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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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:
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:
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:
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:
The Baht (฿): Forex and Cryptocurrency Distinction
The “฿” symbol has different meanings depending on the context:
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:
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.