Currency Symbols and Codes
A Complete Reference Guide
Explore Currency CodesEvery currency has both a symbol (like $, €, £) and an ISO code (like USD, EUR, GBP). 理解する these identifiers helps avoid confusion—especially since many currencies share the same symbol but have very different values.
ISO 4217 Currency Codes
The ISO 4217 standard defines three-letter codes for currencies worldwide.
Code Structure
- First two letters: Country code (ISO 3166)
- Third letter: Usually first letter of currency name
Examples
- USD: US (country) + D (Dollar)
- GBP: GB (Great Britain) + P (Pound)
- JPY: JP (Japan) + Y (Yen)
- EUR: Exception—EU + R (not a country code)
Major Currency Symbols and Codes
| Currency | Symbol | Code | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Dollar | $ | USD | $100 |
| Euro | € | EUR | €100 or 100€ |
| British Pound | £ | GBP | £100 |
| Japanese Yen | ¥ | JPY | ¥100 |
| Swiss Franc | Fr or CHF | CHF | Fr100 or 100 Fr |
| Chinese Yuan | ¥ or 元 | CNY | ¥100 |
| Indian Rupee | ₹ | INR | ₹100 |
| South Korean Won | ₩ | KRW | ₩100 |
| Russian Ruble | ₽ | RUB | 100₽ |
| Brazilian Real | R$ | BRL | R$100 |
The Dollar Sign Confusion
Many currencies use $ or variations:
| Currency | Symbol | Code | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Dollar | $ | USD | United States |
| Canadian Dollar | C$ or $ | CAD | Canada |
| Australian Dollar | A$ or $ | AUD | Australia |
| New Zealand Dollar | NZ$ or $ | NZD | New Zealand |
| Hong Kong Dollar | HK$ or $ | HKD | Hong Kong |
| Singapore Dollar | S$ or $ | SGD | Singapore |
| Mexican Peso | $ or MX$ | MXN | Mexico |
When clarity matters, use ISO codes or add country prefixes (US$, C$, A$).
Symbol Placement
Where the symbol goes varies by country:
Symbol Before Amount
- $100, £100, ¥100
- US, UK, Japan, most English-speaking countries
Symbol After Amount
- 100€, 100 Fr
- Many European countries
Both Acceptable
- €100 or 100€ (varies by country in Eurozone)
- Canada: $100 (English) or 100$ (French)
With Decimals
- US: $1,234.56
- Germany: 1.234,56€ (comma/period reversed)
Unicode Currency Symbols
| Symbol | Unicode | Name |
|---|---|---|
| $ | U+0024 | Dollar sign |
| € | U+20AC | Euro sign |
| £ | U+00A3 | Pound sign |
| ¥ | U+00A5 | Yen sign |
| ₹ | U+20B9 | Indian Rupee |
| ₽ | U+20BD | Russian Ruble |
| ₩ | U+20A9 | Korean Won |
| ₿ | U+20BF | Bitcoin |
Not all fonts support all currency symbols—codes are more universally renderable.
Historical and Obsolete Codes
Replaced Currencies
- DEM: German Mark (replaced by EUR)
- FRF: French Franc (replaced by EUR)
- ITL: Italian Lira (replaced by EUR)
- GRD: Greek Drachma (replaced by EUR)
Redenominated
- ZWL: Zimbabwe Dollar (multiple versions due to hyperinflation)
- VEF → VES: Venezuelan Bolivar (redenomination)
- TRL → TRY: Turkish Lira (2005 redenomination)
Special Codes
Supranational
- XDR: Special Drawing Rights (IMF)
- XAU: Gold (1 troy ounce)
- XAG: Silver (1 troy ounce)
Testing and No Currency
- XXX: No currency
- XTS: Testing purposes
Cryptocurrencies
- BTC: Bitcoin (unofficial)
- ETH: Ethereum (unofficial)
- Not official ISO codes, but widely used
Regional Currency Codes
Americas
- USD, CAD, MXN, BRL, ARS, CLP, COP, PEN
Europe
- EUR, GBP, CHF, NOK, SEK, DKK, PLN, CZK
Asia-Pacific
- JPY, CNY, KRW, INR, HKD, SGD, AUD, NZD, THB
Middle East & Africa
- AED, SAR, ILS, ZAR, EGP, NGN, KES
まとめ
Currency symbols provide quick visual recognition, while ISO codes ensure unambiguous identification—essential when multiple currencies share the same symbol. The dollar sign ($) alone could mean over 20 different currencies, so international contexts require either ISO codes (USD, CAD, AUD) or qualified symbols (US$, C$, A$). 理解する both systems helps navigate global finance, travel, and international business.