Quick Guide to USD Symbol and International Currency Signs - Complete Symbol Input Guide

In foreign exchange trading and international payments, the USD symbol and other currency symbols are key tools for quickly identifying fund flows. Whether you are an investor or a daily user, learning to correctly input and apply these symbols can help us trade more efficiently and communicate information more effectively. This article provides a complete currency symbol lookup, quick input methods, and tips for distinguishing easily confused symbols.

Quick Tips for Inputting USD and Common Currency Symbols

Quickly inputting the USD symbol and other common national currency symbols on Mac and Windows keyboards can greatly improve work efficiency. Here are the most commonly used shortcut methods:

Note that the USD symbol ($) is entered the same way on Mac and Windows systems—Shift+4—making the dollar sign one of the easiest international currency symbols to input.

Major Countries and Regions Currency Symbols Comparison Table

Understanding each country’s currency code and symbol is crucial for international trade and forex trading. Here is a reference for common currencies categorized by continent:

Americas

• USA: US Dollar (USD) - $
• Canada: Canadian Dollar (CAD) - $
• Brazil: Brazilian Real (BRL) - R$

Asia

• China: Renminbi (CNY) - ￥ / Yuan
• 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: Rupiah (IDR) - Rp
• Malaysia: Ringgit (MYR) - RM
• Philippines: Peso (PHP) - ₱
• Thailand: Baht (THB) - ฿
• Vietnam: Dong (VND) - ₫

Europe

• UK: Pound Sterling (GBP) - £
• Eurozone: Euro (EUR) - €
• Russia: Ruble (RUB) - ₽
• Ukraine: Hryvnia (UAH) - ₴
• Turkey: Lira (TRY) - ₺

Pacific

• Australia: Australian Dollar (AUD) - $
• New Zealand: New Zealand Dollar (NZD) - $

Middle East & Africa

• UAE: Dirham (AED) - د.إ
• Israel: Shekel (ILS) - ₪
• Nigeria: Naira (NGN) - ₦
• Kenya: Kenyan Shilling (KES) - Ksh
• South Africa: Rand (ZAR) - R

Source: TransferWise International Payment Platform

Differentiating USD and Other Confusing Currency Symbols

In international transactions, some currency symbols are easily confused. Mastering correct differentiation methods can prevent payment errors and transaction disputes.

Use of $ Symbol in Multiple Countries

The $ symbol is one of the most widely used symbols globally, but it is used as the official currency symbol in over 30 countries. To accurately distinguish, use the following standard notation:

• USA: US$ or USD (Dollar)
• Taiwan: NT$ or TWD (New Taiwan Dollar)
• Canada: C$ or CAD (Canadian Dollar)
• Brazil: R$ or BRL (Brazilian Real)
• Hong Kong: HK$ or HKD (Hong Kong Dollar)
• Singapore: S$ or SGD (Singapore Dollar)
• Australia: A$ or AUD (Australian Dollar)
• New Zealand: NZ$ or NZD (New Zealand Dollar)

Dual Meaning of ¥ Symbol

The ¥ symbol is used in Asia by two major economies: Japan’s ¥ (JPY) for Yen, and China’s ¥ (CNY) for Renminbi. To clarify, it is recommended to use the currency code alongside: CNY¥100 for “100 Renminbi,” JPY¥100 for “100 Yen.”

฿ Symbol in Different Contexts

The ฿ symbol represents Thai Baht (THB) in forex trading, but in cryptocurrency, ฿ is used to denote Bitcoin. Traders should interpret the symbol based on the market context to avoid confusion.

Currency Pairs and USD in Forex Trading

In the forex market, currency pairs are the basic units for trading and price quoting. A currency pair indicates the exchange rate between two different currencies. Common USD-related pairs include:

• EUR/USD: Euro to US Dollar exchange rate, indicating how many USD per 1 EUR
• GBP/USD: Pound Sterling to US Dollar
• USD/JPY: US Dollar to Japanese Yen
• AUD/USD: Australian Dollar to US Dollar

In currency pairs, the first currency is called the “base currency,” and the second is the “quote currency” or “counter currency.” For example, in EUR/USD, EUR is the base currency, USD is the quote currency, and the rate shows how many USD one Euro can buy.

Mastering the correct application of USD symbols and other currency symbols is essential for those engaged in international trade, forex investment, and cross-border payments.