A Value Date is the date on which counterparties to a financial transaction agree to settle their respective obligations by exchanging payments and ownership rights. The typical Value Date for a Spot forex trade is two business days. A Spot Trade in Forex is a purchase or sale of a foreign currency in the Spot Market at the Spot Rate for immediate delivery or delivery "on the spot", as opposed to a date in the future. Spot contracts are typically cleared and settled electronically. A Spot Trade in foreign currencies is typically transacted with a "2-day value date", an international convention due to time zone differences and the need for banks to communicate cross-border to perform the transaction.