#TradingPairs101 Trading pairs are instruments that allow you to exchange one currency for another. In crypto trading, a pair like BTC/USDT means you are buying or selling bitcoin for the stablecoin USDT. The first currency is the base currency, and the second is the quote currency. If you buy BTC/USDT, you are exchanging USDT for BTC; if you sell, it's the opposite. The choice of pair depends on liquidity, spreads, and your trading strategy. Not all coins are traded directly with each other—sometimes an exchange through a third currency is necessary (for example, ETH → USDT → SOL). Understanding pairs is the foundation of effective trading and optimizing fees.