Asia Range Calculator
Calculate the Asian session range high and low for ICT Judas Swing and CBDR strategies. Enter values for instant results with step-by-step formulas.
Calculator
Adjust values & calculateStandard Deviation Projections
Formula
The Asia Range = Asia High - Asia Low. Standard deviation projections multiply the range by n (1, 1.5, 2, 2.5) and add above the high or subtract below the low. CBDR expansion targets use the same range as the projection unit. Judas Swing levels are typically 0.5 SD beyond the range boundaries.
Last reviewed: December 2025
Worked Examples
Example 1: EURUSD Asia Range with CBDR Projections
Example 2: Narrow Asia Range - High Expansion Potential
Background & Theory
The Asia Range Calculator applies the following established principles and formulas. Foreign exchange markets facilitate the conversion of one currency into another and serve as the largest and most liquid financial markets in the world, with daily turnover exceeding seven trillion US dollars. Exchange rates are quoted as currency pairs, expressing the price of one unit of a base currency in terms of a quote currency. For example, a EUR/USD rate of 1.0850 means one euro buys 1.0850 US dollars. The smallest standardized price movement in most pairs is the pip, typically the fourth decimal place, with a value of 0.0001 per unit for USD-denominated pairs. The bid price is the rate at which a dealer will buy the base currency, while the ask price is the rate at which it will sell. The spread between bid and ask represents the dealer's compensation and varies with liquidity and volatility. Leverage amplifies both gains and losses by allowing traders to control positions larger than their deposited margin. A 100:1 leverage ratio means a one-percent adverse move eliminates the entire margin, making position sizing and risk management critical. Two parity conditions from international economics anchor exchange rate theory. Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) holds that exchange rates should adjust over time so that identical goods trade at equivalent prices across countries: S = P_d / P_f, where S is the spot rate and P_d and P_f are domestic and foreign price levels. PPP performs well over long horizons but poorly in the short run due to trade barriers, non-tradable goods, and capital flows. Covered Interest Rate Parity (CIRP) is a near-arbitrage condition stating that forward exchange rate premiums or discounts exactly offset interest rate differentials between two currencies: F/S = (1 + r_d) / (1 + r_f). Deviations from CIRP create riskless arbitrage opportunities that traders rapidly eliminate. Uncovered Interest Rate Parity posits that high-yielding currencies should depreciate to offset their interest advantage, though empirical evidence is mixed and the carry trade — borrowing in low-rate currencies to invest in high-rate ones — has generated persistent returns.
History
The history behind the Asia Range Calculator traces back through the following developments. For much of the nineteenth century and early twentieth century, the international monetary system operated under the classical gold standard, under which each participating currency was fixed to a defined weight of gold, making bilateral exchange rates effectively constant. The system provided price stability and facilitated global trade but constrained governments' ability to respond to economic downturns. World War One shattered the gold standard as nations suspended convertibility to finance wartime expenditures. The interwar period saw attempts to restore gold convertibility, most notably the British return to the gold standard in 1925 at the pre-war parity, a decision criticized by John Maynard Keynes as deflationary. The Great Depression forced widespread currency devaluations and the effective collapse of the international gold standard by the early 1930s. The Bretton Woods Conference of July 1944 established a new order in which member currencies were pegged to the US dollar, while the dollar alone was convertible into gold at 35 dollars per troy ounce. The International Monetary Fund and World Bank were created at the same conference to oversee the system. Bretton Woods delivered exchange rate stability during the postwar growth era but came under strain as US deficits and European dollar accumulation outpaced American gold reserves. On August 15, 1971, President Nixon announced the suspension of dollar-gold convertibility — the so-called Nixon Shock — effectively ending the Bretton Woods system. By 1973, major currencies had transitioned to floating exchange rates determined by market supply and demand, a regime that has persisted. On September 16, 1992, hedge fund manager George Soros shorted the British pound against the European Exchange Rate Mechanism constraints, forcing the UK's withdrawal in what became known as Black Wednesday. Electronic trading platforms emerged in the 1990s and 2000s, replacing voice-brokered interbank markets and dramatically reducing transaction costs for institutional and retail participants alike.
Frequently Asked Questions
Formula
SD Projection = Asia High + (n x Asia Range) or Asia Low - (n x Asia Range)
The Asia Range = Asia High - Asia Low. Standard deviation projections multiply the range by n (1, 1.5, 2, 2.5) and add above the high or subtract below the low. CBDR expansion targets use the same range as the projection unit. Judas Swing levels are typically 0.5 SD beyond the range boundaries.
Worked Examples
Example 1: EURUSD Asia Range with CBDR Projections
Problem: Asia High: 1.0880, Asia Low: 1.0850, ADR: 80 pips. Calculate range, SD projections, and Judas Swing levels.
Solution: Range = 1.0880 - 1.0850 = 0.0030 (30 pips)\nMidpoint = (1.0880 + 1.0850) / 2 = 1.0865\n1 SD Up = 1.0880 + 0.0030 = 1.0910\n1.5 SD Up = 1.0880 + 0.0045 = 1.0925\n2 SD Up = 1.0880 + 0.0060 = 1.0940\n1 SD Down = 1.0850 - 0.0030 = 1.0820\nJudas Swing (bullish) = 1.0850 - 0.0015 = 1.0835\nRemaining ADR = 80 - 30 = 50 pips
Result: 30 pip range | 50 pips remaining | 2 SD targets: 1.0940 / 1.0790
Example 2: Narrow Asia Range - High Expansion Potential
Problem: Asia High: 1.2550, Asia Low: 1.2535 (15 pip range), ADR: 90 pips for GBPUSD.
Solution: Range = 15 pips (only 16.7% of ADR = high compression)\nRemaining ADR = 90 - 15 = 75 pips\n1 SD Up = 1.2550 + 0.0015 = 1.2565\n2 SD Up = 1.2550 + 0.0030 = 1.2580\n2.5 SD Up = 1.2550 + 0.00375 = 1.25875\nJudas Swing (bearish) = 1.2550 + 0.00075 = 1.25575\nBullish ADR Target = 1.2550 + 0.0075 = 1.2625\nExpect strong expansion from this tight compression
Result: 15 pip range | 75 pips remaining | Strong expansion likely | ADR target: 1.2625
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Asian session range and why is it important for ICT traders?
The Asian session range, often called the Asia Range, is the price range established during the Asian trading session, typically between 7 PM and midnight New York time. This range is critically important in ICT methodology because it establishes the initial consolidation zone that London and New York sessions will likely expand from. The Asian session is generally characterized by lower volatility and tighter price action, creating a compression zone. ICT teaches that smart money uses the Asian range as a reference for planning the daily range expansion. The highs and lows of this range serve as liquidity pools that institutional traders target during the London and New York killzones.
What is the ICT Judas Swing and how does it relate to the Asia Range?
The ICT Judas Swing is a deceptive price move that occurs at the London or New York open, designed to trap retail traders on the wrong side of the market before the true daily direction is revealed. It typically involves price sweeping one side of the Asian range (taking out stop losses) before reversing sharply in the intended direction. For example, on a bullish day, price may first sweep below the Asia low (the Judas Swing down), triggering sell stops and trapping shorts, before reversing aggressively higher. ICT teaches that this pattern occurs because institutional traders need liquidity from retail stop losses to fill their large orders. Identifying the Judas Swing relative to the Asia Range is a high-probability setup for experienced traders.
How do standard deviation projections from the Asia Range work?
Standard deviation projections use the Asia Range as a base unit to project potential price targets during subsequent trading sessions. A 1 standard deviation (1 SD) projection adds the full range size above the high and subtracts it below the low. A 1.5 SD adds 1.5 times the range, 2 SD adds 2 times, and so on. For example, if the Asia Range is 30 pips with a high at 1.0880, the 1 SD projection is 1.0910, the 1.5 SD is 1.0925, and the 2 SD is 1.0940. These projections serve as potential targets and reversal zones. ICT teaches that on low-volatility days, price may only reach 1 to 1.5 SD, while on high-volatility days or during news events, 2.5 SD or beyond is possible.
How does the Average Daily Range relate to Asia Range analysis?
The Average Daily Range (ADR) represents the typical daily pip movement for a currency pair and provides context for Asia Range expansion potential. If the ADR is 80 pips and the Asia Range is 30 pips, approximately 50 pips of range expansion remain for the London and New York sessions. This remaining range helps traders set realistic profit targets and determine whether the daily move is likely exhausted. ICT traders compare the current Asia Range size to the ADR to gauge whether the session is unusually tight (suggesting a larger expansion ahead) or unusually wide (suggesting limited remaining movement). A very narrow Asia Range relative to the ADR often precedes a significant directional move during London or New York.
Can the Asia Range be used for indices and commodities or only forex?
The Asia Range concept can be applied to any market that trades during Asian hours, including stock indices like the Nikkei 225 and Hang Seng, commodities like gold and oil, and even cryptocurrency markets. However, the concept works best in markets with distinct session-based volatility profiles. Forex pairs, particularly those involving the US Dollar, Euro, and British Pound, show the clearest session-based patterns because liquidity shifts dramatically between Asian, London, and New York hours. Gold (XAUUSD) also responds well to Asia Range analysis because it trades actively across all sessions. For US stock indices, the overnight session range serves a similar function to the forex Asia Range, establishing the consolidation zone before the cash market opens.
What is the difference between Asia Range and London Range in ICT methodology?
The Asia Range and London Range serve different roles in ICT methodology. The Asia Range represents the consolidation or accumulation phase, characterized by low volatility and tight price action. It sets the stage for the day. The London Range, formed during the London session (2-5 AM NY time), represents the initial expansion phase where smart money begins its daily directional move. The London session often sweeps one side of the Asia Range before establishing direction. ICT teaches that the London session creates approximately 70% of the daily range, making it the most important session for establishing bias. Traders use the Asia Range for context and the London session for trade execution, looking for the Judas Swing followed by the true directional expansion.
References
Reviewed by Daniel Agrici, Founder & Lead Developer · Editorial policy