Foreign exchange” refers to money denomi- nated in the currency of another nation or group of nations. Any person who exchanges money denominated in his own nation’s currency for money denominated in another nation’s currency acquires foreign exchange. That holds true whether the amount of the transaction is equal to a few dollars or to billions of dollars; whether the person involved is a tourist cashing a traveler’s check in a restaurant abroad or an investor exchanging hundreds ofmillions ofdollars for the acquisition of a foreign company; and whether the form of money being acquired is foreign currency notes, foreign currency- denominated bank deposits, or other short- term claims denominated in foreign currency. A foreign exchange transaction is still a shift of funds,or short-term financial claims,from one country and currency to another.