Quotex OTC pairs: what they are and when they are available
Last updated: 16 October 2026
If you trade or study binary options, you have probably seen pairs marked OTC on platforms such as Quotex. This guide explains what that label means, when OTC pairs usually appear, how to convert the real forex market's opening and closing times to Indian time, and why OTC price history is a poor basis for judging a strategy. It is general information, not advice, and it is not affiliated with Quotex.
What does "OTC" mean?
OTC stands for "over the counter". On a binary-options platform, an OTC pair is an instrument whose prices come from the platform itself rather than from a public exchange or the interbank market. Another broker's guide to OTC trading describes OTC quotes as unique to each platform and as available outside regular market sessions, such as weekends (IQ Option blog). The same guide notes that OTC trading can mean lower liquidity, wider spreads and different behaviour than the regular market.
The practical point: an OTC chart is not a record of what the real market did. It is a price series produced by one platform, and only that platform knows exactly how it is calculated.
When are OTC pairs available?
There is no single schedule that applies to every pair. Availability is set by the platform for each asset and can change, so the only reliable answer is on the platform itself (look for each asset's trading hours or "trading conditions"). In general, though, OTC pairs are the ones offered while the underlying real market is closed. For currency pairs that mainly means the weekend.
The real forex market runs around the clock on weekdays. It opens in the Asia-Pacific session on Sunday evening New York time and closes on Friday evening New York time (Traders Union gives roughly 2:30 AM IST on Monday for the open and 2:30 AM IST on Saturday for the close). Because of US daylight saving time, those moments shift by an hour during the year:
| Event | Indian time (approx.) |
|---|---|
| Forex week opens (Sunday evening, New York) | Monday, about 2:30 AM to 3:30 AM IST |
| Forex week closes (Friday evening, New York) | Saturday, about 2:30 AM to 3:30 AM IST |
| Weekend gap with the real market closed | Saturday early morning to Monday early morning IST |
So if an OTC pair is the one you see on a Saturday or Sunday, that fits the usual pattern. If you see OTC pairs at other hours, or a pair you expect is missing, check that asset's own hours on the platform. We do not publish a fixed "OTC is on between X and Y" window, because we cannot verify one and platforms can change their schedule at any time.
Why OTC data is a weak basis for backtesting
- It is not the market. The price series is generated by one platform, so a strategy that looks good on it tells you about that feed, not about the currency market.
- You cannot check it. There is no exchange record to compare against, so you cannot confirm the candles are what you would actually have been offered.
- Behaviour can differ. Lower liquidity and different pricing rules mean patterns may not repeat in the real market.
One broker comparison site makes the same point: weekend OTC trading can be fine for practising a new idea, but not for judging real performance (Traders Union). That is why this site's built-in data is real-market Nifty and BankNifty candles and why any OTC-style series would always be labelled separately.
A note on risk and legality in India
Binary options carry a high risk of losing your entire stake, and most retail traders lose money. In India the position is unclear: one legal analysis describes binary options as a "grey area", notes that the RBI prohibits online forex and binary option trading through unauthorised platforms and maintains an alert list of such platforms, and warns that residents using them may face penalties under FEMA (IndiaCorpLaw). Check the current rules and the RBI alert list yourself before using any platform, and never trade money you cannot afford to lose.
What you can do on PineBacktest instead
Use real market candles to test the logic of a strategy before risking money anywhere. Paste a TradingView strategy, pick a timeframe and see the trades, equity curve and drawdown. Open the tester or tell us which market data you want next.
This article is educational. It is not financial advice and does not recommend any broker. Trading platforms change their rules and hours without notice, so confirm details on the platform. Sources were checked on 16 October 2026.