Forex Trading Essentials | Quick Reference Guide to US Dollar Symbols and Global Currency Symbols

Why Forex Traders Need to Master the Symbols of the US Dollar and Other Currencies

In the international financial markets, quickly identifying different countries’ currencies is crucial. Visual identifiers such as the dollar sign ($), euro sign (€), and pound sign (£) allow traders to instantly determine the currency system involved in a trading pair.

Compared to lengthy textual descriptions (e.g., “40 USD” vs. “$40”), the main advantage of the dollar sign and other currency symbols is significantly improving recognition efficiency. Especially in the fast-moving forex market, accurate use of symbols directly impacts the speed of trading decisions. For example, seeing the currency pair EUR/USD, we immediately know it involves the exchange rate between the euro and the dollar, without additional interpretation.

High-Frequency Currency Symbols Reference Table | Quick Check for 30+ Countries

The table below covers currency information from major global trading markets:

Continent Country Currency Name Code Symbol
Americas USA US Dollar USD $
Canada Canadian Dollar CAD $
Brazil Brazilian Real BRL R$
Asia China Renminbi CNY ¥/元
Taiwan New Taiwan Dollar TWD NT$
Hong Kong Hong Kong Dollar HKD $ / HK$
Japan Yen JPY ¥
Singapore Singapore Dollar SGD $
South Korea Won KRW
India Rupee INR
Indonesia Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp
Malaysia Ringgit MYR RM
Philippines Peso PHP
Thailand Baht THB ฿
Vietnam Dong VND
Oceania Australia Australian Dollar AUD $
New Zealand New Zealand Dollar NZD $
Europe UK Pound Sterling GBP £
Eurozone Euro EUR
Russia Ruble RUB
Ukraine Hryvnia UAH
Turkey Lira TRY
Middle East & Africa UAE Dirham AED د.إ
Israel Shekel ILS
Nigeria Naira NGN
Kenya Kenyan Shilling KES Ksh
South Africa Rand ZAR R

Common Shortcut Keys for the US Dollar, Euro, and Other Major Currencies | Compatible with Mac and Windows

No need to copy and paste every time—learn these shortcuts to double your input speed:

Currency Name Code Symbol Mac Shortcut Windows Shortcut
US Dollar USD $ Shift+4 Shift+4
Euro EUR Shift+Option+2 Alt+E
Pound Sterling GBP £ Option+3 Alt+L
Yen JPY ¥ Option+Y

Whether you’re using Mac or Windows, these shortcuts allow you to quickly insert the dollar sign and other major currency symbols when writing trading reports or analyzing markets.

Beware of Confusing Symbols | Same Symbols Used in Multiple Countries

The Dual Identity of the Yen (¥)

The “¥” symbol has dual meanings in Asian currencies:

  • In China, it represents the Renminbi (CNY¥)
  • In Japan, it represents the Yen (JPY¥)

To avoid confusion, it is recommended to prefix with the currency code, e.g., “CNY¥100” for 100 RMB, “JPY¥100” for 100 Yen.

The $ Sign Used in Over 30 Countries

Although most commonly associated with the US dollar, the “$” symbol is used as the local currency symbol in over 30 countries worldwide. Common notation distinctions include:

Country/Region Currency Name Standard Notation
USA US Dollar US$ or USD
Taiwan New Taiwan Dollar NT$ or TWD
Canada Canadian Dollar C$ or CAD
Brazil Real R$ or BRL
Hong Kong Hong Kong Dollar HK$ or HKD
Singapore Singapore Dollar S$ or SGD
Australia Australian Dollar A$ or AUD
New Zealand New Zealand Dollar NZ$ or NZD

The Baht (฿): Forex and Cryptocurrency Distinction

The “฿” symbol has different meanings depending on the context:

  • In the foreign exchange market, it represents the Thai Baht
  • In cryptocurrency, it symbolizes Bitcoin

Traders should interpret it correctly based on the context.

Meaning and Trading Principles of Forex Currency Pairs

Forex currency pairs reflect the exchange rate between two currencies. For example:

EUR/USD = 1.10 means 1 euro can be exchanged for 1.10 US dollars.

In this notation:

  • The first currency (EUR) is called the base currency
  • The second currency (USD) is called the quote currency

Traders aim to profit from fluctuations in the exchange rate by buying or selling currency pairs. Mastering the standard notation of the dollar sign, euro sign, and others helps you analyze major global currency pairs like EUR/USD, GBP/JPY more efficiently.

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