Forex Trading Must-Know: Quick Reference for Major Global Currency Symbols + Keyboard Shortcut Input Method

2026-01-06 15:39:08

Why Do Traders Need to Understand Currency Symbols?

As a forex trader, quickly recognizing the symbols of different currencies is an essential skill. When you scan through currency pairs like EUR/USD or GBP/JPY on trading software, being able to immediately identify what € and £ represent allows for faster market reactions. In simple terms, currency symbols serve as visual shorthand, letting you instantly know which country’s currency you’re dealing with.

Compared to writing “40 USD,” using “$40” is obviously faster and clearer. In fast-paced trading scenarios where every second counts, this efficiency difference can make a real difference.

Global Currency Symbols Overview

The table below covers major trading markets’ currencies and their symbols:

Region	Country	Currency Name	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	Japanese 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

Three Currency Symbols You’re Likely to Confuse

The Dual Identity of ￥ Symbol

This symbol is especially confusing in East Asia. In China, it represents the Renminbi (CNY), but in Japan, it stands for the Yen (JPY). The way to distinguish is simple: write “CNY￥100” for Renminbi, and “JPY￥100” for Yen. This detail is crucial during trading because the exchange rates of CNY and JPY differ significantly.

The $ Symbol Used Worldwide

Seeing “$” doesn’t necessarily mean US dollars. Over 30 countries use this symbol for their own currencies. Common examples include:

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

Always check the full symbol in forex trading—don’t just recognize “$” and place an order blindly.

฿ Symbol’s Changing Identity

In traditional forex markets, ฿ represents the Thai Baht. But in the cryptocurrency world, the same symbol often denotes Bitcoin. So, when you see this symbol on different platforms, make sure to confirm the trading environment to avoid confusion.

Quick Ways to Type Common Currency Symbols on Mac and Windows

No need to copy and paste every time—memorize these shortcuts for quick input:

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	( (requires input method)

Understanding the Meaning of Forex Currency Pairs

When you see something like “EUR/USD,” it indicates the exchange rate between the Euro and the US Dollar. The first currency (EUR) is called the “base currency,” and the second (USD) is the “quote currency.”

For example: EUR/USD = 1.10 means 1 Euro can be exchanged for 1.10 US Dollars. In the forex market, you’re trading the fluctuations in these currency pairs. Other examples include GBP/JPY (British Pound vs. Japanese Yen), USD/CNY (US Dollar vs. Renminbi), etc.

Mastering currency symbols and the logic behind currency pairs allows you to quickly identify trading directions in the complex global forex market, improving your trading efficiency.

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