The 10 Most Traded Currencies By Value

By on November 18, 2013 in ArticlesHow Much Does

If you have ever traveled, you know difficult it can be to know exactly how much money you actually have.  Exchange rates can fluctuate wildly from day-to-day, as the balance of monetary power shifts around the world.  The foreign exchange market is the global market created for the express purpose of trading currency around the globe, and its members are the the major international banks.  These banks, and the cities that house them, function as the "hubs", or the points around which currency rates are determined.  The majority of foreign exchange transactions occur between the large institutions and smaller banks, known as "interbanks".  This trading activity between banks is largely unregulated, which can make figuring out how much money you have as you travel from country to country very confusing.  As of April 2013, the average daily exchange has reached nearly $5.3 trillion dollars per day around the world.  Some currencies are traded more often than others.  Here is a quick rundown of the 10 Most Traded Currencies by Value as of 2013.

10.  New Zealand Dollar

2% of all traded currency by value.

9.  Chinese Yuan

2.2% of all traded currency by value.

8.  Mexican Peso

2.5% of all traded currency by value.

7.  Canadian Dollar 

4.6% of all traded currency by value.

6.  Swiss Franc

5.2% of all traded currency by value.

5.  Australian Dollar

8.6% of all traded currency by value.

4.  Pound Sterling (Great Britain)

11.8% of all traded currency by value.

3.  Japanese Yen

23% of all traded currency by value.

2.  Euro

33.4% of all traded currency by value.

1.  United States Dollar

87% of all traded currency by value.

Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

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