What is the strongest currency in the world? If you answered the US dollar, you would be wrong. While the US dollar is generally seen as the most powerful currency in the world, and it’s certainly the most-traded currency on the global stage by some margin, it’s not the strongest of the 180-odd traditional ‘fiat’ currencies recognised as legal tender worldwide. It is the world’s biggest economy, but that does not automatically translate to currency value (see below).
Here’s a look at the top 10 strongest currencies in the world, based on their relative value against the US dollar. The results may surprise you.
How Is Foreign Currency Priced?
Foreign currency is traded in pairs, for example, buying US dollars with Australian dollars. As a result, currency is always priced relative to another currency, known as the ‘exchange rate’.
Most currencies are ‘floating’, meaning their value fluctuates depending on demand and supply. However, some currencies are ‘pegged’, which means their value relative to another currency (such as the US dollar) is fixed at an agreed rate. The Australian dollar, for example, was pegged to the US dollar until 1983, but now operates on a floating exchange rate, whereby the value of the Australian dollar rises and falls according to supply and demand factors.
Exchange rates affect the cost of goods and services in a foreign currency. For example, if the Australian dollar weakens against the US dollar, a holiday in the United States would cost more in AUD terms. In May, one Australian dollar was worth exactly 66 US cents and by September it had nudged up slightly to 67 US cents. That is still a long way off from 14 years ago when the AUD achieved parity with the greenback (and prompted a flurry of bookings to Hawaii.)
Holidays aside, exchange rate movements also create an opportunity for investors looking to make a profit from trading in foreign exchange.
It’s also common for currencies not on this list to experience surges and dips based on their perceived risk or value. For example, the Polish zloty is the top-performing currency globally in quarter-to-date terms. Since the end of September, the PLN has gained 6.5% against the Euro and 10% against the US dollar.
“The Polish currency benefits from the post-election reshuffling of the perception of the future policy mix combined with expectations of (US) Fed rate cuts supporting risky currencies and assets,” market analyst at Conotoxia fintech, Bartosz Sawicki, notes.
Related: AUD to USD: Trends and Forecasts
We’ve analysed the strongest currencies, based on the number of units of foreign currency received in exchange for one US dollar. The exchange rates are sourced from our currency converter, based on data from Open Exchange as at the time of writing.
Let’s take a look at the strongest currencies in the world—the results may surprise you.
Related: Weakest Currencies in the World
1. Kuwaiti Dinar (KWD)
The Kuwaiti dinar is the strongest currency in the world with a single Kuwaiti dinar buying $3.25 US dollars (or, put another way, one US dollar equals 0.31 Kuwaiti dinars).
Kuwait is located between Saudi Arabia and Iraq, earning much of its wealth from being a leading global exporter of oil. The Kuwaiti dinar was introduced in the 1960s and was initially pegged to the British pound before being re-pegged to an undisclosed basket of currencies.
2. Bahraini Dinar (BHD)
The Bahraini dinar is the second strongest currency in the world with 1 Bahraini dinar buying 2.65 US dollars (or US$1 equals 0.38 Bahraini dinars).
Bahrain is an island nation in the Persian Gulf off the coast of Saudi Arabia. Like Kuwait, the country earns much of its wealth from oil and gas exports. The Bahraini dinar entered circulation in 1965 and is pegged to the US dollar.
3. Omani Rial (OMR)
The Omani rial is the third strongest currency in the world with 1 Omani rial buying 2.60 US dollars (or US$1 equals 0.38 Omani rial).
Oman sits between the United Arab Emirates and Yemen at the tip of the Arabian peninsula. As with its other wealthy neighbours, Oman is a major exporter of oil and gas. The Omani rial was introduced in the 1970s and is pegged to the US dollar.
4. Jordanian Dinar (JOD)
The Jordanian dinar is the fourth strongest currency in the world with 1 Jordanian dinar buying 1.41 US dollars (or US$1 equals 0.71 Jordanian dinar).
Jordan is largely land-locked country in the Middle East. Jordan is less dependent on oil and gas exports than its neighbours and has struggled with sluggish economic growth and rising debt. The Jordanian dinar entered circulation in 1950 and is pegged to the US dollar.
5. British Pound (GBP)
The British pound is the fifth strongest currency in the world with 1 British pound buying 1.26 US dollars (or US$1 equals 0.80 British pounds).
Britain is the sixth largest economy by Gross Domestic Product (GDP), according to the World Bank. The pound was first introduced in the 1400s before being decimalised in 1971. It is free-floating and thus not pegged to other currencies.
5. (Tie) Gibraltar Pound (GIP)
The Gibraltar pound is the joint fifth strongest currency in the world with 1 Gibraltar pound buying 1.26 US dollars (or US$1 equals 0.80 Gibraltar pounds).
Gibraltar is located at the southern tip of Spain and is officially a British territory. The Gibraltar pound was first introduced in the 1920s and is pegged to the British pound at par, meaning that one GIP equals one GBP.
7. Cayman Islands Dollar (KYD)
The Cayman Islands dollar is the seventh-strongest currency in the world with 1 Cayman Islands dollar buying 1.20 US dollars (or US$1 equals 0.83 Cayman Islands dollars).
The Cayman Islands is a British territory in the Caribbean and is an offshore financial centre. The Cayman Islands dollar was first introduced in the 1970s and is pegged to the US dollar.
8. Swiss Franc (CHF)
The Swiss franc is the eighth strongest currency in the world with 1 Swiss franc buying 1.11 US dollars (or US$1 equals 0.90 Swiss francs).
The Swiss franc is the official legal tender of Switzerland and Liechtenstein and is seen as a safe haven due to Switzerland’s political stability. The Swiss franc was introduced in 1850 and was later briefly pegged to the Euro before moving to a free-float.
9. Euro (EUR)
The Euro is the ninth strongest currency in the world with 1 Euro buying 1.08 US dollars (or US$1 equals 0.93 euros).
The Euro is the official currency of the Eurozone, being 20 out of the 27 countries that form part of the European Union. The physical currency entered circulation in 2002 and is free-floating.
Related: Euro to AUD forecast
10. US dollar (USD)
The US dollar is the 10th strongest currency in the world, worth exactly 1 against itself. All other units of currency across the globe are worth less than a US dollar.
Created in the 1700s, the US dollar is legal tender in the USA, other US territories and sovereign nations including Ecuador and Zimbabwe.
The US is the world’s largest economy by GDP and the US dollar is by far the most-traded currency globally.
The US dollar is also the largest reserve currency in the world (the currency most held by central banks) and is the currency used to price many commodities, including oil, gold and copper.
Where Is The USD Used Around The World?
There are many countries that use the USD as their national currency outside of the United States. This includes:
- American Samoa
- Bonaire
- British Virgin Islands
- East Timor
- Ecuador
- El Salvador
- Guam
- Micronesia
- Marshall Islands
- Palau
- Puerto Rico
- Timor and Leste
- Turks and Caicos
Additionally, a few countries have their currency pegged to the USD on a 1:1 rate. This includes the Bermudian Dollar, Bahamian Dollar, and the Panama Balboa.
The US dollar is also legal tender in many other countries worldwide, despite it not being an official currency of the nation.
FAQ
What is the weakest currency in the world?
The Iranian Rial is the weakest currency in the world with 1 INR buy 0.000024 US dollars. The low ranking is attributed to the country’s lack of foreign investors in the wake of the Iranian Revolution, combined with more recent developments, such as the current political turmoil, Iran’s nuclear program and the Iran-Iraq war. “Risks to Iran’s economic outlook remain significant,” the World Bank has stated.
You can read more about in our guide to the 10 Cheapest Currencies in the World.
Is the US dollar the strongest currency in the world?
Surprisingly, the US dollar is not the strongest currency in the world, but is in fact the 10th strongest behind a number of oil and gas-rich gulf states and tax havens.
What is the strongest currency in the world?
The strongest currency in the world is the dinar from Kuwait. That’s right: this oil-rich nation has the most valuable foreign currency on Earth, with one dinar buying $3.25 US dollars, and all but guaranteeing no matter where Kuwaitis travel in the world they will get great value for money.
How do I know which currency is stronger?
To know which currency is stronger out of two currencies, you can simply compare them to one another using a currency converter. By comparing the same figure for each currency, you will see which one holds more value.
For example, as of May 2024, $1 USD equals $1.51 Australian dollars, meaning the United States dollar is stronger as it can buy more of the AUD.
What currency is stronger than the dollar?
While the US is the world’s largest economy, there are quite a few currencies that are stronger than the US dollar, including the Kuwaiti and Bahraini dinar, the Omani Rial, the Euro and the Pound.
What are the top three strongest currencies?
The top three strongest currencies are the Kuwaiti dinar (number one), the Bahraini dinar (number two), and the Omani Rial at number three. The US dollar is the 10th-strongest currency, despite being the world’s biggest and strongest economy.
What is the most stable currency in the world?
A currency is described as stable when it maintains a consistent level of purchasing power with fewer fluctuations in value over time. By this metric, the Swiss franc is among the most stable of all currencies owing to Switzerland’s strong GDP, steady system of government, and well-developed banking system. For similar reasons, the British Pound, the US and Australian dollars, and the Japanese Yen are also considered stable.
What is currency ‘strength’?
The strength of a currency refers to its relative purchasing power against other currencies, for example, against the USD. The US dollar is a standard comparison for currency strengths, since it is the most dominant currency worldwide (although, as the above article explains, not the strongest).
Has the Aussie dollar ever reached $1 US dollar?
The answer is yes. The Aussie dollar briefly attained parity with the greenback in October 2010—the first time this has occurred since the Australian dollar was floated in 1983.
