Complete Quick Reference for Global Currency Symbols: From Symbol Recognition to Keyboard Input of the Pound Sign

2025-12-25 01:58:25

The Core Role of Currency Symbols

Currency symbols are visual codes used for quick identification of different countries and regions’ currencies. In Forex trading and international investments, mastering each country’s currency symbols is crucial. Compared to the lengthy “40 US dollars,” writing “$40” is more concise and efficient, helping traders quickly identify the currency type and track price fluctuations. When you see EUR/USD or EUR/JPY on a trading terminal, a glance at the euro symbol (€) immediately clarifies the nature of the currency pair involved.

Quick Reference Table for Major Trading Currencies and Symbols

Based on regional divisions, here are common trading currencies with their symbols and codes:

Region	Country	Currency	Code	Symbol
Americas	USA	US Dollar	USD	$
	Canada	Canadian Dollar	CAD	$
	Brazil	Brazilian Real	BRL	R$
Asia	China	Renminbi	CNY	￥/元
	Taiwan	New Taiwan Dollar	TWD	NT$
	Hong Kong	Hong Kong Dollar	HKD	$ / HK$
	Japan	Yen	JPY	¥
	Singapore	Singapore Dollar	SGD	$
	South Korea	South Korean Won	KRW	₩
	India	Indian Rupee	INR	₹
	Indonesia	Indonesian Rupiah	IDR	Rp
	Malaysia	Malaysian Ringgit	MYR	RM
	Philippines	Philippine Peso	PHP	₱
	Thailand	Thai Baht	THB	฿
	Vietnam	Vietnamese Dong	VND	₫
Oceania	Australia	Australian Dollar	AUD	$
	New Zealand	New Zealand Dollar	NZD	$
Europe	UK	British Pound	GBP	£
	Eurozone	Euro	EUR	€
	Russia	Russian Ruble	RUB	₽
	Ukraine	Ukrainian Hryvnia	UAH	₴
	Turkey	Turkish Lira	TRY	₺
Middle East & Africa	UAE	UAE Dirham	AED	د.إ
	Israel	Israeli Shekel	ILS	₪
	Nigeria	Nigerian Naira	NGN	₦
	Kenya	Kenyan Shilling	KES	Ksh
	South Africa	South African Rand	ZAR	R

Commonly Confusing Currency Symbols Explained

￥ Symbol’s Dual Identity

￥ represents different currencies in different countries. Japan uses it for Yen (JPY), while China uses it for Renminbi (CNY). To distinguish accurately, a common practice is to add the country code in front, e.g., “CNY￥100” for 100 RMB, “JPY￥100” for 100 Yen.

Widespread Use of $ Symbol

The $ symbol is not exclusive to the US dollar but is used for currencies in over 30 countries worldwide. To specify US dollars, write US$. Other common usages include:

NT$ for New Taiwan Dollar
C$ for Canadian Dollar
R$ for Brazilian Real
HK$ for Hong Kong Dollar
S$ for Singapore Dollar
A$ for Australian Dollar
NZ$ for New Zealand Dollar

฿ Symbol’s Dual Meaning

In traditional Forex, ฿ represents the Thai Baht. In the crypto market, the same symbol is used for Bitcoin. Traders should interpret based on context.

How to Input Pound and Common Currency Symbols on Keyboard

Mastering quick input methods for currency symbols can greatly improve efficiency in daily trading and document writing. Here are shortcut keys for inputting mainstream currency symbols on Mac and Windows:

Currency	Code	Symbol	Mac Shortcut	Windows Shortcut
Euro	EUR	€	Shift+Option+2	Alt+E
Pound	GBP	£	Option+3	Alt+L
US Dollar	USD	$	Shift+4	Shift+4
Yen	JPY	¥	Option+Y	-

Practical Input Tips

On Mac, to input the pound symbol (£), press and hold Option and then press 3 to quickly display £. Windows users should hold Alt and type L, then release to show £. The US dollar symbol is the same on both systems: Shift+4.

Basic Concepts of Forex Currency Pairs

The core of Forex trading is currency pairs, which represent the exchange rate between two different currencies. For example, EUR/USD indicates the exchange rate of Euro to US Dollar, meaning how many US Dollars one Euro can buy. In USD/GBP, USD is the base currency, and GBP is the quote currency; the number shows how many British Pounds one US Dollar can exchange.

Traders participate in the Forex market by buying or selling specific currency pairs, seeking profit from exchange rate fluctuations. Mastering currency symbols and codes is fundamental for precise trading.

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