Traders’ Slang: How to Talk Like a Pro

Traders all over the world always communicate and share their experiences. Of course, like in any other profession, in trading, there are many slang words traders use to talk to each other. If you are a beginner and want to understand a professional language, in this article, we will figure out what each word means.

Why do traders need a slang?

In the world of trading, many terms are either too long or too hard to pronounce. To make professional communication shorter and more fluent, traders over the years have developed their own language. Now they use it ubiquitously, and we will help you to understand them.

Trading slang words definition

Forex pairs

Now it’s time to discuss words themselves. Let’s begin with the ones that are used to name trading instruments

Aussie / Ozzie

Refers to the AUDUSD pair (Australian Dollar vs. US Dollar).

Kiwi

The NZDUSD pair (New Zealand Dollar vs. US Dollar), named after New Zealand’s iconic bird.

Loonie

Nickname for the USDCAD pair (US Dollar vs. Canadian Dollar). It's named after the loon bird on Canada’s $1 coin.

Fiber

Refers to the EURUSD pair (Euro vs. US Dollar).

Trading moves

In the market, there are many positive and negative tendencies that describe the situation at a specific moment of time. Traders made special words for those, too. Let’s figure out their definitions.    

To the moon

When a stock or cryptocurrency price is rapidly increasing, often used with high excitement or optimism. Bitcoin is going to the moon 

Tanking

When the price is falling really fast. My portfolio is tanking after that earnings report

Dip

A short-term drop in price that traders often see as a buying opportunity. ETH is down 8% today – buying the dip!

Trading styles

All the traders have their own trading styles, varying in their aggressiveness, preferred types of trades and instruments, and value. Some slang words referring to this topic first appeared recently and are closely connected with the modern generation’s slang. That’s because nowadays more and more young people become interested in trading and bring their culture to the trading community. Now let’s dive a little deeper into the definition of the terms, formed thanks to this amazing tendency. 

Bottom fishing

Buying a stock or crypto after it has dropped a lot, hoping it will go back up. This stock has crashed, so I'm bottom fishing and hoping for a rebound.

Gigachad trade

A perfect trade with flawless timing and results. He bought before the breakout and sold at the top – total gigachad trade.

Gunning

Entering a trade aggressively because you expect quick movement or returns. Looks like the bulls are gunning for a breakout above resistance.

Bulls

Traders who believe prices will go up. They’re optimistic and push markets higher. The bulls are in control – stocks are rallying hard today.

Bears

Traders who think prices will fall. They’re more cautious or even pessimistic. Bears are shorting everything after that bad economic data.

Whales

Super-rich traders or institutions that move huge amounts of money and can affect the market with one trade. A crypto whale just dumped a huge position – it’s shaking up the market.

Unicorns

Startups valued at over $1 billion. Rare and magical… just like in the stories. That fintech company just hit unicorn status after its funding round!

Fill or kill (FOK)

A type of order that must be completed fully right away, or it gets canceled. I placed a Fill or Kill at $10. If I can’t get all the shares instantly, I don’t want any.

Get rekt

Internet slang for “wrecked.” It means you lost a lot of money on a trade. Tried to short the pump and got rekt when the price kept going up.

 YOLO

Short for “You Only Live Once”, used when taking a risky trade with little caution. I just threw my whole account on this meme coin… YOLO!

Policymaking slang

Now let’s talk about the last category for today. These are words that describe policymakers and the government, and their actions that influence the market.  

Fedspeak

The confusing or vague way the US Federal Reserve talks about the economy. Traders try to guess what they really mean. The Fed said some careful words today – classic Fedspeak. Might mean interest rates won’t go up soon.

Doves

Policymakers who prefer lower interest rates to help the economy grow. The Fed sounded dovish today – good news for the markets.

Hawks

The opposite of doves. They focus on controlling inflation and supporting higher interest rates. Hawkish comments from the Fed spooked investors.

 Conclusion

This list of trading slang words represents only the most common ones. The world of trading is enormous, and if you have decided to enter it, you will discover many more words related to this topic. Follow Headway, and we will support you on your path in this dangerous, but interesting and very profitable world!