Currency is a form of money (such as coins, paper money, and bank notes)
that 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
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 info 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.
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
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
This International Standard specifies three-letter alphabetic
codes and equivalent three-digit numeric codes for representing
currencies and funds. It also shows the relationship between minor
units (where used) and the currency itself. This page features
access to a downloadable table of countries, their official currencies,
and their alphabetic and numeric currency codes. www.ISO.org