Currency Conversion

Currency Conversion > World Currencies

Currency is a form of money (such as coins, paper money, and bank notes) which is used as a medium of exchange for goods and services. Leading dollar-denominated currencies include the U.S. dollar, Canadian dollar, Australian dollar and New Zealand dollar. Other leading world currencies include the European euro, British pound, Japanese yen, Swiss franc, Indian rupee, and South African rand.

As market conditions change, each of the world's national and regional currencies may fluctuate in value with respect to other currencies. Foreign exchange (FOREX) traders and investors, as well as importers and exporters, can monitor these important fluctuations via the online currency conversion tools and resources listed below.

Travelers who visit foreign countries will often need to exchange their currency to that of their destination country. Some travelers like to obtain enough foreign currency for a few incidental expenses before leaving home, while others prefer to convert their money to a local currency at their destination, where they may receive a better conversion rate. Currency brokers such as OrderCurrency.com and Travelex enable travelers to conveniently order foreign currency online. In addition, currency exchange kiosks at major airports and near border crossings, as well as many bank ATM machines and travel agencies, offer currency conversion services.

If you choose to exchange currency at home, you can do so at your local bank. Because the costs of exchanging money at home can be quite steep, it's best not to exchange more than you need for travel and transportation costs.

Once you arrive at your destination, try to avoid exchanging money at airports and hotels, as they will probably charge you high transaction fees. It's a good idea to carry a calculator with you, so you can determine what you are being charged.

Your best bet is to exchange money by using your credit card, or by going in to one of the local banks. Regardless of where you decide to exchange your money, be sure to check the newspaper for current rates.

More information about management and trading of currencies is available on the world currencies page. CurrencyConversion.us also features a directory of selected brokers who provide currency exchange and trading services for investors, businesses, and travelers.

Currency Conversion Solutions

XE.com
This currency resource site features a universal currency converter which performs conversion between specified currencies.
www.XE.com
Yahoo! Finance > Currency Conversion
This currency conversion site offers currency converter calculators and charts, a major currencies cross rates table, currency news and commentary, and related finance resources.
Finance.Yahoo.com
FXConverter
OANDA offers a multi-lingual foreign exchange currency converter with exchange rates provided from leading market data contributors.
www.OANDA.com
X-Rates.com
Currency calculator with currency photos and historical exchange rate graphs.
www.x-rates.com
CNN Money > Markets > Currencies
Find a currency cross rates table for major markets, exchange rates for the US dollar versus leading world currencies, and a currency converter calculator.
Money.CNN.com
Currency Trends
Offers a foreign exchange trading tool for use by short and long term FOREX investors and banks.
www.CurrencyTrends.com

Currency Brokerages

Travelex
Provides global payments and receivables processing.
www.FX4Business.com
Saxo Bank
Online Foreign Exchange and CFD trading services.
www.SaxoBank.com
Direct FX
Offers foreign exchange and money transfer services.
www.Foreign-Currency.com
OANDA FXTrade
Leading market-maker for currency trading features foreign exchange market research and analysis.
FXTrade.OANDA.com

World Currencies and Currency Codes

ISO 4217 Currency Codes
This International Standard specifies three-letter alphabetic codes and equivalent three-digit numeric codes for representing currencies and funds. It also shows the ratio between minor units (where used) and the currency itself. This page features a table of countries, their official currencies, and their alphabetic and numeric currency codes.
www.ISO.org