+13 US Dollar (USD)

The US Dollar is issued by the Federal Reserve.

Alphabetic code
USD
Numeric code
840
Symbol
$
Minor units
2
Example
$1,234.50
Used in
United States, Ecuador, El Salvador, Timor-Leste, Puerto Rico, Guam, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Palau, Panama, British Virgin Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands, and others
Your rate
1 (base)

A reader’s investment lens

The dollar’s network is part of its story: businesses, lenders and investors already use it to transact with one another. For a reader, that makes USD a reference point, rather than an automatic choice to buy. Start by asking which currency your future spending is in.

Watch
US policy, inflation and interest-rate differences.
Consider
A global role does not prevent exchange-rate losses.

Research context, not a recommendation to buy. Currency moves exclude interest and fees.

BIS · FX turnover, April 2025 ↗

History

  1. 1792 The Coinage Act establishes the US Mint and sets the dollar as the unit of US money.
  2. 1913 The Federal Reserve Act, signed on 23 December, creates the Federal Reserve System, which issues Federal Reserve Notes.
  3. 1944 The Bretton Woods conference sets up fixed exchange rates, with currencies pegged to the US dollar, which is convertible to gold at $35 an ounce.
  4. 1971 The US ends the dollar’s convertibility into gold for foreign governments on 15 August.

Live exchange rates

Sources