Types Of Currency In The World: List With Symbols

In simple terms, a currency is defined as a form of money that is in use. There are many different types of currency! 180 main currencies of the world are identified as legal tender by the United Nations (UN).

Read more: Learn all about money’s history and how to manage it.

Currencies of the world on a map

8 Major Currencies of the World

The major currencies are those used often in the foreign exchange market. The 8 most traded currencies are the United States dollar (USD), the Euro (EUR), the Japanese yen (JPY), the British pound sterling (GBP), the Australian dollar (AUD), the Canadian dollar (CAD), the Swiss franc (CHF), and the New Zealand dollar (NZD). 

A currency pair shows the value of one currency against another. For example, EUR/USD 1.11 means that one euro is exchanged for 1.11 US dollars. EUR is the base currency and USD is the quote currency (counter currency). In simpler terms, you are selling the base currency in exchange for the quote.

On the other hand, USD/EUR 0.90 means that 1 USD is exchanged 0.90 euros.

Knowing these exchange rates is useful when planning to travel!

United States dollar (USD): 1 dollar bill (Front and back)
This is the front and back of a $1 United States dollar bill.

The 8 major currency pairs are Euro/Dollar (EUR/USD), Dollar/Japanese Yen (USD/JPY), British Pound Sterling/US Dollar (GBP/USD), Australian Dollar/US Dollar (AUD/USD), US Dollar/Canadian Dollar (USD/CAD), US Dollar/Swiss Franc (USD/CHF), New Zealand Dollar/US Dollar (NZD/USD), and Euro/Japanese yen (EUR/JPY).

The most traded currency pairs in the world, according to the Forex market, is the EUR/USD.

Most Expensive Currency

Though it is not a “major”, the Kuwaiti dinar (KWD) is currently the most valuable currency. It typically trades with the Bahraini dinar (BHD) for the top spot as the most expensive. 1 USD will give you 0.31 KWD. Or 1 KWD exchanges for 3.23 USD. (As of May 2020)

Front and Back of 10 Bahraini dinar (BHD)
This is the front and back of a 10 Bahraini dinar bill (BHD).

Sorry, I don’t have a Kuwaiti dinar to show. These 10 dinars are equal to $26.45 USD!

Popular Currencies

Every country does not have its own system of money. Countries can declare the currency of another country as their legal tender. 

The most widely used currency is the Euro; It is the official currency used in 23 countries and even more territories. The countries include Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Portugal, San Marino, Slovakia Slovenia and Spain.

Front and Back of 20 Euro Note (EUR)
The front and back of a €20 Euro note.

The United States dollar is the official currency of 9 countries: Ecuador, El Salvador, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Palau, Panama, Timor-Leste, United States of America, & Zimbabwe.

There are 8 countries in which the West African CFA franc is used: Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, & Togo.

The Central African CFA franc in 6 countries: Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, & Gabon.

The East Caribbean dollar is the currency used in 6 countries: Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, & Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

Read More: What Is Money Made Of? And How It’s Made!

List of Currencies (with Symbols)

This list shows the major currencies in use by every country (and some territories) with their ISO 4217 code and currency symbol.

Country
(*** = Territories)
CurrencyCurrency SymbolISO 4217 Currency Code
AfghanistanAfghan afghani؋AFN
Akrotiri and Dhekelia***EuroEUR
AlbaniaAlbanian lekLALL
Alderey***Alderney pound, British pound sterlingNone, £None, GBP
AlgeriaAlgerian dinarد.جDZD
American Samoa***United States dollar$USD
AndorraEuroEUR
AngolaAngolan kwanzaKzAOA
Anguilla***East Caribbean dollar$XCD
Antigua and BarbudaEast Caribbean dollar$XCD
ArgentinaArgentine peso$ARS
ArmeniaArmenian dram֏AMD
Aruba***Aruban florinƒAWG
Ascension Island***Saint Helena pound£SHP
AustraliaAustralian dollar$AUD
AustriaEuroEUR
AzerbaijanAzerbaijan manatAZN
B
BahamasBahamian dollar$BSD
BahrainBahraini dinar.د.بBHD
BangladeshBangladeshi takaBDT
BarbadosBarbadian dollar$BBD
BelarusBelarusian rubleBrBYN
BelgiumEuroEUR
BelizeBelize dollar$BZD
BeninWest African CFA francFrXOF
Bermuda***Bermudian dollar$BMD
BhutanBhutanese ngultrum, Indian rupeeNu., ₹BTN, INR
BoliviaBolivian bolivianoBs.BOB
Bonaire***United States dollar$USD
Bosnia and HerzegovinaBosnia and Herzegovina convertible markKMBAM
BotswanaBotswana pulaPBWP
BrazilBrazilian realR$BRL
British Indian Ocean Territory***United States dollar$USD
British Virgin Islands***United States dollar$USD
BruneiBrunei dollar, Singapore dollar$, $BND, SGD
BulgariaBulgarian levлв.BGN
Burkina FasoWest African CFA francFrXOF
BurundiBurundi francFrBIF
C
CambodiaCambodian rielKHR
CameroonCentral African CFA francFrXAF
CanadaCanadian dollar$CAD
Cape VerdeCape Verdean escudoEsc or $CVE
Caribbean Netherlands***United States dollar$USD
Cayman Islands***Cayman Islands dollar$KYD
Central African RepublicCentral African CFA francFrXAF
ChadCentral African CFA francFrXAF
Chatham Islands***New Zealand dollar$NZD
ChileChilean peso$CLP
ChinaChinese Yuan Renminbi¥ or 元CNY
Christmas Island***Australian dollar$AUD
Cocos (Keeling) Islands***Australian dollar$AUD
ColombiaColombian peso$COP
ComorosComorian francFrKMF
Congo, Democratic Republic of theCongolese francFrCDF
Congo, Republic of theCentral African CFA francFrXAF
Cook Islands***Cook Islands dollar$none
Costa RicaCosta Rican colonCRC
Côte d’IvoireWest African CFA francFrXOF
CroatiaCroatian kunaknHRK
CubaCuban peso, Cuban convertible peso$, $CUP, CUC
Curacao***Netherlands Antillean guilderƒANG
CyprusEuroEUR
Czech RepublicCzech korunaCZK
D
DenmarkDanish kronekrDKK
DjiboutiDjiboutian francFrDJF
DominicaEast Caribbean dollar$XCD
Dominican RepublicDominican peso$DOP
E
EcuadorUnited States dollar$USD
EgyptEgyptian pound£ or ج.مEGP
El SalvadorUnited States dollar$USD
Equatorial GuineaCentral African CFA francFrXAF
EritreaEritrean nakfaNfkERN
EstoniaEuroEUR
EswatiniSwazi lilangeni, South African randL, RSZL, ZAR
EthiopiaEthiopian birrBrETB
F
Falkland Islands***Falkland Islands pound£FKP
Faroe Islands***Faroese krona, Danish kronekr, krnone, Oyra, Øre
FijiFijian dollar$FJD
FinlandEuroEUR
FranceEuroEUR
French Guiana***EuroEUR
French Polynesia***CFP francXPF
G
GabonCentral African CFA francFrXAF
GambiaGambian dalasiDGMD
GeorgiaGeorgian lariGEL
GermanyEuroEUR
GhanaGhanaian cediGHS
Gibraltar***Gibraltar pound£GIP
GreeceEuroEUR
Greenland***Danish kronekrDKK
GrenadaEast Caribbean dollar$XCD
Guadeloupe***EuroEUR
Guam***United States dollar$USD
GuatemalaGuatemalan quetzalQGTQ
Guernsey***Guernsey pound, British pound sterling£, £none, GBP
GuineaGuinean francFrGNF
Guinea-BissauWest African CFA francFrXOF
GuyanaGuyanese dollar$GYD
H
HaitiHaitian gourdeGHTG
HondurasHonduran lempiraLHNL
Hong Kong***Hong Kong dollar$HKD
HungaryHungarian forintFtHUF
I
IcelandIcelandic kronakrISK
IndiaIndian rupeeINR
IndonesiaIndonesian rupiahRpIDR
IranIranian rialIRR
IraqIraqi dinarع.دIQD
IrelandEuroEUR
Isle of Man***Manx pound, British pound sterling£, £none, GBP
IsraelIsraeli new shekelILS
ItalyEuroEUR
J
JamaicaJamaican dollar$JMD
JapanJapanese yen¥ or 円JPY
Jersey***Jersey pound, British pound sterling£, £none, GBP
JordanJordanian dinarد.اJOD
K
KazakhstanKazakhstani tengeKZT
KenyaKenyan shillingShKES
KiribatiKiribati dollar, Australian dollar$, $none, AUD
Kosovo***EuroEUR
KuwaitKuwaiti dinarد.كKWD
KyrgyzstanKyrgyzstani somcKGS
L
LaosLao kipLAK
LatviaEuroEUR
LebanonLebanese poundل.لLBP
LesothoLesotho loti, South African randL, RLSL, ZAR
LiberiaLiberian dollar$LRD
LibyaLibyan dinarل.دLYD
LiechtensteinSwiss francFr.CHF
LithuaniaEuroEUR
LuxembourgEuroEUR
M
Macau***Macanese patacaPMOP
MadagascarMalagasy ariaryArMGA
MalawiMalawian kwachaMKMWK
MalaysiaMalaysian ringgitRMMYR
MaldivesMaldivian rufiyaaMVR
MaliWest African CFA francFrXOF
MaltaEuroEUR
Marshall IslandsUnited States dollar$USD
Martinique***EuroEUR
MauritaniaMauritanian ouguiyaUMMRU
MauritiusMauritian rupeeRsMUR
Mayotte***EuroEUR
MexicoMexican peso$MXN
MicronesiaUnited States dollar$USD
MoldovaMoldovan leuLMDL
MonacoEuroEUR
MongoliaMongolian tögrögMNT
MontenegroEuroEUR
Montserrat***East Caribbean dollar$XCD
MoroccoMoroccan dirhamد.م.MAD
MozambiqueMozambican meticalMTMZN
Myanmar (aka Burma)KyatKsMMK
N
NamibiaNamibian dollar, South African rand$, RNAD, ZAR
NauruAustralian dollar$AUD
NepalNepalese rupeeरूNPR
NetherlandsEuroEUR
New Caledonia***CFP francXPF
New ZealandNew Zealand dollar$NZD
NicaraguaNicaraguan cordobaC$NIO
NigerWest African CFA francFrXOF
NigeriaNigerian nairaNGN
Niue***Niue dollar, New Zealand dollar$, $none, NZD
Norfolk Island***Australian dollar$AUD
Northern Mariana Islands***United States dollar$USD
North KoreaNorth Korean wonKPW
North MacedoniaMacedonian denarденMKD
NorwayNorwegian kronekrNOK
O
OmanOmani rialر.ع.OMR
P
PakistanPakistani rupeeRsPKR
PalauUnited States dollar$USD
PalestineIsraeli new shekel, Jordanian dinar₪, د.اILS, JOD
PanamaPanamanian balboa, United States dollarB/., $PAB, USD
Papua New GuineaPapua New Guinean kinaKPGK
ParaguayParaguayan guaraniPYG
PeruPeruvian solS/.PEN
PhilippinesPhilippine pesoPHP
Pitcairn Islands***Pitcairn Islands dollar, New Zealand dollar$, $none, NZD
PolandPolish złotyPLN
PortugalEuroEUR
Puerto Rico***United States dollar$USD
Q
QatarQatari riyalر.قQAR
R
Reunion***EuroEUR
RomaniaRomanian leuleiRON
RussiaRussian rubleRUB
RwandaRwandan francFrRWF
S
Saba***United States dollar$USD
Saint Barthelemy***EuroEUR
Saint Helena***Saint Helena pound£SHP
Saint Kitts and NevisEast Caribbean dollar$XCD
Saint LuciaEast Caribbean dollar$XCD
Saint Martin***EuroEUR
Saint Pierre and Miquelon***EuroEUR
Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesEast Caribbean dollar$XCD
SamoaSamoan tālāTWST
San MarinoEuroEUR
Sao Tome and PrincipeSao Tome and Principe dobraDbSTN
Saudi ArabiaSaudi riyalر.سSAR
SenegalWest African CFA francFrXOF
SerbiaSerbian dinarдин. or din.RSD
SeychellesSeychellois rupeeRsSCR
Sierra LeoneSierra Leonean leoneLeSLL
SingaporeSingapore dollar, Brunei dollar$, $SGD, BND
Sint Eustatius***United States dollar$USD
Sint Maarten***Netherlands Antillean guilderƒANG
SlovakiaEuroEUR
SloveniaEuroEUR
Solomon IslandsSolomon Islands dollar$SBD
SomaliaSomali shillingShSOS
South AfricaSouth African randRZAR
South Georgia Island***British pound sterling£GBP
South KoreaSouth Korean wonKRW
South SudanSouth Sudanese pound£SSP
SpainEuroEUR
Sri LankaSri Lankan rupeeRs, රු or ரூLKR
SudanSudanese poundج.س.SDG
SurinameSurinamese dollar$SRD
Svalbard***Norwegian kronekrNOK
SwedenSwedish kronakrSEK
SwitzerlandSwiss francFr.CHF
SyriaSyrian pound£ or ل.سSYP
T
Taiwan***New Taiwan dollar$TWD
TajikistanTajikistani somoniSMTJS
TanzaniaTanzanian shillingShTZS
ThailandThai baht฿THB
Timor-Leste (aka East Timor)United States dollar$USD
TogoWest African CFA francFrXOF
Tokelau***New Zealand dollar$NZD
TongaTongan pa’angaT$TOP
Trinidad and TobagoTrinidad and Tobago dollar$TTD
Tristan da Cunha***British pound sterling£GBP
TunisiaTunisian dinarد.تTND
TurkeyTurkish liraTRY
TurkmenistanTurkmen manatmTMT
Turks and Caicos Islands***United States dollar$USD
TuvaluTuvaluan dollar, Australian dollar$, $TVD, AUD
U
UgandaUgandan shillingShUGX
UkraineUkrainian hryvniaUAH
United Arab EmiratesUAE dirhamد.إAED
United KingdomBritish pound sterling£GBP
United States of AmericaUnited States dollar$USD
UruguayUruguayan peso$UYU
US Virgin Islands***United States dollar$USD
UzbekistanUzbekistani s’omso’m or сўмUZS
V
VanuatuVanuatu vatuVtVUV
Vatican City (Holy See)EuroEUR
VenezuelaVenezuelan bolivarBs.S. or Bs.VES
VietnamVietnamese dongVND
W
Wallis and Futuna***CFP francXPF
Y
YemenYemeni rialر.يYER
Z
ZambiaZambian kwachaZKZMW
ZimbabweUnited States dollar$USD
Currencies around the world pin

What types of currency are used in your area?

FAQ

What are the 8 major currencies of the world

The eight major currencies are currently the United States dollar (USD), the Euro (EUR), the Japanese yen (JPY), the British pound sterling (GBP), the Australian dollar (AUD), the Canadian dollar (CAD), the Swiss franc (CHF), and the New Zealand dollar (NZD). 

What is the most stable currency in the world?

The most stable currency this year has been the Swiss Franc.

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