Currency profile
US Dollar (USD)
The US dollar (USD) is the official currency of the United States and the world’s primary reserve currency — the unit most international trade, commodities and central-bank reserves are denominated in. It is divided into 100 cents and floats freely.
The US Dollar today
Mid-market · updating…
The dollar floats freely — its value against other currencies is set by the market, not fixed. As the world’s primary reserve currency, it is the anchor most other rates are quoted against.
Exchange-rate regime
Free-floating. The dollar has floated freely since the early 1970s. Its value is set by the market and influenced by Federal Reserve monetary policy and global demand for dollars as a reserve and safe-haven currency.
The issuing central bank
The Federal Reserve System, created in 1913, is the central bank of the United States; US banknotes are Federal Reserve notes.
History
- 1792The Coinage Act established the US dollar as the country’s standard unit of money.
- 1913The Federal Reserve System was created as the central bank of the United States.
- 1944The Bretton Woods agreement made the dollar the anchor of the post-war monetary system, convertible to gold.
- 1971The United States ended the dollar’s convertibility to gold, beginning the modern era of floating exchange rates.
Coins and banknotes
One dollar is divided into 100 cents. Coins: 1, 5, 10, 25 and 50 cents and 1 dollar (the cent, nickel, dime, quarter). Banknotes: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 dollars, issued as Federal Reserve notes.
Popular US Dollar pairs
What moves it
- The dollar floats freely; its value reflects Federal Reserve policy and market demand rather than any fixed rate.
- As the world’s main reserve and safe-haven currency, global risk sentiment moves it against other currencies.
Structural facts reviewed 2 August 2026 · reviewed quarterly. Sources: Federal Reserve · US Treasury. Live rates are mid-market — see our Methodology and Editorial Policy.