FX conversion costs: spreads, fees and the amount that arrives
Compare delivered amounts, avoid double-counting spread, and understand why transfer size changes the cost comparison.
THE EXPLAINER COLLECTION / 10 GUIDES
FX Newsletter Lab.
Ten field guides to currency pairs, fiat money, dollar stablecoins and the cost of conversion. Follow a reading path, or start with the question on your desk.
A stablecoin depeg checklist: price, liquidity and access
Investigate unusual quotes carefully, distinguishing asset identity, market access, reserve evidence and settlement.
How to calculate FX dollar stablecoin rates
Use worked examples to separate token-dollar pricing, fiat exchange rates and final conversion costs.
How to read central-bank decisions through currency pairs
Separate policy decisions, expectations and price reactions without turning an announcement into a mechanical signal.
USDC vs USDT: compare the route, not just the ticker
Compare issuer evidence, custody, network compatibility and net delivery without inventing a universal winner.
USDC explained: reserves, redemption and the route to cash
Read USDC reserve evidence without confusing issuer backing, market prices, custody and access to redemption.
USDT explained: redemption, networks and transfer costs
Trace a USDT route from the initial token balance to usable funds, including network checks and cost assumptions.
Currency pairs explained: base, quote, spreads and pips
Read EUR/USD and USD/JPY correctly, invert exchange rates, and connect a price increment to a real amount.
How to build a better FX newsletter reading routine
Turn a stream of currency headlines into a focused research note, with a separate lens for dollar stablecoins.
Fiat currency, digital money and your dollar exposure
Separate the currency unit from the instrument, and see why an unchanged dollar balance can change in local value.
Follow a topic
Cross the category boundaries. These topic archives connect quotation, policy, reserve evidence and access with a focused introduction to each reading path.