Currencies & FX

5 min readUpdated Apr 12, 2026

Carry Trade

ByConvex Research Desk·Edited byBen Bleierⓘ·Updated Apr 12, 2026

FX carrycurrency carryyen carry tradeJPY carrycarry strategyinterest rate differential trade

A strategy of borrowing in a low-interest-rate currency and investing the proceeds in a higher-yielding currency or asset, profiting from the interest rate differential, until it unwinds violently.

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Current Reading3d ago via FRED

50 bps10Y-2Y Spread (Carry Proxy)

Positive term premium (50bps), carry trade attractive

+8.7%

-7.4%

-19.4%

Current Macro RegimeSTAGFLATION→ DEEPENING

The macro regime is unambiguously STAGFLATION DEEPENING. The hot CPI print (pending event, 24h ago) is not a surprise — it is a CONFIRMATION of the pipeline signals that have been building for weeks: PPI accelerating faster than CPI, Cleveland nowcast at 5.28%, breakevens rising +10bp 1M across the …

Analysis from May 14, 2026

What Is the Carry Trade?

The carry trade is one of the most fundamental strategies in global finance, borrowing in a currency with a low interest rate (the "funding currency") and investing the proceeds in a higher-yielding currency or asset (the "carry currency" or "carry asset"), profiting from the interest rate differential. It is simultaneously one of the most profitable long-run strategies in FX markets and one of the most dangerous, because carry trades work steadily in calm conditions and unwind with devastating speed during crises.

The carry trade matters to every macro trader, not just FX specialists, because carry positions link disparate markets: when the yen carry trade unwinds, it doesn't just affect USD/JPY, it crashes equities, credit, commodities, and crypto simultaneously as leveraged investors liquidate everything to repay yen borrowings.

The Mechanics

The Basic Trade

Step	Action	Example (Yen Carry)
1	Borrow in low-yield currency	Borrow ¥14 billion (~$100M) at 0.25%
2	Convert to high-yield currency	Convert to $100M USD
3	Invest in higher-yielding asset	Buy US Treasuries at 4.50%
4	Earn the spread	Annual carry = 4.50% - 0.25% = 4.25% ($4.25M)
5	Repay the loan at maturity	Convert USD back to JPY, repay loan

The risk: If USD/JPY moves against you (yen strengthens), the capital loss on the FX conversion can exceed the carry profit. A 5% yen appreciation wipes out the entire year's carry.

The Math of Carry

Total Return = Carry (interest differential) + Spot FX Return

If carry = +4.25% and JPY weakens 3% (spot return = +3%): Total return = +7.25% (carry + favorable FX)

If carry = +4.25% and JPY strengthens 8% (spot return = -8%): Total return = -3.75% (carry overwhelmed by adverse FX)

The Yen Carry Trade: The World's Largest

Why the Yen?

The Bank of Japan maintained ultra-loose monetary policy for over two decades (1999-2024), with rates at or near zero (and negative from 2016-2024). This made the yen the cheapest funding currency in the world:

Period	BOJ Rate	Fed Rate	Rate Differential	Carry Incentive
2001-2006	0%	1-5.25%	1-5.25%	Moderate to strong
2008-2015	0-0.1%	0-0.25%	~0%	Weak (no differential)
2016-2022	-0.1%	0-4.5%	0-4.6%	Surging (2022 rate divergence)
2022-2024	-0.1 to 0.25%	5.25-5.50%	5.0-5.6%	Highest in decades

The 2022-2024 rate differential was the widest in modern history, creating an irresistible incentive for carry trades. USD/JPY surged from 115 (early 2022) to 162 (July 2024), a 40% yen depreciation that further rewarded carry traders with FX gains on top of the interest differential.

The Size of the Trade

The total yen carry trade is estimated at $1-2 trillion, though precise figures are unknowable because:

Institutional carry positions are embedded in complex portfolios
Leveraged positions multiply the notional exposure
Japanese investors themselves (insurance companies, pension funds, retail "Mrs. Watanabe" traders) are massive carry traders, investing overseas for higher yields

Beyond Yen: The Global Carry Universe

Funding Currency	Carry Currency	Approximate Differential (2024)	Risk Level
JPY (0.25%)	USD (5.50%)	+5.25%	Moderate
CHF (1.50%)	USD (5.50%)	+4.00%	Moderate
EUR (4.00%)	BRL (10.75%)	+6.75%	High (EM currency risk)
JPY (0.25%)	MXN (11.00%)	+10.75%	Very high
JPY (0.25%)	TRY (50.00%)	+49.75%	Extreme (hyperinflation risk)

The higher the carry, the higher the currency risk. Turkish lira carry of 50% sounds extraordinary, but the lira has depreciated 90%+ over 5 years, more than wiping out the carry.

Carry Trade Unwinds: When the Steamroller Arrives

The Feedback Loop

A trigger event (rate change, risk-off shock, positioning extreme) causes the funding currency to strengthen
Carry traders face losses on their FX position
To cut losses, they sell their carry assets (stocks, bonds, EM) and buy back the funding currency
This selling pressure weakens carry assets further and strengthens the funding currency further
More carry traders are forced to unwind → more selling → more currency strengthening
The feedback loop accelerates until positions are liquidated

Historical Carry Unwinds

Date	Trigger	USD/JPY Move	Equity Impact	Duration
October 1998	LTCM/Russia crisis	136 → 112 (-18%)	S&P -22% (broader crisis)	3 months
July 2007	Subprime concerns	124 → 112 (-10%)	S&P -10% (early GFC)	2 months
October 2008	Lehman collapse	110 → 87 (-21%)	S&P -40% (full crisis)	4 months
August 2015	China devaluation	125 → 116 (-7%)	S&P -12%	1 month
August 2024	BOJ hike + weak US jobs	162 → 141 (-13%)	Nikkei -12% in 1 day	1 week

The August 2024 Unwind: Case Study

The most dramatic carry unwind since 2008:

July 31: BOJ raises rates by 15 bps (to 0.25%) and signals further hikes
August 1-2: Weak US jobs report; Fed rate cut expectations surge → differential narrows
August 5 "Black Monday": Full liquidation cascade, Nikkei -12.4%, S&P -3%, Bitcoin -21%, VIX spikes to 65
August 6-9: Partial recovery as BOJ official signals caution about further hikes
By September: Markets largely recovered; carry positions gradually rebuilt

The Carry Trade as a Market Signal

What Carry Tells You About Risk Appetite

Carry Trade Activity	Risk Signal	What's Happening
Carry positions building (COT yen shorts increasing)	Risk-on	Capital flowing to higher-yielding assets; confidence rising
Carry positions stable at high levels	Late risk-on	Trade is crowded; vulnerable to any catalyst
Carry positions unwinding (yen strengthening)	Risk-off	Deleveraging underway; liquidation risk rising
Carry positions fully unwound	Risk-off bottom?	Selling pressure exhausted; contrarian buy signal

What to Watch

USD/JPY, the most-traded carry pair; weakening JPY = carry building; strengthening JPY = carry unwinding
COT yen positioning, net speculative yen shorts at multi-year highs = crowded carry trade; extreme = unwind risk
BOJ policy signals, any hint of rate hikes or yield curve control adjustments triggers carry unwind fears
US-Japan rate differential, the wider the spread, the stronger the carry incentive; narrowing = carry attractiveness declining
VIX, carry trades perform best in low-volatility environments; VIX >25 = carry risk elevated

Recent Readings

Date	Value	Change
May 15, 2026	50 bps	+6.4%
May 14, 2026	47 bps	-2.1%
May 13, 2026	48 bps	+4.3%
May 12, 2026	46 bps	-2.1%
May 11, 2026	47 bps	-2.1%
May 8, 2026	48 bps	-2.0%
May 7, 2026	49 bps	+0.0%
May 6, 2026	49 bps	-2.0%
May 5, 2026	50 bps	+0.0%
May 4, 2026	50 bps	—

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Frequently Asked Questions

▶How large is the global carry trade and why does it matter?

The total size of global carry trades is estimated at $2-4 trillion in direct FX carry positions, with potentially $10+ trillion when including leveraged positions in carry-funded assets (equities, bonds, real estate purchased with low-rate funding). The Bank for International Settlements (BIS) estimates that yen-funded carry trades alone exceed $1 trillion, though the true figure is impossible to pin down because many carry positions are embedded in complex multi-asset portfolios. The size matters for systemic risk: when carry trades unwind, the forced buying of the funding currency (yen, Swiss franc) and selling of the carry assets (EM bonds, equities, commodities) creates correlated liquidation across seemingly unrelated markets. The August 2024 yen carry unwind demonstrated this perfectly: a surprise BOJ rate hike triggered a 12% yen rally in three weeks, which forced carry traders to sell US equities, EM bonds, and crypto simultaneously to repay yen borrowings. The Nikkei fell 12% in a single day, the S&P 500 dropped 3%, and Bitcoin fell 15% — all because of a 15 basis point rate hike in Japan. The carry trade is often called "the world's most crowded trade" and its periodic unwinds are among the most dangerous contagion events in global finance.

▶What triggers a carry trade unwind?

Carry trade unwinds are triggered by events that either make the funding currency more expensive or make the carry assets less attractive: (1) Funding currency rate hike — the most direct trigger. When the BOJ raises rates (as in July 2024) or signals future hikes, the cost of yen borrowing rises and the yen strengthens as carry traders close positions. (2) Carry currency rate cut — if the Fed cuts rates, the yield advantage of holding dollar assets declines, reducing the carry. (3) Risk-off shock — any event that triggers broad risk aversion causes carry traders to sell risky assets and buy back the funding currency as a flight to safety. Since the yen and Swiss franc strengthen during risk-off (they are funding currencies that get bought during unwinds), the unwind is self-reinforcing. (4) Volatility spike — carry trades profit from stability and suffer from volatility. A VIX spike increases the probability of adverse currency moves, causing risk models to signal "reduce exposure." (5) Positioning extremes — when COT data shows speculative yen shorts at multi-year highs, the trade is crowded and vulnerable to any catalyst. The most dangerous unwinds combine multiple triggers: the August 2024 episode featured a surprise BOJ hike + weak US jobs data + extreme yen short positioning — a triple catalyst that created the fastest carry unwind in decades.

▶How do I implement a carry trade?

A carry trade can be implemented at varying levels of sophistication: (1) Simple FX carry — borrow/sell the low-yield currency, buy/deposit the high-yield currency. Example: sell JPY, buy AUD (capturing the ~4-5% rate differential). This can be done through spot FX with rollovers (the "swap rate" credits or debits your account daily) or through FX forwards. (2) Cross-currency bond carry — borrow in yen at 0.5%, buy US Treasuries yielding 4.5%, earning a 4% carry. This is the institutional version, often done with leverage through repo markets. (3) EM carry — sell low-yielding currencies (EUR, JPY, CHF), buy high-yielding EM currencies (BRL at 10%+, TRY at 40%+, MXN at 10%+). The carry is enormous but the currency risk is high — EM currencies can depreciate 20-50% in a year. (4) Carry ETFs — several ETFs implement systematic carry strategies: DBV (Deutsche Bank G10 Currency Harvest), ICI (PowerShares Optimum Yield), and some EM bond ETFs (EMB, PCY) embed carry through their yield advantage. Risk management essentials: (a) Always hedge a portion of the currency risk through options — buying puts on the carry currency or calls on the funding currency. (b) Size positions so that a 10-15% adverse currency move doesn't exceed your risk tolerance. (c) Monitor COT positioning data — when carry trades are extremely crowded, reduce exposure. (d) Have a stop-loss at a level where the carry earned no longer compensates for the capital loss.

▶What happened during the August 2024 yen carry unwind?

The August 2024 yen carry unwind was the most dramatic carry trade event since the 2008 GFC and a textbook case study in how currency market dynamics can cascade across all asset classes. The timeline: July 31, 2024: The Bank of Japan unexpectedly raised rates by 15 basis points (to 0.25%) and signaled further hikes — surprising markets that expected no change. The yen immediately strengthened. August 1-2: A weaker-than-expected US jobs report increased expectations for Fed rate cuts, narrowing the US-Japan rate differential. USD/JPY fell from 153 to 146 (yen strengthened 4.5% in 3 days). August 5 ("Black Monday"): The yen carry trade unwind accelerated. The Nikkei 225 fell 12.4% — its worst single day since the 1987 crash. The S&P 500 fell 3%. Bitcoin dropped from $62,000 to $49,000 (-21%). VIX spiked to 65 (from 17 two weeks earlier). USD/JPY hit 141 (yen had strengthened 12% from its July peak). The mechanism: carry traders who had borrowed yen to buy US stocks, EM bonds, and crypto were forced to: (1) sell their assets to repay yen loans, (2) buy yen in the FX market (strengthening it further), (3) face margin calls as their collateral declined, forcing more selling. The feedback loop created a 5-day panic across all asset classes. The recovery was also rapid — by September, most markets had retraced the damage as the BOJ signaled caution about further hikes and carry positions were rebuilt.

▶Is the carry trade a good strategy and what are the long-term returns?

The carry trade has been one of the most profitable strategies in FX markets over the long run, but with a critical caveat: it generates steady returns punctuated by sudden, devastating losses. Academic research (Burnside, Eichenbaum, Kleshchelski, and Rebelo, 2006) found that a simple G10 carry trade (long the 3 highest-yielding currencies, short the 3 lowest) generated a Sharpe ratio of approximately 0.8-1.0 from 1976-2005 — better than most equity strategies. More recent data shows lower but still positive returns (Sharpe ~0.4-0.6 from 2005-2024), partly because the strategy became more crowded. The distribution of carry returns has strong negative skew: most months produce small positive returns (the carry), but occasional months produce large negative returns (the unwinds). Carry traders are "picking up nickels in front of a steamroller" — they earn the carry 90% of the time but occasionally get run over. Key statistics: the average monthly carry trade return is approximately +0.5-0.8%. The worst monthly returns are -5% to -15% (during unwinds). The max drawdown of carry strategies reached -25% to -30% in 2008. The optimal approach: (1) Use carry as one factor in a multi-factor FX strategy (combining carry with momentum and value reduces drawdowns). (2) Reduce carry exposure when volatility is elevated (VIX >25) or COT positioning is extreme. (3) Diversify across multiple currency pairs rather than concentrating in a single pair. (4) Accept that carry trades will periodically lose money — the question is whether long-run returns compensate for the risk.

Carry Trade is one of the signals monitored daily in the AI-driven macro analysis on Convex Trading. The platform synthesises data across monetary policy, credit, sentiment, and on-chain metrics to generate actionable trade recommendations. Create a free account to build your own signal layer and see how Carry Trade is influencing current positions.

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