#TradingPairs101
**Trading Pairs 101: Matching Assets**
A trading pair shows which two assets can be exchanged directly (e.g., **BTC/USDT**).
1. **Base Currency:** The asset you're buying/selling (e.g., BTC in BTC/USDT).
2. **Quote Currency:** The asset used to price the base (e.g., USDT in BTC/USDT).
3. **Types:**
* **Crypto/Fiat:** Buy crypto with traditional money (e.g., BTC/EUR - *availability varies*).
* **Crypto/Crypto:** Exchange one crypto for another (e.g., ETH/BTC).
* **Stablecoin Pairs:** Trade crypto against stablecoins like USDT, BUSD, USDC (e.g., SOL/USDT). Offers reduced volatility vs. BTC.
* **BNB Pairs:** Trade assets against Binance Coin (e.g., ADA/BNB). Often lower fees.
**Why it matters:** Pair choice affects liquidity, volatility, fees, and strategy. Major pairs (BTC/USDT, ETH/USDT) usually offer the deepest liquidity and tightest spreads.