Currency Calculator

Market Exchange Rates Table

Reference rates published by the European Central Bank, as of 2026-11-03. Each figure is how many units of the currency one US dollar or one euro buys.

Important Key Terms

Exchange rate: the price of one currency in terms of another, such as 1 USD = 0.89 EUR. Base and quote currency: in a pair written EUR/USD, the euro is the base and the dollar is the quote; the rate says how many units of the quote currency one unit of the base buys.

Mid-market rate: the midpoint between the price at which banks buy and sell a currency on the wholesale market. Reference rates such as those published daily by the European Central Bank are close to it, and this calculator uses them. Bid and ask (buy and sell) rates: the prices a dealer pays and charges; the gap between them, called the spread, is the dealer's profit.

Cross rate: an exchange rate between two currencies worked out through a third, usually the US dollar. Appreciation and depreciation: a currency appreciates when it buys more of other currencies than before and depreciates when it buys less. Pegged or fixed rate: a rate a government or central bank holds steady against another currency, as Hong Kong does with the US dollar. Floating rate: a rate set by supply and demand in the market.

What is Currency?

Currency is money in the form a country or region uses day to day: coins, banknotes and the bank balances that stand in for them. It serves as a medium of exchange, a unit of account for pricing goods and a store of value. Early economies traded goods directly or used commodities such as grain, shells and metal; coins of gold and silver followed, and paper money spread from China to Europe over several centuries.

Modern currencies are fiat money. Their value does not come from a backing commodity but from the government that issues them, the taxes payable in them and the confidence of the people who use them. Most countries have their own currency managed by a central bank, while some share one: the euro is used across most of the European Union. Others adopt a foreign currency outright, as Ecuador and El Salvador use the US dollar.

The US dollar holds a special role as the world's main reserve currency. Central banks keep large dollar reserves, much international trade and debt is priced in dollars, and many commodities, oil included, are quoted in them. The euro, Japanese yen, British pound and Chinese yuan are the other major reserve currencies.

Forex and Exchange Rates

The foreign exchange (forex or FX) market is where currencies are traded. It is the largest financial market in the world, with trillions of dollars changing hands each day, and it runs around the clock on weekdays through banks, brokers and electronic platforms in financial centers such as London, New York, Singapore and Tokyo. Participants range from central banks and multinational companies to investment funds and individual travelers.

Most major currencies float, so their rates change every second with supply and demand. The rate you see quoted online is usually a mid-market or reference rate. When you actually exchange money, the provider quotes a less favorable rate that includes its margin, and may add a separate fee. Comparing the total amount you receive, not just the advertised rate or fee, shows the true cost.

Converted amount = Amount × Rate · Cross rate A→B = (USD→B) ÷ (USD→A)

Rates are stored against the US dollar, so converting between two other currencies uses a cross rate: divide the dollar rate of the target currency by the dollar rate of the source currency.

Factors that Influence Exchange Rates Between Currencies

Interest rates are among the strongest forces. When a central bank raises rates, investments in that currency pay more, which tends to attract foreign money and strengthen it. Inflation works the other way: a currency that loses purchasing power quickly at home usually weakens abroad over time.

Economic strength and the balance of trade matter too. Countries that export more than they import create steady demand for their currency, while large, persistent deficits can weigh on it. Government debt, political stability, elections and policy surprises all affect how safe investors feel holding a currency. In times of global stress, money tends to flow toward perceived safe havens such as the US dollar, the Swiss franc and the Japanese yen.

Finally, expectations and speculation move rates in the short run. Traders react to news, data releases and central bank statements within seconds, which is why currencies can swing sharply on a single day even when nothing fundamental has changed.

Some Tips for Traveling Overseas

Check the mid-market rate before you exchange money so you can judge how much margin a provider is charging. Airport and hotel exchange counters usually offer the worst rates; a bank or credit union at home, or an ATM at your destination, is often cheaper.

Use a credit or debit card with no foreign transaction fee where cards are widely accepted, and tell your bank about your travel plans so payments are not blocked. When a card terminal or ATM offers to charge you in your home currency, decline. This option, called dynamic currency conversion, usually applies a poor rate; choose to pay in the local currency instead.

Withdraw cash in fewer, larger amounts to limit per-withdrawal ATM fees, keep a small amount of local cash for taxis, tips and places that do not take cards, and carry a backup card stored separately from your main one. Finally, try to spend or convert leftover foreign cash before you fly home, since coins usually cannot be exchanged back.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• European Central Bank – Euro foreign exchange reference rates
• CFPB – Sending money abroad (remittance transfers)