactions
  • FX Forward Contracts
  • FX Option Contracts
  • FX Zero Cost Collars

 

Our white label web applications are branded with the client's logo and embedded as an iframe into the client's website. An iframe is one of the most convenient HTML structures, and is an embedded window on the client’s web page that shows content hosted on FX Initiative’s servers. In 4 simple steps, our solutions can be deployed on the client's website quickly and easily with minimal technology resources.


Learn More

FX Risk Management Maturity Model


Foreign exchange (FX) risk management involves identifying, analyzing, and prioritizing various foreign currency exposures, and developing and implementing a coordinated and systematic plan that utilizes company resources efficiently and effectively to mitigate FX risk.

The degree to which companies implement adequate foreign exchange risk management practices can vary substantially, from not managing the risk at all to engaging in robust hedging activities, and as a result, the impact on the bottom line can vary widely across organizations.

This FX Risk Management Maturity Model outlines the 5 stages of a comprehensive currency risk management program. The process involves performing a FX risk assessment, developing a FX risk management policy, and implementing progressive FX hedging strategies.

5 Stage FX Risk Management Maturity Model

  1. FX Risk Assessment: Exposure Identification & Measurement
  2. FX Risk Management Policy: Hedging Guidelines & Procedures
  3. Balance Sheet Hedging: Booked Receivables & Payables
  4. Cash Flow Hedging: Forecasted Revenues & Expenses
  5. Net Investment Hedging: Subsidiary Earnings & Equity

The design and implementation of a FX risk management program must take into account the specific goals and objectives of the firm, the organizational structure and operations, the line of products and/or services, and any other variable that may be material and of relevance.

For firms that are new to foreign exchange risk management, emphasis should be placed on progress over perfection. Initial risk management plans are never perfect, and should be viewed as a process that is responsive to change and capable of continuous enhancement.

To learn more about FX risk assessments, policies, and hedging strategies, start your FX risk management training today, which provides 24/7 365 access to our complete suite of foreign exchange (FX) continuing professional education (CPE), examples & events at FXCPE.com.

Mapping Currencies Across Countries

Mapping Currencies Across Countries: It is evident that no one single world currency exists. There are over 180 currencies recognized as legal tender in circulation throughout the world. The most widely used list of currencies is known as ISO 4217, which is a standard published by the International Organization for Standardization or the ISO. The ISO is an international standard-setting body composed of representatives from various national standards organizations, and the ISO 4217 currency codes shown in this interactive map are used in banking and business globally.

While many of us are familiar with the “Major” currencies, which include the euro, British pound sterling, Australian dollar, New Zealand dollar, United States dollar, Canadian dollar, Swiss franc, and Japanese yen, there are so many more currencies to explore. This interactive map helps you explore the world through the lens of currency. All 180 currencies in circulation are mapped using geographic coordinates and ISO 4217 currency codes. Simply click on the dots on the map to reveal the ISO 4217 currency code, currency name, country.

To learn more about conquering currency risk, start your FX risk management training today, which provides 24/7 365 access to our complete suite of foreign exchange (FX) continuing professional education (CPE), examples & events at FXCPE.com.

 

End-of-Year FX Education

Take advantage of end-of-year foreign exchange (FX) education by completing our 6 part foreign exchange risk management training program. Whether you need to research a foreign exchange educational topic related to your global business, or want to simulate a foreign exchange risk management strategy using our interactive examples, we offer a wide array of quality informational topics and tools that can help you manage FX risk.

FX Initiative is designed to make complex foreign currency matters simple and manageable, and is accessible 24 hours a day 7 days a week to meet your global business needs whenever and wherever a foreign exchange opportunity arises so you can make the right decisions to meet your FX objectives.

FX Initiative helps Banking & Treasury Professionals answer FX risk management questions such as:

  • How to manage currency risk?
  • How to draft a FX risk policy?
  • Where to look for FX risk exposures?
  • What currency risks to hedge and how?
  • Which strategies meet FX hedge objectives?
  • What are the economics?
  • How to do FX accounting?

Get acquainted with all of the educational topics and interactive examples available exclusively to subscribers. We encourage you to start by watching our 6 part online video series, then review and test with quizzes and CPE exams, and reinforce learning using real-world examples. Throughout your learning experience, feel free to visit our terms glossary and frequently asked questions for clarification or contact our support department for help along the way.

Student Subscribers have access to the following 6 one-hour long currency risk management educational videos, as well as review quizzes, CPE Exams, CPE Credits, and Certificates of Completion:

  1. Foreign Exchange (FX) Market Overview
  2. FX Risk Exposures
  3. FX Risk Management
  4. FX Spot & Derivatives
  5. Hedging FX Transactions
  6. Hedging Foreign Subsidiaries

Professional Subscribers have access to all Student benefits, plus access to our complete suite of interactive examples to help reinforce learning concepts and model risk management strategies:

FX Initiative training is available 24/7 365 to help you with FX risk policies, FX accounting, FX hedge strategies, and everything FX risk management related. Controllers and consultants alike can enhance their foreign exchange policies and procedures and simulate common hedging strategies using our collection of tools to clarify complex issues in real time to predictably mitigate currency risk when transacting across borders.

FX Initiative is focused on foreign exchange and continuously strives to deliver world class foreign exchange (FX) continuing professional education (CPE), examples and events on currency risk management. To take advantage of end-of-year foreign exchange (FX) education, start your FX risk management training today, which provides 24/7 365 access to our complete suite of foreign exchange (FX) continuing professional education (CPE), examples & events at FXCPE.com.

Features of FX Forward Contracts

Features of FX Forward Contracts (Video): Find out the distinctive features of foreign exchange (FX) forward contracts and discover how they can be used to hedge FX risk. This video is a preview of FX Initiative’s FX Spot & Derivatives course as part of Learning Objective #1.

 

To learn more, start your FX risk management training today, which provides 24/7 365 access to our complete suite of foreign exchange (FX) continuing professional education (CPE), examples & events at FXCPE.com.

 

Happy Thanksgiving from FX Initiative!

Happy Thanksgiving from FX Initiative! We’re thankful for our wonderful team members and clients.

To our valued clients, partners, and team, we are grateful for all you’ve done for our business this year. All of your hard work, dedication, and resilience has helped us reach our organization’s goals for 2022. On this holiday, we want to make sure you know how much you’re appreciated and how much we value your contributions. We hope you have a joyous holiday and we look forward to serving your foreign exchange risk management needs well into the future.

On behalf of FX Initiative, we wish you, your family, and loved ones a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.