Global Currency Symbols Quick Reference Guide: USD, EUR, TWD Symbols Fast Lookup and Input Tips

What is the core function of currency symbols?

Currency symbols serve as visual identifiers within each country’s financial system, using simple graphic symbols to distinguish currencies from different regions. Whether you are an forex trader or a daily user, mastering the correct currency symbols helps us quickly identify currency types, track exchange rate fluctuations, and conduct efficient international investments and transactions.

For example, seeing the euro symbol (€) immediately brings to mind euro-related trading pairs, such as EUR/USD or EUR/JPY. The biggest advantage of currency symbols is that they eliminate the need for lengthy text descriptions—writing “$40” is much more concise and efficient than writing “40 US dollars,” greatly improving reading efficiency.

List of Major Global Currency Symbols

The table below covers currency information from major continents, countries, and regions worldwide:

Source: TransferWise

How to input common currency symbols on a computer?

Many users need to input various currency symbols in documents or spreadsheets. Here are quick input tips for Mac and Windows systems:

Mastering these shortcuts can greatly improve input efficiency, especially when handling multi-currency data.

Commonly Confused Currency Symbols

In practical applications, some symbols are used by multiple countries, which can cause ambiguity. Special attention is needed to distinguish them:

￥ Symbol’s Dual Identity

The “￥” symbol represents different currencies in different countries. In Japan, it indicates Yen (JPY), while in China, it indicates Renminbi (CNY). To clarify, write as:

• CNY￥100 (meaning 100 RMB)
• JPY￥100 (meaning 100 Yen)

$ Symbol Used Worldwide

The “$” symbol appears to be exclusive to the US dollar, but it is used as a currency symbol in over 30 countries. Common ways to distinguish include:

฿ Symbol’s Cross-Domain Usage

The “฿” symbol has different meanings in two completely different fields:

• Forex market: represents the Thai Baht
• Cryptocurrency: represents Bitcoin

Understanding these distinctions helps avoid misunderstandings in trading and communication.

Meaning of Forex Currency Pairs

Forex currency pairs indicate the exchange rate between two currencies, allowing investors to participate in the forex market by buying and selling currency pairs. For example, “USD/GBP” means:

• Meaning: The exchange rate of US dollars to British pounds, i.e., how many GBP one USD can buy
• Base currency: USD (the currency before the slash)
• Quote currency: GBP (the currency after the slash)

Other common pairs like EUR/USD (Euro/US dollar), GBP/JPY (British pound/Japanese yen) follow the same logic. Proper understanding of currency pairs enables traders to execute market strategies more accurately and manage investment risks effectively.