The degree of price fluctuation in a currency pair over a given period, reflecting market uncertainty.
High volatility expands both opportunity and risk: stops are more likely to be hit, and profits when right can be larger. Volatility spikes around major data releases (NFP, CPI, central bank decisions), geopolitical shocks, and at session opens.
Traders adapt position size and stop distance to prevailing volatility - wider stops in volatile markets maintain the same percentage equity risk per trade.