Individuals may trade the monetary unit of a country, known as currency, for another type of money. Investors and banks usually facilitate this process over the Internet, by using an electronic currency exchange. These electronic exchanges CONNECT BUYERS and sellers of currency. History Originally, economies were based upon barter in which individuals would trade one physical good for another. Before 1917, central banks used gold as a reserve, but inflated money supplies created inflation, with the cost of everyday goods rising. Over time, banks TRADED CURRENCIES among each other, creating modern electronic foreign exchange markets. Forex The FOREIGN EXCHANGE MARKET, or FOREX, helps traders transfer their money from one currency to another. Purpose Financial institutions and businesses use FOREX IN order to convert one currency into another. Businesses located in different countries need the currencies of other nations in order to conduct their business. Trading Financial institutions exchange currency through online transactions. Individuals TRADE CURRENCY through online brokerages. Read more about Forex here -- http://alpari.com