Coins Worth Less Than the Real: The List of the 10 Most Fragile in 2025

Receiving a salary and watching your purchasing power disappear in days is the reality for millions of people. While we discuss here in Brazil an exchange rate of R$ 5.44 (September 2025), there are currencies that have simply collapsed. The real, by the way, was the worst currency among the main ones in 2024, depreciating by 21.52%. But this scenario is just the beginning of the story when you look at the global landscape.

2025 brought persistent inflation, political crises, and economic instability that turned some currencies into living symbols of fragility. This article explores the currencies that are truly in the worst global scenario, analyzes the mechanisms behind this devaluation, and what it means for those thinking about investing or traveling to these destinations.

Why Do Some Currencies Crash While Others Remain Stable?

Observing financial markets over the years reveals an uncomfortable truth: there is no weak currency by coincidence. There is always a devastating combination of corrosive factors that destroy investor confidence.

Uncontrolled inflation
While Brazil fluctuates between 5% and 7% annually, some countries face hyperinflation where prices double monthly. This devastates savings, wages, and the very notion of store of value.

Structural political instability
Coups, internal conflicts, and governments changing annually eliminate legal security. When investors feel fear, they flee. The currency turns into worthless paper.

Economic isolation
Sanctions cut access to the global financial system. The result is predictable: the local currency becomes useless for international trade, amplifying its devaluation.

International reserves leakage
Without sufficient dollars in the Central Bank’s coffers, defending the currency is impossible. It’s like trying to hold a dike without water.

Capital exodus
When citizens prefer to store dollars informally rather than trust the national currency, you understand the level of desperation. Economies like this do not recover easily.

The 10 Weakest Currencies on the Planet in 2025

1. Lebanese Pound (LBP)

Exchange rate: 1 million LBP = R$ 61.00

The most extreme devaluation in the world. Officially, it would be 1,507.5 pounds per dollar, but in the real market, you need more than 90,000 pounds for one dollar. Banks limit withdrawals, stores only accept dollars, and even taxi drivers refuse the national currency. The crisis since 2020 created two markets: the official (fictitious) and the parallel (the real).

2. Iranian Rial (IRR)

Exchange rate: 1 real = 7,751.94 rials

Economic sanctions have turned the rial into a virtually worthless currency. With R$ 100, you become a millionaire in rials on paper, but it buys nothing. The government tries to control the exchange rate while multiple parallel rates exist on the streets. The most interesting consequence: young Iranians have migrated to cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin and Ethereum have become a more reliable store of value than the country’s own currency.

3. Vietnamese Dong (VND)

Exchange rate: Approximately 25,000 VND per dollar

A paradoxical case. Vietnam has a growing economy, but the dong remains historically weak due to deliberate monetary policy. Withdrawing 1 million dong at an ATM seems tragicomic, but reflects structural reality. It’s advantageous for tourists; for Vietnamese, it means expensive imports and reduced international purchasing power.

4. Laotian Kip (LAK)

Exchange rate: About 21,000 LAK per dollar

Laos faces a small economy, dependence on imports, and permanent inflation. The kip is so devalued that merchants at the border with Thailand prefer Thai baht.

5. Indonesian Rupiah (IDR)

Exchange rate: Approximately 15,500 IDR per dollar

Since 1998, the rupiah has been among the weakest currencies globally, despite Indonesia being Southeast Asia’s largest economy. For Brazilian tourists, it means Bali remains affordable: R$ 200 per day provides considerable comfort.

6. Uzbek Sum (UZS)

Exchange rate: About 12,800 UZS per dollar

Recent economic reforms have not strengthened the sum, which still reflects decades of a closed economy. The country attracts investments, but the currency remains weak.

7. Guinean Franc (GNF)

Exchange rate: Approximately 8,600 GNF per dollar

Guinea has abundant natural resources (gold and bauxite), but political instability and corruption prevent this wealth from translating into a strong currency. It’s the paradox of a rich country with a poor currency.

8. Paraguayan Guarani (PYG)

Exchange rate: About 7.42 PYG per real

Our South American neighbor maintains a relatively stable economy, but the guarani is traditionally weak. This keeps Ciudad del Este as a permanent shopping destination for Brazilians.

9. Malagasy Ariary (MGA)

Exchange rate: Approximately 4,500 MGA per dollar

Madagascar, one of the poorest nations in the world, reflects this reality in the ariary. Imports become prohibitive, and the population has virtually no international purchasing power.

10. Burundian Franc (BIF)

Exchange rate: About 550.06 BIF per real

Closing the list is a currency so devalued that significant purchases require carrying paper money bags. The country’s chronic political instability is directly reflected in its national currency.

What Can Be Learned from Currencies Worth Less Than the Real

This ranking is not just a financial curiosity. It reveals how politics, trust, and economic stability are closely interconnected. For the Brazilian investor, the lessons are clear:

Fragile economies multiply risks – devalued currencies may seem like apparent opportunities, but they indicate deep crises where returns are uncertain.

Tourism advantages exist – destinations with weakened currencies offer lower costs for those arriving with stronger currencies like the real or dollar.

Understanding macroeconomics through reality – following how currencies collapse helps understand the tangible effects of inflation, corruption, and instability on people’s lives.

Preserving value requires vigilance – ensuring your capital maintains purchasing power demands continuous attention to global economic indicators and monetary stability trends.

Currencies worth less than the real serve as warnings about structural vulnerabilities. They demonstrate how good governance, institutional trust, and responsible monetary policies are foundations for any resilient economy. For investors, the lesson remains: stability is as valuable as opportunity.