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ICT Asian Session: How the Overnight Range Sets the Day's Targets

The Asian session is not where ICT Traders take trades — it is where the game is set up. The high and low of the Asian session are the stop-loss clusters that London and New York will target. Understanding what the Asian range represents, how to classify it as bullish or bearish in context, and how to use it for pre-session preparation transforms a period most traders ignore into the most valuable setup tool of the day.

The Inner Circle Traders

Updated July 2026

9 min read

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Cluster 05: Models & Sessions

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Key Takeaways

The ICT Asian session runs from approximately 7 PM to 2 AM EST and is characterised by low volatility, tight range, and accumulation — not delivery
The Asian session high and low are liquidity pools: the high is a BSL target (buy stops above it), the low is an SSL target (sell stops below it)
The London session typically sweeps one of the Asian range extremes (the Judas Swing) before delivering in the opposite direction for the day
A bullish Asian session context means the Asian range closed near its high — suggesting institutions accumulated longs overnight and the London/NY delivery is likely bullish
The Asian range provides the day's manipulation targets — knowing which extreme will be swept first gives the ICT Trader a predictive framework for the London session move

What is the ICT Asian Session?

The ICT Asian session runs from approximately 7 PM to 2 AM EST — the overnight hours when Tokyo, Sydney, and Singapore are active and the major Western financial centres are closed. In terms of volume and volatility, the Asian session is the quietest of the three major sessions. It is characterised by tight ranges, slow price movement, and what ICT describes as accumulation — the building of positions that will be delivered in the London or New York session.

For ICT Traders, the Asian session is not primarily a period for taking trades. It is the setup period — the phase where the high and low that will become the London session’s manipulation targets are established. The Asian high and Asian low are the two most important price levels of the next trading day, and they are built during this quiet overnight period.

The Asian range as a trap

Retail traders who trade the Asian session often buy at the Asian range highs or sell at the Asian range lows, expecting range breakouts. This puts their stops just above the Asian high (for shorts) and just below the Asian low (for longs) — exactly where the London Judas Swing will go to collect liquidity before reversing.

The Asian Session in the 24-Hour Trading Day

Within the ICT 24-hour market cycle, the Asian session represents the Accumulation phase of the daily Power of 3 (AMD) model. Price accumulates in a tight range — building the high and low that will define the day’s manipulation targets. The London session then provides the Manipulation phase — sweeping one of the Asian range extremes as the Judas Swing. The New York session provides the Distribution — the true directional delivery of the day.

The Asian high is a BSL pool: retail short sellers who entered at the Asian range high placed their stops above it. The Asian low is an SSL pool: retail long buyers who entered at the Asian range low placed their stops below it. Both are prime targets for the London opening sweep.

On a bullish day, the London Judas Swing sweeps the Asian low (clearing SSL) before delivering higher to target the Asian high and beyond. On a bearish day, the Judas Swing sweeps the Asian high (clearing BSL) before delivering lower to target the Asian low and beyond.

Bullish vs Bearish Asian Range Context

Not all Asian sessions are equal in their directional implication. Where price closes within the Asian range at the end of the Asian session (approximately 2 AM EST when London opens) provides a hint about which direction the London Judas Swing is likely to go.

A bullish Asian context occurs when price has drifted higher during the Asian session and is trading near the top of the Asian range at 2 AM. This suggests institutional accumulation of long positions overnight. The likely London Judas Swing is a brief dip below the Asian low (sweeping SSL) before the bullish delivery. The day’s primary move is expected to be bullish.

A bearish Asian context occurs when price has drifted lower during the Asian session and is near the bottom of the Asian range at 2 AM. This suggests institutional accumulation of short positions overnight. The likely London Judas Swing is a brief rally above the Asian high (sweeping BSL) before the bearish delivery. The day’s primary move is expected to be bearish.

This is a contextual read, not a mechanical rule — always confirm with the higher timeframe daily bias analysis. The Asian range context provides a directional hint that is most reliable when it aligns with the HTF bias.

Using the Asian Range in Pre-Session Preparation

Before the London open (2 AM EST), complete this Asian range preparation:

Mark the Asian high and low. Identify the highest candle high and lowest candle low of the session from 7 PM to 2 AM EST. Draw horizontal lines at both. The BSL pool sits just above the Asian high; the SSL pool sits just below the Asian low.

Note the Asian range midpoint. The midpoint of the high and low is the manipulation reference level. In the Power of 3 model, the Judas Swing typically sweeps one extreme before returning through the midpoint on its way to the other extreme.

Assess the Asian context (bullish or bearish). Where is the 2 AM close relative to the range? High end = bullish context, low end = bearish context.

Identify which extreme aligns with the daily bias. If the daily bias is bullish, the Asian low is the Judas Swing target — expect a sweep below it before the bullish delivery. If bearish, the Asian high is the Judas Swing target — expect a rally above it before the bearish delivery.

Is the Asian Session Tradeable?

The ICT framework does not emphasise the Asian session as a primary trading period — it is accumulation, not delivery. However, there are specific scenarios where the Asian session itself provides tradeable setups:

Asian session FVGs. When a Fair Value Gap forms during the Asian session, it may be traded during the session if it aligns with a higher timeframe setup. However, Asian session FVGs have lower probability than London or NY kill zone FVGs due to lower institutional participation.

New Week Opening Gap plays. At the Sunday 5 PM open (the first Asian session of the week), the NWOG fill may present a clean, structured trade as the gap fills toward the NWOG midpoint. This is one of the most reliable Asian session opportunities — the NWOG fill is a structural event with defined targets.

Late Asian / early London overlap (1–3 AM EST). The overlap between the end of the Asian session and the start of the London session is the most active period within the “Asian” hours. London participants beginning to position for the day can produce cleaner setups during this overlap window than during the deep Asian session hours (7 PM–midnight).

Tools for Trading the Asian Session

The Asian Range Planner tool on this site is designed specifically for pre-session Asian analysis. It allows you to input the Asian session high and low (typically identified by 8:00 AM Tokyo / 12:00 AM New York), then calculates the range midpoint, the Judas Swing targets (which side of the range the London session is likely to sweep), and the key price levels to watch for the London open manipulation. This pre-session calculation replaces manual marking on the chart and reduces error during the time-sensitive London open preparation window.

The OTE Calculator is also useful for Asian session analysis: once the Asian range is established, the OTE zone (61.8-79% retracement of the Asian range from the expected delivery direction) identifies the discount entry level for the London open trade. If the Asian range ran from 18,200 to 18,350 (150 points), the bullish OTE zone within the range is 18,200 + (150 × 0.618) to 18,200 + (150 × 0.79) = 18,293 to 18,319. The London open Judas Swing down into this zone is the ideal NYMEX entry for a bullish day.

How Often Does the Asian Range Trade Work?

The Asian range manipulation (London sweeps one side, then delivers to the other) is one of the most statistically consistent daily patterns in forex and futures markets. Across EURUSD, GBPUSD, and NQ in particular, studies of historical sessions show that London sweeps the Asian session extreme (either the high or the low) in approximately 70-75% of trading sessions. This is the directional probability foundation for the Asian range trade.

The remaining 25-30% of sessions fall into two categories: sessions where London continues in the same direction as the Asian trend (no sweep of the Asian extreme, just continuation), and sessions where London sweeps both extremes in succession (the double purge). Understanding which type of session is unfolding — continuation, sweep-and-reverse, or double purge — is the primary analytical skill for Asian range traders. The kill zone timer and the daily bias assessment are the two tools that help distinguish these session types before London opens.

Watch: ICT Asian Session: How the Overnight Range Sets the Day's Targets

Original ICT teaching on this concept from the Inner Circle Trader YouTube channel.

Frequently Asked Questions

What time does the ICT Asian session run?+

The ICT Asian session runs from approximately 7 PM to 2 AM EST (New York time). This corresponds to early morning in Tokyo (midnight to 7 AM JST), which is the primary Asian financial centre. The session is sometimes extended to include the Sydney open (which begins around 4–5 PM EST), but the most relevant liquidity-building period is 7 PM to 2 AM EST when Tokyo is active.

How wide is a typical Asian range on EURUSD?+

On a quiet overnight session, the EURUSD Asian range might be 15–30 pips wide. On an active or news-influenced overnight session, it could be 40–60 pips. Unusually wide Asian ranges (60+ pips on EURUSD) may indicate that institutional positioning has already begun during the Asian session — the Judas Swing may be less extreme on these days since some of the manipulation has already occurred.

Can the Asian session produce an FVG that acts as a London session entry?+

Yes. If the Asian session produces a clear FVG during the 1–3 AM EST window (late Asian / early London overlap), and that FVG aligns with the daily bias in the correct dealing range zone, it can serve as the first London kill zone entry. This is relatively common on high-momentum days when institutional accumulation spills into early London hours.

What does it mean when price doesn't sweep either Asian extreme during London?+

When London does not sweep either Asian extreme, two scenarios are likely: either the Asian range was unusually wide (making the sweep irrelevant to the day's structure) or the primary institutional delivery is happening in the NY session rather than London. On these days, the Asian range extremes remain valid targets for the NY session — the Judas Swing just occurs at a different time.

How do I mark the Asian range in real time if I am not awake at those hours?+

Set price alerts at the Asian high and low each night before going to sleep. When London opens, review the range that formed during your sleep and mark it before the London kill zone begins. Most charting platforms allow session-based markings or rectangles that automatically highlight the Asian session range.

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The Inner Circle Traders

Educational Content Team

This article is part of the free ICT Trading education programme — 118 articles written from scratch covering the complete Inner Circle Trader methodology. All content is for educational purposes only. This site is independent and is not affiliated with Michael Huddleston or the Inner Circle Trader.

ICT Asian Session ICT Asian Range ICT Overnight Range ICT Accumulation Phase ICT Judas Swing Setup ICT Kill Zone Prep

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Contents

—What is the ICT Asian Session?
—The Asian Session in the 24-Hour Day
—Bullish vs Bearish Asian Range Context
—Using the Asian Range in Pre-Session Prep
—Is the Asian Session Tradeable?
—Watch: ICT Teaching
—Frequently Asked Questions
—Test Your Knowledge

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