Buying something expecting its price to go up — the most basic bullish position in any market.
To "go long" means to buy an asset with the expectation that its price will rise. In forex, going long EUR/USD means you're buying euros and selling dollars. If EUR/USD rises, you profit. If it falls, you lose.
The word "long" comes from old Wall Street slang — you hold an asset "for the long term" hoping it appreciates. It doesn't actually imply time duration; you can be long for 10 seconds or 10 years, either way you still "went long."
Opposite of long is short (selling something you don't own, profiting if it falls). In forex, longs and shorts are equally easy — you don't need to borrow anything to go short a currency pair because every forex trade is already a simultaneous buy and sell.
Going long USD/JPY in early 2022 during the carry trade rally was one of the cleanest trades of the year — steady uptrend, clear pullbacks to the 20 EMA, and 1,500 pips of profit for anyone who held.
Frequently asked about long
What is a long in trading?+
Buying something expecting its price to go up — the most basic bullish position in any market.
When will I see long used in real trading?+
In chat rooms, Twitter, broker platforms, and every analyst report ever written. "Long bias," "went long," "closed my long" — all common.
What is the most common mistake traders make with long?+
Going long out of hope instead of analysis. "It has to bounce" is not a setup. Longs need the same technical + risk justification as any other trade.
What do experienced traders know about long that beginners don't?+
Never take a long just because "it's down so much it has to go up." That's called catching a falling knife. Wait for actual price-action confirmation like a strong reversal candle at support.
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