Global Currency Symbols Quick Reference Guide: Complete Tutorial from USD to CAD Symbols

Why Learn to Use Currency Symbols?

In international forex trading and investing, mastering each country’s currency symbols is not only fundamental knowledge but also a key to improving trading efficiency. Currency symbols are visual quick-identification tools that help investors instantly recognize the involved currencies. Compared to writing “40 USD,” directly writing “$40” is obviously more concise and easier to read, especially when quick comparisons of multiple currency quotes are needed.

For example, seeing the euro symbol (€) immediately brings to mind common currency pairs like EUR/USD or EUR/JPY. For forex traders, correctly identifying currency symbols allows for rapid tracking of different currencies’ value trends, enhancing the accuracy of trading decisions.

Overview of Major Countries’ Currency Symbols Globally

The following summarizes the currency codes and their corresponding symbols for major countries and regions across continents:

Keyboard Input Tips for Common Currency Symbols

Mastering quick shortcuts for inputting common currency symbols like USD, EUR, GBP, and CAD can greatly improve work efficiency:

On Mac:

• Euro (€): Hold Shift + Option + 2
• Pound (£): Hold Option + 3
• Dollar ($): Hold Shift + 4
• Yen (¥): Hold Option + Y

On Windows:

• Euro (€): Hold Alt + E
• Pound (£): Hold Alt + L
• Dollar ($): Hold Shift + 4
• CAD $: Same as USD $, but typically prefixed with “C$” to distinguish

How to Distinguish Confusing Currency Symbols

The Dual Identity of ￥ Symbol

The “￥” symbol represents different currencies in different countries. In China, it indicates Renminbi (CNY), while in Japan, it stands for Yen (JPY). To avoid confusion, it is recommended to add the currency code before the amount, e.g., “CNY￥100” for 100 RMB, “JPY￥100” for 100 Yen.

The $ Symbol Around the World

The simple “$” symbol is used by over 30 countries and regions. USD uses “US$,” CAD uses “C$” or “CAD$,” New Taiwan Dollar uses “NT$,” Hong Kong Dollar “HK$,” Australian Dollar “A$,” New Zealand Dollar “NZ$.” In international transactions, always use the currency code or prefix to accurately identify the currency to avoid misreading exchange rates.

฿ Symbol’s Two Meanings

In forex markets, “฿” usually represents the Thai Baht (THB). However, in cryptocurrency, the same symbol often denotes Bitcoin (BTC). Understanding the context is crucial to correctly identify the currency being referred to.

The Practical Significance of Forex Currency Pairs

Currency pairs in the forex market represent the exchange rate between two different currencies. For example, EUR/USD indicates the euro to US dollar exchange rate, GBP/JPY indicates the British pound to Japanese yen exchange rate. Investors buy or sell one currency to exchange for another, aiming to profit from fluctuations in the exchange rate.

For example, “USD/GBP” indicates how many British pounds one US dollar can buy. USD is called the base currency, and GBP is the quote or counter currency. Understanding this relationship is vital for executing trading strategies accurately.

Mastering global major currency symbols, quick input methods, and currency pair notation will help you become more proficient in international investing and forex trading.