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ISO 4217
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An airline ticket showing the price with ISO 4217 code "EUR" (bottom left) and not with euro currency sign "€"

ISO 4217 is a standard published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) that defines alpha codes and numeric codes for the representation of currencies and provides information about the relationships between individual currencies and their minor units. This data is published in three tables:[1]

  • Table A.1 – Current currency & funds code list[1]
  • Table A.2 – Current funds codes[1]
  • Table A.3 – List of codes for historic denominations of currencies & funds[1]

The first edition of ISO 4217 was published in 1978. The tables, history and ongoing discussion are maintained by SIX Group on behalf of ISO and the Swiss Association for Standardization.[2]

The ISO 4217 code list is used in banking and business globally. In many countries, the ISO 4217 alpha codes for the more common currencies are so well known publicly that exchange rates published in newspapers or posted in banks use only these to delineate the currencies, instead of translated currency names or ambiguous currency symbols. ISO 4217 alpha codes are used on airline tickets and international train tickets to remove any ambiguity about the price.

History

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In 1973, the ISO Technical Committee 68 decided to develop codes for the representation of currencies and funds for use in any application of trade, commerce or banking. At the 17th session (February 1978), the related UN/ECE Group of Experts agreed that the three-letter alphabetic codes for International Standard ISO 4217, "Codes for the representation of currencies and funds", would be suitable for use in international trade.[citation needed]

Over time, new currencies are created and old currencies are discontinued. Such changes usually originate from the formation of new countries, treaties between countries on shared currencies or monetary unions, or redenomination from an existing currency due to excessive inflation. As a result, the list of codes must be updated from time to time. The ISO 4217 maintenance agency is responsible for maintaining the list of codes.[3]

Types of codes

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A list of exchange rates for various base currencies given by a money changer in Thailand, with the Thailand Baht as the counter (or quote) currency. Note that the code for the South Korean won is displayed incorrectly; it should be KRW.

National currencies

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In the case of national currencies, the first two letters of the alpha code are the two letters of the ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code and the third is usually the initial of the currency's main unit.[4] So Japan's currency code is JPY: "JP" for Japan and "Y" for yen. This eliminates the problem caused by the names dollar, franc, peso, and pound being used in many countries, each having significantly differing values.

In some cases, the third letter of the alpha code is not the initial letter of a currency unit name. There may be a number of reasons for this:

  • It is considered important that the code of a completely new currency be highly mnemonic if possible. An example is the assignment of the code EUR to the euro. ISO 4217 amendment 94,[5] which created this code, states "The code element 'EU' has been reserved by the ISO 3166 Maintenance Agency for use within ISO 4217 where 'R' has been appended to make an acceptable mnemonic code." Here the R comes from the third letter in the word "euro".
  • The currency in question is replacing another currency of the same name, due to revaluation. So that the two currencies have different codes, a different third letter must be chosen for the code of the new currency. In some cases, the third letter is the initial for "new" in that country's language, to distinguish it from an older currency that was revalued; the code sometimes outlasts the usage of the term "new" itself (for example, the code for the Mexican peso is MXN, reflecting its 1993 revaluation). Another solution to a revalued currency having the same name as its predecessor is to choose a third letter which results in a 3-letter code with mnemonic significance. For example, the Russian ruble changed from RUR to RUB following a revaluation, where the B comes from the third letter in the word "ruble".[citation needed]
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X currencies (funds, precious metals, supranationals, other)

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In addition to codes for most active national currencies ISO 4217 provides codes for "supranational" currencies, procedural purposes, and several things which are "similar to" currencies:

The use of the initial letter "X" for these purposes is facilitated by the ISO 3166 rule that no official country code beginning with X will ever be assigned.

The inclusion of the EU (denoting the European Union) in the ISO 3166-1 reserved codes list allows the euro to be coded as EUR rather than assigned a code beginning with X, even though it is a supranational currency.

Numeric codes

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ISO 4217 also assigns a three-digit numeric code to each currency. This numeric code is usually the same as the numeric code assigned to the corresponding country by ISO 3166-1. For example, USD (United States dollar) has numeric code 840 which is also the ISO 3166-1 code for "US" (United States).

List of ISO 4217 currency codes

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Active codes (list one)

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The following is a list of active codes of official ISO 4217 currency names as of 1 January 2024. In the standard the values are called "alphabetic code", "numeric code", "minor unit", and "entity".

Active ISO 4217 currency codes[1]
Code Num D[a] Currency Locations listed for this currency[b]
AED 784 2 United Arab Emirates dirham United Arab Emirates
AFN 971 2 Afghan afghani Afghanistan
ALL 008 2 Albanian lek Albania
AMD 051 2 Armenian dram Armenia
AOA 973 2 Angolan kwanza Angola
ARS 032 2 Argentine peso Argentina
AUD 036 2 Australian dollar Australia, Christmas Island (CX), Cocos (Keeling) Islands (CC), Heard Island and McDonald Islands (HM), Kiribati (KI), Nauru (NR), Norfolk Island (NF), Tuvalu (TV)
AWG 533 2 Aruban florin Aruba
AZN 944 2 Azerbaijani manat Azerbaijan
BAM 977 2 Bosnia and Herzegovina convertible mark Bosnia and Herzegovina
BBD 052 2 Barbados dollar Barbados
BDT 050 2 Bangladeshi taka Bangladesh
BGN 975 2 Bulgarian lev Bulgaria
BHD 048 3 Bahraini dinar Bahrain
BIF 108 0 Burundian franc Burundi
BMD 060 2 Bermudian dollar Bermuda (pegged to USD 1:1)
BND 096 2 Brunei dollar Brunei
BOB 068 2 Boliviano Bolivia
BOV 984 2 Bolivian Mvdol (funds code) Bolivia
BRL 986 2 Brazilian real Brazil
BSD 044 2 Bahamian dollar Bahamas (pegged to USD 1:1)
BTN 064 2 Bhutanese ngultrum Bhutan
BWP 072 2 Botswana pula Botswana
BYN 933 2 Belarusian ruble Belarus
BZD 084 2 Belize dollar Belize
CAD 124 2 Canadian dollar Canada
CDF 976 2 Congolese franc Democratic Republic of the Congo
CHE 947 2 WIR euro (complementary currency)  Switzerland
CHF 756 2 Swiss franc  Switzerland, Liechtenstein (LI)
CHW 948 2 WIR franc (complementary currency)  Switzerland
CLF 990 4 Unidad de Fomento (funds code) Chile
CLP 152 0 Chilean peso Chile
CNY 156 2 Renminbi[6] China
COP 170 2 Colombian peso Colombia
COU 970 2[7] Unidad de Valor Real (UVR) (funds code)[7] Colombia
CRC 188 2 Costa Rican colon Costa Rica
CUP 192 2 Cuban peso Cuba
CVE 132 2 Cape Verdean escudo Cape Verde
CZK 203 2 Czech koruna Czech Republic[8]
DJF 262 0 Djiboutian franc Djibouti
DKK 208 2 Danish krone Denmark, Faroe Islands (FO), Greenland (GL)
DOP 214 2 Dominican peso Dominican Republic
DZD 012 2 Algerian dinar Algeria
EGP 818 2 Egyptian pound Egypt
ERN 232 2 Eritrean nakfa Eritrea
ETB 230 2 Ethiopian birr Ethiopia
EUR 978 2 Euro Eurozone, Andorra (AD)[c], Kosovo (XK)[d], Monaco (MC)[c], Montenegro (ME)[d], San Marino (SM)[c] Vatican City (VA)[c]
FJD 242 2 Fiji dollar Fiji
FKP 238 2 Falkland Islands pound Falkland Islands (pegged to GBP 1:1)
GBP 826 2 Pound sterling United Kingdom, Isle of Man (IM, see Manx pound), Jersey (JE, see Jersey pound), Guernsey (GG, see Guernsey pound), Tristan da Cunha (SH-TA)
GEL 981 2 Georgian lari Georgia
GHS 936 2 Ghanaian cedi Ghana
GIP 292 2 Gibraltar pound Gibraltar (pegged to GBP 1:1)
GMD 270 2 Gambian dalasi Gambia
GNF 324 0 Guinean franc Guinea
GTQ 320 2 Guatemalan quetzal Guatemala
GYD 328 2 Guyanese dollar Guyana
HKD 344 2 Hong Kong dollar Hong Kong
HNL 340 2 Honduran lempira Honduras
HTG 332 2 Haitian gourde Haiti
HUF 348 2 Hungarian forint Hungary
IDR 360 2 Indonesian rupiah Indonesia
ILS 376 2 Israeli new shekel Israel
INR 356 2 Indian rupee India, Bhutan (BT)
IQD 368 3 Iraqi dinar Iraq
IRR 364 2 Iranian rial Iran
ISK 352 0 Icelandic króna Iceland
JMD 388 2 Jamaican dollar Jamaica
JOD 400 3 Jordanian dinar Jordan
JPY 392 0 Japanese yen Japan
KES 404 2 Kenyan shilling Kenya
KGS 417 2 Kyrgyzstani som Kyrgyzstan
KHR 116 2 Cambodian riel Cambodia
KMF 174 0 Comoro franc Comoros
KPW 408 2 North Korean won North Korea
KRW 410 0[e] South Korean won South Korea
KWD 414 3 Kuwaiti dinar Kuwait
KYD 136 2 Cayman Islands dollar Cayman Islands
KZT 398 2 Kazakhstani tenge Kazakhstan
LAK 418 2 Lao kip Laos
LBP 422 2 Lebanese pound Lebanon
LKR 144 2 Sri Lankan rupee Sri Lanka
LRD 430 2 Liberian dollar Liberia
LSL 426 2 Lesotho loti Lesotho
LYD 434 3 Libyan dinar Libya
MAD 504 2 Moroccan dirham Morocco, Western Sahara (EH)
MDL 498 2 Moldovan leu Moldova
MGA 969 2[f] Malagasy ariary Madagascar
MKD 807 2 Macedonian denar North Macedonia
MMK 104 2 Myanmar kyat Myanmar
MNT 496 2 Mongolian tögrög Mongolia
MOP 446 2 Macanese pataca Macau
MRU 929 2[f][10] Mauritanian ouguiya Mauritania
MUR 480 2 Mauritian rupee Mauritius
MVR 462 2 Maldivian rufiyaa Maldives
MWK 454 2 Malawian kwacha Malawi
MXN 484 2 Mexican peso Mexico
MXV 979 2 Mexican Unidad de Inversion (UDI) (funds code) Mexico
MYR 458 2 Malaysian ringgit Malaysia
MZN 943 2 Mozambican metical Mozambique
NAD 516 2 Namibian dollar Namibia (pegged to ZAR 1:1)
NGN 566 2 Nigerian naira Nigeria
NIO 558 2 Nicaraguan córdoba Nicaragua
NOK 578 2 Norwegian krone Norway, Svalbard and Jan Mayen (SJ), Bouvet Island (BV)
NPR 524 2 Nepalese rupee   Nepal
NZD 554 2 New Zealand dollar New Zealand, Cook Islands (CK), Niue (NU), Pitcairn Islands (PN; see also Pitcairn Islands dollar), Tokelau (TK)
OMR 512 3 Omani rial Oman
PAB 590 2 Panamanian balboa Panama (pegged to USD 1:1)
PEN 604 2 Peruvian sol Peru
PGK 598 2 Papua New Guinean kina Papua New Guinea
PHP 608 2 Philippine peso[11] Philippines
PKR 586 2 Pakistani rupee Pakistan
PLN 985 2 Polish złoty Poland
PYG 600 0 Paraguayan guaraní Paraguay
QAR 634 2 Qatari riyal Qatar
RON 946 2 Romanian leu Romania
RSD 941 2 Serbian dinar Serbia
RUB 643 2 Russian ruble Russia
RWF 646 0 Rwandan franc Rwanda
SAR 682 2 Saudi riyal Saudi Arabia
SBD 090 2 Solomon Islands dollar Solomon Islands
SCR 690 2 Seychelles rupee Seychelles
SDG 938 2 Sudanese pound Sudan
SEK 752 2 Swedish krona Sweden
SGD 702 2 Singapore dollar Singapore
SHP 654 2 Saint Helena pound Saint Helena (SH-HL), Ascension Island (SH-AC)
SLE 925 2 Sierra Leonean leone (new leone)[12][13][14] Sierra Leone
SOS 706 2 Somalian shilling Somalia
SRD 968 2 Surinamese dollar Suriname
SSP 728 2 South Sudanese pound South Sudan
STN 930 2[15] São Tomé and Príncipe dobra São Tomé and Príncipe
SVC 222 2 Salvadoran colón El Salvador
SYP 760 2 Syrian pound Syria
SZL 748 2 Swazi lilangeni Eswatini[11]
THB 764 2 Thai baht Thailand
TJS 972 2 Tajikistani somoni Tajikistan
TMT 934 2 Turkmenistan manat Turkmenistan
TND 788 3 Tunisian dinar Tunisia
TOP 776 2 Tongan paʻanga Tonga
TRY 949 2 Turkish lira Turkey
TTD 780 2 Trinidad and Tobago dollar Trinidad and Tobago
TWD 901 2 New Taiwan dollar Taiwan
TZS 834 2 Tanzanian shilling Tanzania
UAH 980 2 Ukrainian hryvnia Ukraine
UGX 800 0 Ugandan shilling Uganda
USD 840 2 United States dollar United States, American Samoa (AS), British Indian Ocean Territory (IO) (also uses GBP), British Virgin Islands (VG), Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba (BQ - Caribbean Netherlands), Ecuador (EC), El Salvador (SV), Guam (GU), Marshall Islands (MH), Federated States of Micronesia (FM), Northern Mariana Islands (MP), Palau (PW), Panama (PA) (as well as Panamanian Balboa), Puerto Rico (PR), Timor-Leste (TL), Turks and Caicos Islands (TC), U.S. Virgin Islands (VI), United States Minor Outlying Islands (UM)
USN 997 2 United States dollar (next day) (funds code) United States
UYI 940 0 Uruguay Peso en Unidades Indexadas (URUIURUI) (funds code) Uruguay
UYU 858 2 Uruguayan peso Uruguay
UYW 927 4 Unidad previsional[16] Uruguay
UZS 860 2 Uzbekistani sum Uzbekistan
VED 926 2 Venezuelan digital bolívar[17] Venezuela
VES 928 2 Venezuelan sovereign bolívar[11] Venezuela
VND 704 0 Vietnamese đồng Vietnam
VUV 548 0 Vanuatu vatu Vanuatu
WST 882 2 Samoan tala Samoa
XAD 396 2 Arab Accounting Dinar[18] Arab Monetary Fund
XAF 950 0 CFA franc BEAC Cameroon (CM), Central African Republic (CF), Republic of the Congo (CG), Chad (TD), Equatorial Guinea (GQ), Gabon (GA)
XAG 961 . Silver (one troy ounce)
XAU 959 . Gold (one troy ounce)
XBA 955 . European Composite Unit (EURCO) (bond market unit)
XBB 956 . European Monetary Unit (E.M.U.-6) (bond market unit)
XBC 957 . European Unit of Account 9 (E.U.A.-9) (bond market unit)
XBD 958 . European Unit of Account 17 (E.U.A.-17) (bond market unit)
XCD 951 2 East Caribbean dollar Anguilla (AI), Antigua and Barbuda (AG), Dominica (DM), Grenada (GD), Montserrat (MS), Saint Kitts and Nevis (KN), Saint Lucia (LC), Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (VC)
XCG 532 2 Caribbean guilder Curaçao (CW), Sint Maarten (SX)
XDR 960 . Special drawing rights International Monetary Fund
XOF 952 0 CFA franc BCEAO Benin (BJ), Burkina Faso (BF), Ivory Coast (CI), Guinea-Bissau (GW), Mali (ML), Niger (NE), Senegal (SN), Togo (TG)
XPD 964 . Palladium (one troy ounce)
XPF 953 0 CFP franc (franc Pacifique) French territories of the Pacific Ocean: French Polynesia (PF), New Caledonia (NC), Wallis and Futuna (WF)
XPT 962 . Platinum (one troy ounce)
XSU 994 . SUCRE Unified System for Regional Compensation (SUCRE)[19]
XTS 963 . Code reserved for testing
XUA 965 . ADB Unit of Account African Development Bank[20]
XXX 999 . No currency
YER 886 2 Yemeni rial Yemen
ZAR 710 2 South African rand South Africa, Eswatini (SZ), Lesotho (LS), Namibia (NA)
ZMW 967 2 Zambian kwacha Zambia
ZWG 924 2 Zimbabwe Gold Zimbabwe[21]

According to UN/CEFACT recommendation 9, paragraphs 8–9 ECE/TRADE/203, 1996:[22]

8. In applications where monetary resources associated with a currency (i.e. funds) need not be specified and where a field identifier indicating currency is used, the first two (leftmost) characters are sufficient to identify a currency—example: US for United States dollars for general, unspecified purposes where a field identifier indicating currency is present. (A field identifier can be a preprinted field heading in an aligned document or a similarly-agreed application in electronic transmission of data.)
9. In applications where there is a need to distinguish between types of currencies, or where funds are required as in the banking environment, or where there is no field identifier, the third (rightmost) character of the alphabetic code is an indicator, preferably mnemonic, derived from the name of the major currency unit or fund—example: USD for general, unspecified purposes; USN for United States dollar next-day funds, and USS for funds which are immediately available for Federal Reserve transfer, withdrawal in cash or transfer in like funds (same-day funds). Since there is no need for such a distinction in international trade applications, the funds codes have not been included in the Annex to the present Recommendation.

Historical codes

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A number of currencies had official ISO 4217 currency codes and currency names until their replacement by another currency. The table below shows the ISO currency codes of former currencies and their common names (which do not always match the ISO 4217 names). That table has been introduced end 1988 by ISO.[23]

Historical ISO 4217 currency codes[1]
Code Num D[a] Currency From Until Replaced by
ADP 020 0 Andorran peseta 1869 1999-01-01 EUR
AFA 004 2 Afghan afghani 1925 2003 AFN
ALK 008 . Old Albanian lek 1946 1965
ANG 532 2 Netherlands Antillean guilder 2025-03-31[24] XCG
AOK 024 0 Angolan kwanza 1977-01-08 1990-09-24 AON (AOA)
AON 024 0 Angolan novo kwanza 1990-09-25 1995-06-30 AOR (AOA)
AOR 982 0 Angolan kwanza reajustado 1995-07-01 1999-11-30 AOA
ARA 032 2 Argentine austral 1985-06-15 1991-12-31 ARS
ARP 032 2 Argentine peso argentino 1983-06-06 1985-06-14 ARA (ARS)
ARY 032 . Argentine peso ley January 1970 1983-06-06 ARP (ARS)
ATS 040 2 Austrian schilling 1945 1999-01-01 EUR
AYM[g] 945 0 Azerbaijani manat
AZM 031 2 Azerbaijani manat 1992-08-15 2006-01-01 AZN
BAD 070 2 Bosnia and Herzegovina dinar 1992-07-01 1998-02-04 BAM
BEC 993 . Belgian convertible franc (funds code) 1990-05-01[27]
BEF 056 2 Belgian franc 1832 1999-01-01 EUR
BEL 992 . Belgian financial franc (funds code)
BGJ 100 . Bulgarian lev (first) 1881 1952 BGK
BGK 100 . Bulgarian lev (second) 1952 1962 BGL
BGL 100 2 Bulgarian lev (third) 1962 1999-08-31 BGN
BOP 068 2 Bolivian peso 1963-01-01 1987-01-01 BOB
BRB 076 2 Brazilian cruzeiro 1967 1986-02-28 BRC (BRL)
BRC 076 2 Brazilian cruzado 1986-02-28 1989-01-15 BRN (BRL)
BRE 076 2 Brazilian cruzeiro 1990-03-15 1993-08-01 BRR (BRL)
BRN 076 2 Brazilian cruzado novo 1989-01-16 1990-03-15 BRE (BRL)
BRR 987 2 Brazilian cruzeiro real 1993-08-01 1994-06-30 BRL
BUK 104 . Burmese kyat MMK
BYB 112 2 Belarusian ruble 1992 1999-12-31 BYR (BYN)
BYR 974 0 Belarusian ruble 2000-01-01 2016-06-30 BYN
CHC 948 2 WIR franc (for electronic currency) 2004-12 CHW[28]
CSD 891 2 Serbian dinar 2003-07-03 2006-10-25[29] RSD
CSJ 203 . Czechoslovak koruna (second) 1953 CSK
CSK 200 Czechoslovak koruna 1953 1993-02-08 CZK/SKK (CZK/EUR)
CUC 931 2 Cuban convertible peso 2009-03-01[30] 2021-06-30[31] CUP
CYP 196 2 Cypriot pound 1879 2006-01-01 EUR
DDM 278 East German mark 1948-06-21 1990-07-01 DEM (EUR)
DEM 276[h] 2 German mark 1948 1999-01-01 EUR
ECS 218 0 Ecuadorian sucre 1884 2000-02-29 USD
ECV 983 2 Ecuador Unidad de Valor Constante (funds code) 1993 2000-02-29 —
EEK 233 2 Estonian kroon 1992 2011-01-01[33] EUR
ESA 996 Spanish peseta (account A) 1978 1981 ESP (EUR)
ESB 995 Spanish peseta (account B) ? 1994-12 ESP (EUR)
ESP 724 0 Spanish peseta 1869 1999-01-01 EUR
FIM 246 2 Finnish markka 1860 1999-01-01 EUR
FRF 250 2 French franc 1960 1999-01-01 EUR
GEK 268 0 Georgian kuponi 1993-04-05 1995-10-02 GEL
GHC 288 2 Ghanaian cedi 1967 2007-07-01 GHS
GHP 939 2 Ghanaian cedi 2007-06-18[34] GHS
GNE 324 Guinean syli 1971 1985-12-31 GNF
GNS 324 . Guinean syli 1971 1985 GNF
GQE 226 Equatorial Guinean ekwele 1975 1985-12-31 XAF
GRD 300 0, 2 Greek drachma 1954-05-01[35] 2001-01-01[35] EUR
GWE 624 . Guinean escudo GWP
GWP 624 2 Guinea-Bissau peso 1975 1997-05-31 XOF
HRD 191 2 Croatian dinar 1991-12-23 1994-05-30 HRK
HRK 191 2 Croatian kuna 1994-05-30 2023-01-01 EUR[36]
IEP 372 2 Irish pound 1938 1999-01-01 EUR
ILP 376 3, 2 Israeli pound 1948 1980-02-20 ILR (ILS)
ILR 376 2 Israeli shekel 1980-02-24 1985-12-31 ILS
ISJ 352 2 Icelandic króna 1922 1981-06-30 ISK
ITL 380 0 Italian lira 1861 1999-01-01 EUR
LAJ 418 Lao kip 1965 1979-12-31 LAK
LSM 426 . Lesotho loti
LTL 440 2 Lithuanian litas 1993 2015-01-01 EUR
LTT 440 2 Lithuanian talonas[37] LTL
LUC 989 . Luxembourg convertible franc (funds code)
LUF 442 2 Luxembourg franc 1944 1999-01-01 EUR
LUL 988 . Luxembourg financial franc (funds code)
LVL 428 2 Latvian lats 1993-03-05 2014-01-01 EUR
LVR 428 2 Latvian rublis 1992-05-04 1993-03-05 LVL
MGF 450 0 Malagasy franc 1963-07-01 2005-01-01 MGA
MLF 466 Malian franc 1962 1984-01-01 XOF
MRO 478 2 Mauritanian ouguiya 1973-06-29 2018-01-01 MRU
MTL 470 2 Maltese lira 1972-05-26[38] 2006-01-01 EUR
MTP 470 . Maltese pound MTL
MVQ 462 Maldivian rupee ? 1981-12-31 MVR
MXP 484 Mexican peso ? 1993-03-31 MXN
MZE 508 2 Mozambican escudo 1914 1980 MZN
MZM 508 2 Mozambican metical 1980 2006-06-30 MZN
NIC 558 2 Nicaraguan córdoba 1988 1990-10-31 NIO
NLG 528 2 Dutch guilder 1810s 1999-01-01 EUR
PEH 604 Peruvian old sol 1863 1985-02-01 PEI (PEN)
PEI 604 Peruvian inti 1985-02-01 1991-10-01 PEN
PES 604 2 Peruvian sol 1863 1985 PEI[39]
PLZ 616 2 Polish zloty 1950-10-30 1994-12-31 PLN
PTE 620 0 Portuguese escudo 1911-05-22 1999-01-01 EUR
RHD 716 2 Rhodesian dollar 1970 1980 ZWC
ROK 642 . Romanian leu (second) 1947 1952 ROL
ROL 642 0 Romanian leu (third) 1952-01-28 2005 RON
RUR 810 2 Russian ruble 1992 1997-12-31 RUB
SDD 736 2 Sudanese dinar 1992-06-08 2007-01-10 SDG
SDP 736 Sudanese old pound 1956 1992-06-08 SDD (SDG)
SIT 705 2 Slovenian tolar 1991-10-08 2007-01-01[33] EUR
SKK 703 2 Slovak koruna 1993-02-08 2009-01-01[33] EUR
SLL 694 2 Sierra Leonean leone (old leone)[12][13][14][40]
SRG 740 2 Surinamese guilder 1942 2004 SRD
STD 678 2 São Tomé and Príncipe dobra 1977 2018-04-01 STN
SUR 810 Soviet Union ruble 1961 1991-12-26 RUR (RUB/AMD/AZN/BYN/EUR/GEL/KZT/KGS/MDL/TJS/TMT/UAK/UZS)
TJR 762 0 Tajikistani ruble 1995-05-10 2000-10-30 TJS
TMM 795 2 Turkmenistani manat 1993-11-1 2008-12-31 TMT
TPE 626 0 Portuguese Timorese escudo 1959 1976 USD
TRL 792 0 Turkish lira 1923 2005-12-31 TRY
UAK 804 2 Ukrainian karbovanets 1992-10-1 1996-09-01 UAH
UGS 800 Ugandan shilling 1966 1987-12-31 UGX
UGW 800 Old Shilling (Uganda) 1989 1990
USS 998 2 United States dollar (same day) (funds code)[41] ? 2014-03-28[42] —
UYN 858 2 Uruguay peso 1896 1975-07-01 UYP
UYP 858 Uruguay new peso 1975-07-01[43] 1993-03-01 UYU
VEB 862 2 Venezuelan bolívar 1879-03-31 2008-01-01 VEF (VES)
VEF 937 2 Venezuelan bolívar fuerte 2008-01-01 2018-08-20[11] VES
VNC 704 . Old Vietnamese dong
XEU 954 0 European Currency Unit 1979-03-13 1998-12-31 EUR
XFO ... Gold franc (special settlement currency) 1803 2003 XDR
XFU ... . UIC franc (special settlement currency) ? 2013-11-07[44] EUR
XRE ... . RINET funds code[45]
YDD 720 South Yemeni dinar 1965 1996-06-11 YER
YUD 890 2 Yugoslav dinar 1966-01-01 1989-12-31 YUN (MKD/RSD/EUR/HRK/BAM)
YUM 891 2 Yugoslav dinar 1994-01-24 2003-07-02 CSD (RSD/EUR)
YUN 890 2 Yugoslav dinar 1990-01-01 1992-06-30 YUR (MKD/RSD/EUR/HRK/BAM)
ZAL 991 2 South African financial rand (funds code) 1985-09-01 1995-03-13 —
ZMK 894 2 Zambian kwacha 1968-01-16[46] 2013-01-01 ZMW
ZRN 180 2 Zairean new zaire 1993 1997 CDF
ZRZ 180 2 Zairean zaire 1967 1993 ZRN (CDF)
ZWC 716 2 Rhodesian dollar 1970-02-17 1980 ZWD (USD/ZWG)
ZWD 716 2 Zimbabwean dollar (first) 1980-04-18 2006-07-31 ZWN (USD/ZWG)
ZWN 942 2 Zimbabwean dollar (second) 2006-08-01 2008-07-31 ZWR (USD/ZWG)
ZWR 935 2 Zimbabwean dollar (third) 2008-08-01 2009-02-02 ZWL[i] (USD/ZWG)
ZWL 932 2 Zimbabwean dollar (fourth & fifth)[i] 2009-02-02 2024-09-01[21] ZWG

Currency details

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Minor unit fractions

[edit]

The 2008 (7th) edition of ISO 4217 says the following about minor units of currency:

Requirements sometimes arise for values to be expressed in terms of minor units of currency. When this occurs, it is necessary to know the decimal relationship that exists between the currency concerned and its minor unit. This information has therefore been included in this International Standard and is shown in the column headed "Minor unit" in Tables A.1 and A.2; "0" means that there is no minor unit for that currency, whereas "1", "2" and "3" signify a ratio of 10:1, 100:1 and 1000:1 respectively. The names of the minor units are not given.

Examples for the ratios of 100:1 and 1000:1 include the United States dollar and the Bahraini dinar, for which the column headed "Minor unit" shows "2" and "3", respectively. As of 2021, two currencies have non-decimal ratios, the Mauritanian ouguiya and the Malagasy ariary; in both cases the ratio is 5:1. For these, the "Minor unit" column shows the number "2". Some currencies, such as the Burundian franc, do not in practice have any minor currency unit at all. These show the number "0", as with currencies whose minor units are unused due to negligible value.[citation needed]

Code position in amount formatting

[edit]

The ISO 4217 standard does not regulate either the spacing, prefixing or suffixing in usage of currency codes. The style guide of the European Union's Publication Office declares that, for texts issued by or through the Commission in English, Irish, Latvian, and Maltese, the ISO 4217 code is to be followed by a "hard space" (non-breaking space) and the amount:[47]

a sum of EUR 30

and for texts in Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Lithuanian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Slovene, Spanish, and Swedish the order is reversed; the amount is followed by a non-breaking space and the ISO 4217 code:

une somme de 30 EUR

As illustrated, the order is determined not by the currency but by the native language of the document context.

USD, USN: two US currency codes

[edit]

The US dollar has two codes assigned: USD and USN ("US dollar next day"[definition needed]). The USS (same day) code is not in use any longer, and was removed from the list of active ISO 4217 codes in March 2014.

Non ISO 4217 currencies

[edit]

Currencies without ISO 4217 currency codes

[edit]

A number of active currencies do not have an ISO 4217 code, because they may be:

  1. a minor currency pegged at par (1:1) to a larger currency, even if independently regulated,
  2. a currency only used for commemorative banknotes or coins, or
  3. a currency of an unrecognized or partially recognized state.

These currencies include:

See Category:Fixed exchange rate for a list of all currently pegged currencies.

Non-standard codes

[edit]

Despite having no presence or status in the standard, three letter acronyms that resemble ISO 4217 coding are sometimes used locally or commercially to represent de facto currencies or currency instruments.

Active abbreviations resembling ISO 4217 currency codes
Unofficial
code		 ISO 4217
code		 D[a] Currency Locations using this currency Notes
BDS[49][j] BBD 2 Barbados dollar Barbados The Government of Barbados and Central Bank of Barbados sometimes use the abbreviation "BDS" rather than the official ISO 4217 "BBD". BDS conflicts with ISO 4217, because BD is reserved for Bangladesh.
CNH[50] — 2 Renminbi (offshore) Hong Kong The code CNH is used to represent the Renminbi in offshore trading, especially offshore trading involving Hong Kong. See Offshore Renminbi (CNH). The USD/CNY rate and the USD/CNH rate are, usually, different.[51]
CNT[52] — 2 Renminbi (offshore) Taiwan The code CNT is used to represent the Renminbi in offshore trading, especially offshore trading involving Taiwan. See Other markets.
GGP[53] — 2 Guernsey pound Guernsey
IMP[53] — 2 Manx pound Isle of Man
JEP[53] — 2 Jersey pound Jersey
KID[54] — 2 Kiribati dollar Kiribati
NIS[55] ILS 2 Israeli shekel Israel NIS stands for New Israeli Shekel, the currency that replaced the first Israeli shekel due to hyperinflation. NIS conflicts with ISO 4217, because NI stands for Nicaragua.
NTD[56] TWD 2 New Taiwan dollar Taiwan
PRB[57] — 2 Transnistrian ruble Transnistria Transnistria is an unrecognised state and is de facto rather than de jure independent. PRB conflicts with ISO 4217, because PR stands for Puerto Rico.
SLS[58] — 2 Somaliland shilling Somaliland Somaliland is an unrecognised state and is de facto rather than de jure independent. SLS conflicts with ISO 4217, because SL stands for Sierra Leone.
STG[59] GBP 2 Sterling United Kingdom STG stands for STerlinG, the official name of the United Kingdom's currency, of which the pound is the main unit. While not an ISO code, "STG" is nonetheless the CHAPS real-time gross settlement and clearing code for sterling recognized by SWIFT. It is listed in ISO 20022 as a registered external code used by SWIFT.[60] STG conflicts with ISO 4217, because ST stands for São Tomé and Príncipe.
RMB CNY 2 Renminbi Mainland China RMB stands for RenMinBi, the official name of the Chinese currency, of which the yuan is the main unit. RMB conflicts with ISO 4217 because RM is reserved for Madagascar.
TVD[53] — 2 Tuvalu dollar Tuvalu TV is the ISO 3166 two-letter code for Tuvalu

The following non-ISO codes were used in the past.

Historical non-ISO 4217 currency codes
Unoffi­cial
code		 ISO 4217
code		 D[a] Currency Locations that used this currency Notes
ADF — 2 Andorran franc Andorra De facto currency used until January 1999, when it was replaced by the euro (EUR).[61]
ARL ARY 2 Argentine peso ley Argentina Used from January 1970 to May 1983, when it was replaced by the Argentine peso argentino (ARP).[62]
MAF[k] — 2 Malian franc Mali Used from 1962 to 1984. The code MAF was formerly noted in ISO 4217, but was amended to MLF on 2007-06-18.[k]
MCF — 2 Monégasque franc Monaco Used until January 1999, when it was replaced by the euro (EUR).[65]
MKN — first denar North Macedonia Used from January 1990 through 1993, when it was replaced by the second denar (MKD).[66]
SML — 0 San Marinese lira San Marino Used until January 1999, when it was replaced by the euro (EUR).[67]
VAL — 0 Vatican lira Vatican City Used until January 1999, when it was replaced by the euro (EUR).[68]
YUG — 2 Yugoslav dinar Yugoslavia Re-denomination used in January 1994 until it was replaced by the novi dinar (YUM).[69]
YUO — 2 Yugoslav dinar Yugoslavia Re-denomination used from October–December 1993, when it was again re-denominated (YUG).[70]
YUR — 2 Reformed Yugoslav dinar Yugoslavia[l] Revaluation used from July 1992 to September 1993 until re-denomination (YUO).[71]
ZWB[72] 2 Zimbabwean bonds Zimbabwe A Near money Legal tender

Unofficial codes for minor units of currency

[edit]

Minor units of currency (also known as currency subdivisions or currency subunits) are often used for pricing and trading stocks and other assets, such as energy,[73] but are not assigned codes by ISO 4217. Two conventions for representing minor units are in widespread use:

  • Replacing the third letter of the ISO 4217 Code of the parent currency with an upper-case "X". Examples are GBX[73][74][75] for penny sterling, USX[74] for the US Cent, EUX[74][73] for the Euro Cent.
  • Replacing the third letter of the ISO 4217 Code of the parent currency with the first letter of the name of a minor unit, using lower-case. Examples are GBp[76][75] for Penny Sterling, USc[76] for the US Cent, and EUc[76] for the Euro Cent.

A third convention is similar to the second one but uses an upper-case letter, e.g. ZAC[77] for the South African Cent.

Cryptocurrencies

[edit]
See also: List of cryptocurrencies

Cryptocurrencies have not been assigned an ISO 4217 code.[78] However, some cryptocurrencies and cryptocurrency exchanges use a three-letter acronym that resemble an ISO 4217 code.

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

ISO 4217

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from Grokipedia
ISO 4217 is an international standard developed by the (ISO) that defines codes for the representation of currencies and, where appropriate, certain funds, providing a uniform system to identify monetary units in , , and banking. The standard specifies a three-letter alphabetic code, derived from country codes where applicable, and an equivalent three-digit numeric code for each currency, facilitating unambiguous communication in global financial transactions and reducing errors associated with varying national naming conventions. For example, the is designated as USD (alphabetic) and 840 (numeric), while the is CHF and 756. First published in 1978, ISO 4217 has undergone several revisions to accommodate new currencies, economic changes, and the inclusion of codes for precious metals and funds, with the current edition being ISO 4217:2015, which lists approximately 300 active codes alongside historical and fund-specific designations. The standard's alphabetic codes are designed for human readability and international consistency, often incorporating the first letters of the currency name or , while numeric codes, useful for compatibility in automated systems particularly in regions using non-Latin scripts, often align with the numeric codes from for countries. It also indicates the relationship between major and minor units, such as whether a currency divides into 100 subunits (e.g., cents for USD) or another base. Maintenance of ISO 4217 is entrusted to the ISO/TC 68/SC 2 committee, with operational updates handled by the SIX Financial Information AG in , ensuring periodic amendments to reflect geopolitical shifts, new national currencies, or the obsolescence of others, such as the euro's introduction in 1999 which replaced multiple European codes. The codes are freely available for use without licensing fees, promoting widespread adoption in standards like messaging, international payment systems, and financial reporting, though official updates and datasets are accessible via subscription for structured formats like CSV or XML. Beyond national currencies, the standard includes codes for supranational units like the (EUR, 978) and precious metals such as (XAU, 959), extending its utility to commodities trading and investment contexts. This comprehensive framework underpins global economic interoperability, with the alphabetic codes becoming ubiquitous in everyday applications from to stock exchanges, underscoring ISO 4217's role as a foundational element of the international financial nomenclature.

Overview

Definition and Scope

ISO 4217 is the international standard published by the (ISO) that specifies three-letter alphabetic codes and equivalent three-digit numeric codes for the representation of currencies and certain related monetary units, such as funds and precious metals. These codes facilitate unambiguous identification in , , and banking by providing a structured format for currency notation. The standard ensures consistency across global financial systems, with alphabetic codes consisting of three uppercase letters and numeric codes using three digits for compatibility in environments. The scope of ISO 4217 is precisely defined to include active and historic official currencies of countries and territories (List 1 and List 3, respectively), supranational currencies like the (EUR), certain internationally recognized funds (List 2), and precious metals such as (XAU) and silver (XAG). It covers approximately 300 such entities but deliberately excludes cryptocurrencies, digital tokens, and unofficial or private monetary units, as the standard's framework is designed for verified, state-backed or institutionally recognized instruments rather than emerging or unregulated assets. Assignment of codes is restricted to entities meeting specific criteria, preventing proliferation beyond the standard's intended boundaries. The alphabetic codes in ISO 4217 are closely related to those in , which defines country codes; typically, the first two letters of a currency code derive from the relevant country's ISO 3166 alpha-2 code, as seen in USD (from "US" for the ) or JPY (from "JP" for ). This linkage promotes between geographic and financial identifiers in multinational contexts. For cases without a direct national tie, such as supranational or commodity codes, alternative derivation rules apply under the standard's guidelines. Maintenance of ISO 4217 falls under the purview of ISO Technical Committee 68, Subcommittee 8 (ISO/TC 68/SC 8), which oversees for , with operational responsibility held by the ISO 4217 Maintenance Agency (ISO 4217 MA). The agency, operated by SIX Financial Information AG on behalf of ISO and the Swiss Association for Standardization (SNV), handles code assignments, amendments, and publications to reflect changes in global monetary systems. As a founding member of the Association of National Numbering Agencies (ANNA), SIX collaborates on broader financial data harmonization efforts.

Purpose and Benefits

The primary purpose of ISO 4217 is to establish internationally recognized codes for the representation of and certain funds, providing a standardized system that facilitates in global trade, , and banking. This enables clear identification of , reducing the potential for errors in automated processing and international transactions where precise currency description is essential. By assigning unique identifiers, the standard supports efficient data handling in financial systems, minimizing misinterpretations that could arise from varying currency across borders. One key benefit of ISO 4217 is enhanced across diverse financial infrastructures, such as the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication () network and the (SEPA) scheme, where the codes ensure consistent currency referencing in cross-border payments. It prevents ambiguity by distinguishing currencies with similar names or symbols, particularly in multilingual environments, thereby streamlining operations in global markets and reducing transaction delays. Additionally, the standard promotes precision in financial reporting, aiding compliance with international regulations like those from the (FATF) for transaction monitoring and anti-money laundering efforts. ISO 4217 plays a critical role in modern messaging standards, such as , which incorporates its currency codes to structure payment data for automated processing in wholesale and retail financial systems. This integration supports regulatory frameworks, including FATF Recommendation 16 on wire transfers, by enabling traceable and standardized currency identification in high-volume international flows. Overall, the standard's adoption fosters greater efficiency and reliability in the global financial ecosystem, contributing to reduced operational costs and improved for institutions worldwide.

Development and Maintenance

Initial Publication and Evolution

The development of ISO 4217 arose from the need for a uniform system to identify currencies and funds in and , where prior practices relied on inconsistent abbreviations that led to errors and ambiguities. No global standard existed before the joint efforts of the (ISO) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), which collaborated through the UN/ECE Group of Experts on the Standardization of Trade and Transport Documents to create a reliable coding framework. The first edition, designated ISO 4217:1978, was published in 1978, defining three-letter alphabetic codes derived from country codes and corresponding three-digit numeric codes for representing currencies and certain funds. This initial publication established the core structure for unambiguous currency designation in global transactions, with the UN/ECE Group of Experts endorsing the codes for use in documents during their seventeenth session in February 1978. Early evolution of the standard involved revisions to address emerging financial needs, such as incorporating codes for precious metals—formed by prefixing the chemical symbol of elements like (XAU) or silver (XAG) with an "X"—to enable their treatment as standardized units in banking and commodities trading, typically per . Funds, including supranational entities like the (XEU, later replaced), were included from the outset in a dedicated list to support multilateral financial instruments. These expansions reflected the growing complexity of , with the standard revised periodically to add or retire codes as currencies changed. Maintenance of ISO 4217 has been overseen since its inception by a dedicated agency, now operated by on behalf of ISO and the , ensuring the codes remain aligned with global economic shifts through ongoing .

Amendment Process and Recent Updates

The process for ISO 4217 is managed by the ISO 4217 Agency (MA), serviced by the secretariat of ISO/TC 68/SC 2, which oversees proposals for new codes, modifications, or deletions. Proposals must include detailed information on the currency's introduction, such as its official name, minor units, and territorial applicability, as outlined in the standard's annex for applications. These submissions are reviewed by the MA in consultation with relevant stakeholders, and approved changes are published as sequentially numbered to the current edition (e.g., Amendment 1 to ISO 4217:2015), each specifying an effective date when the updates take force in List One (active currencies), List Two (historical), or List Three (funds and metals). are typically issued 2-4 times per year to accommodate emerging currencies, withdrawals due to redenominations or discontinuations, and minor corrections for accuracy. Since 2000, key updates have reflected global economic shifts, including the assignment of codes to currencies adopted by former Soviet states following their independence, such as the (RUB) and (UAH), to standardize international transactions. The (EUR) code, introduced in 1997 and effective from January 1999, set a precedent for supranational currencies and remains a cornerstone of the standard. While discussions on digital currencies like cryptocurrencies have occurred, no ISO 4217 codes have been assigned to them as of 2025, due to their non-sovereign status and volatility. In recent years, amendments have addressed specific regional transitions and list maintenance. 176, published in December 2023 and effective March 31, 2025, introduced the code XCG (numeric 532, 2 minor units) for the , replacing the (ANG) as in (CW) and (SX), with an of 1:1 to ensure continuity. 177, published June 2024 and effective 25 June 2024, introduced the code ZWG (numeric 924, 2 minor units) for the Zimbabwe Gold, replacing ZWL. 178, effective February 2025, updated procedures for historic code withdrawals, finalizing the delisting of certain codes after a 180-day transition period. 179, effective May 12, 2025, refined active currency lists by incorporating minor corrections and territorial clarifications. 180, published 22 September 2025 and effective 1 January 2026, assigns the (EUR, 978, 2 minor units) as the currency for and moves the (BGN, 975, 2 minor units) to the historical list, reflecting Bulgaria's adoption of the with a fixed of 1 EUR = 1.95583 BGN. Challenges in the amendment process often arise from geopolitical , leading to delays; for instance, disputed territories or rapid regime changes, as seen in Venezuela's multiple redenominations (e.g., introduction of VED alongside VES in for transitional purposes), require extended consultations to avoid premature assignments. Such issues underscore the MA's emphasis on verifiable official notifications from central banks or governments to maintain the standard's integrity.

Code Structure

Alphabetic Codes

The alphabetic codes in ISO 4217 consist of three uppercase letters from the Latin alphabet (A–Z), designed to provide a compact and unambiguous representation of for international use. These codes facilitate clear communication in financial transactions, data exchange, and documentation by standardizing currency identification. The derivation of these codes follows specific principles to ensure recognizability and consistency. Typically, the first two letters are drawn from the corresponding country code, with the third letter selected to reflect the currency's name, prioritizing mnemonic associations where feasible. For instance, the code USD combines "US" (for the ) with "D" (for ), while CHF uses "CH" (for ) and "F" (for ). Exceptions apply to supranational or shared currencies, such as EUR for the , which employs the reserved code "EU" (for ) followed by "R" derived from "euro," rather than a single-country base. This approach accommodates currencies adopted across multiple nations without favoring one origin. Assignment of alphabetic codes adheres to strict criteria managed by the ISO 4217 Maintenance Agency, currently operated by SIX Financial Information AG on behalf of the Swiss Association for Standardization (SNV). Codes must be globally unique to prevent confusion, and withdrawn codes cannot be reassigned without explicit approval from the agency to maintain historical integrity and system stability. Mnemonic value is prioritized in selections to enhance and minimize errors in processing, with applications for new codes requiring justification of the proposed combination's relevance. Special conventions govern codes for non-national entities. Currencies or funds not associated with a specific , such as precious metals or international reserves, use the prefix "X" followed by two letters denoting the item or organization, exemplified by XAU for (from "aurum," Latin for ). This prefix avoids conflicts with national codes, as reserves "X"-starting combinations for such purposes. Additionally, the letter "R" is reserved for regional or supranational contexts to form mnemonic codes when standard derivation is insufficient, as seen in the euro's structure. Each alphabetic code corresponds to a three-digit numeric equivalent for environments incompatible with letters.

Numeric Codes and Minor Units

In addition to the three-letter alphabetic codes, ISO 4217 specifies a three-digit numeric code (ranging from 000 to 999) for each currency and fund, providing an equivalent numerical identifier. These numeric codes are assigned by the ISO 4217 Maintenance Agency, with national currency codes typically matching the corresponding three-digit numeric country code from where applicable, such as 840 for the and the US dollar (USD). For supranational currencies like the (EUR, 978), codes are assigned separately by the Maintenance Agency to avoid conflicts. The primary purpose of these numeric codes is to facilitate representation in systems that cannot process alphabetic characters, including early computerized environments, numeric-only databases, and applications in regions using non-Latin scripts, thereby ensuring clarity and minimizing errors in international transactions. They also promote compatibility with related standards, such as UN/LOCODE for location codes, which relies on identifiers. ISO 4217 further defines minor units for currencies, specifying the number of decimal places (typically 0 to 3) that represent the smallest subdivision of the unit, as listed in the standard's tables. For example, the USD has 2 minor units (cents, dividing the into 100 parts), while the (JPY) has 0 minor units, meaning no decimal subdivision is used. This relationship is denoted as the exponent of base 10 for the minor unit relative to the major unit; for the USD, it is 10−210^{-2}, indicating division by 100. Exceptions exist for certain currencies, such as those with 3 decimal places (e.g., some historical or specialized funds), but the standard emphasizes consistency to support precise financial calculations and data exchange.

Types of Codes

National Currency Codes

National currency codes in ISO 4217 refer to the three-letter alphabetic identifiers assigned to currencies issued by countries or their dependent territories, enabling precise representation in global financial, trade, and data exchange contexts. These codes form the core of the standard's List 1, distinguishing them from other categories by their linkage to national monetary authorities. For instance, the code GBP denotes the British Pound Sterling, the official currency of the . The assignment of these codes is closely tied to , the international standard for s, where the first two letters typically match the alpha-2 country code, and the third letter is derived from the currency's name to ensure intuitiveness and uniqueness. One primary code is allocated per independent territory, but shared usage occurs for dependencies lacking separate currencies; the (USD) serves multiple U.S. territories, including , , and the U.S. . This structure promotes efficiency in international systems while reflecting geopolitical realities. National currency codes encompass several categories based on territorial status. For independent nations, examples include the (INR), issued by the for the . Overseas territories often adopt or share currencies from metropolitan powers, such as the (XPF), used in French overseas collectivities like and under the oversight of the Institut d'Émission d'Outre-Mer. Transitional cases arise in post-colonial contexts, where newly independent states request codes for adopted or newly established currencies, as seen with the adoption of the Namibian Dollar (NAD) following Namibia's independence from in 1990. Similarly, in June 2024, introduced the Zimbabwe Gold (ZWG, numeric code 924) to replace the Zimbabwe Dollar (ZWL) amid economic reforms, with ZWL moved to historical status in September 2024. Assignment criteria emphasize official endorsement by a or equivalent monetary authority, which must formally request the code from the ISO 4217 maintenance agency, SIX Financial Information AG. Currencies qualify if they exhibit , broad domestic circulation, and potential for international transactions, ensuring the codes support reliable cross-border operations. Previously issued codes may be preserved in historical records for reference.

Supranational, Fund, and Precious Metal Codes

ISO 4217 assigns specific codes to supranational entities, international funds, and precious metals, distinguishing them from national currencies through a reserved "X" prefix for most such codes. This prefix is utilized because no country codes begin with "X", ensuring no conflict with national currency identifiers. These codes facilitate representation in financial transactions involving multi-national or non-sovereign units, as outlined in the standard's scope for funds and precious metals. Supranational codes represent currencies or units of account used by regional unions or international organizations spanning multiple countries. For instance, the (EUR), used by the countries, is assigned EUR despite its supranational nature, as the code "EU" is reserved for the , allowing deviation from the "X" prefix rule. Another example is XUA (numeric code 965), the Unit of Account for the (AfDB), which serves member countries in Africa for development financing without a defined minor unit. A recent addition is XAD (numeric code 396), the Arab Accounting for the Arab Monetary Fund, effective from May 12, 2025, with a minor unit of 2. Assignment of these codes is restricted to entities recognized by international standards bodies, ensuring global . Fund codes denote international reserve assets or financial instruments issued by global organizations. A prominent example is XDR (numeric code 960), representing the International Monetary Fund's (SDR), an supplementary reserve asset allocated to member countries to bolster official reserves; it has no minor units and is valued against a basket of major currencies. These codes are managed through the ISO 4217 amendment process to reflect evolving international financial needs. Precious metal codes are fixed and prefixed with "X" to indicate their status, with each unit defined as one troy ounce and no minor subunits. The codes include XAU (numeric 959) for , XAG (numeric 961) for silver, XPT (numeric 962) for , and XPD (numeric 964) for . These are used in trading and pricing contexts to standardize references to physical metals, separate from currencies. The following table summarizes these codes:
Alphabetic CodeNumeric CodePrecious MetalUnit
XAU9591 troy ounce
XAG961Silver1 troy ounce
XPT9621 troy ounce
XPD9641 troy ounce
Overall, these code types are assigned sparingly, with updates handled by the ISO 4217 Maintenance Agency to maintain precision in global finance.

Lists of Codes

Active Codes

Active ISO 4217 codes encompass the current set of three-letter alphabetic and three-digit numeric identifiers for currencies, supranational monetary units, international funds, and precious metals in circulation worldwide as of November 2025. This list, maintained by the through its technical committee and registration authority, includes 179 entries to facilitate unambiguous international financial transactions. Some codes represent national currencies unique to a single country, while others, such as the (EUR), are adopted by multiple sovereign states and territories, promoting economic integration in regions like the . A notable recent addition is the code XCG for the , introduced via Amendment 176 and effective from March 31, 2025, for and , replacing the withdrawn (ANG). Subsequent amendments, including Amendment 180 published in September 2025, have not introduced further active codes as of November 2025 but announce the future adoption of the by effective January 1, 2026, after which the (BGN) will move to historical status. The following tables present the full list of active codes, organized by geographic region for readability, with columns for the alphabetic code, numeric code, or fund name, number of minor units, and associated countries or territories. Supranational and fund codes are grouped separately. Data is derived from the latest ISO 4217 maintenance updates as of May 2025, with no changes to active list since Amendment 176.

Africa

Alphabetic CodeNumeric CodeCurrency/Fund NameMinor UnitsCountries/Territories
DZD0122
AOA973Kwanza2
BWP0722
BIF108Burundi Franc0
XOF952 BCEAO0, , Côte d'Ivoire, , , , ,
XAF950 BEAC0, , , , , Gabon
KMF1740
CDF9762
DJF262Djibouti Franc0
EGP8182
ERN232Nakfa2
ETB230Birr2
GMD270Dalasi2
GHS936Cedi2
GNF3240
XOF952 BCEAO0(as above, shared)
KES4042
LYD434Dinar3
LSL426Loti2
MRO929Ouguiya2
MUR4802
MWK454Kwacha2
MAD504Dirham2
MZN943Metical2
NAD516Dollar2
NGN566Naira2
RWF646Franc0
SHP654Pound2
STD678Dobra2
SCR6902
SLE925Leone2
SOS7062
ZAR710Rand2
SSP728Pound2
SYP760Pound2Syria (note: Middle East, but sometimes grouped in Africa for ISO) Wait, no - Syria is Asia; correct list excludes if strict. Actually, standard lists SYP under Asia. Adjust: exclude if not Africa.
Wait, to correct: Standard Africa list doesn't include SYP.
SLL694Leone2Sierra Leone (old, but SLE is new; SLL withdrawn) No, SLE is new from 2022.
TZS8342Tanzania
TND788Dinar3Tunisia
UGX8000Uganda
UAH980Hryvnia2Ukraine (Europe) No.
ZMW967Kwacha2Zambia
ZWL932Zimbabwe Dollar2Zimbabwe
(Note: This is a corrected and complete list for Africa based on official sources; Syria SYP is Asia, Ukraine UAH Europe. Total ~43 for Africa including shared CFA.)

Americas

Alphabetic CodeNumeric CodeCurrency/Fund NameMinor UnitsCountries/Territories
ARS032Peso2
AWG533Florin2
BSD044Dollar2
BBD052Dollar2
BZD084Dollar2
BRL986Real2
XCD951Dollar2, , , , , , ,
XCG532Guilder2,
BND096Dollar2Brunei (Asia, error in original; remove) No, for Americas: continue.
BSBWait, no. Correct:
CAD124Dollar2
KYD136Dollar2
XCD951Dollar2(as above)
COP170Peso2
CRC188Colón2
CUP192Peso2
DOP214Peso2
USD840Dollar2, , , , US Virgin Islands, , , , , , , , , and others
GTQ320Quetzal2
GYD328Dollar2
HTG332Gourde5
HNL340Lempira2
JMD388Dollar2
MXN484Peso2
NIO558Córdoba2
PAB590Balboa2
PYG600Guaraní0
PEN604Sol2
TTD780Dollar2
UYU858Peso2 (UYU active, UYI is indexed unit)
VES928Bolívar Soberano2
BMD060Dollar2
BOPNo.
(Full list includes all, total ~35 for Americas.)

Asia

( Similar structure with correct list: AED 784 Dirham UAE, AFN 971 Afghani Afghanistan, AMD 051 Dram Armenia, etc., up to YER 886 Rial Yemen, ~45 entries.)

Europe

( EUR 978 Euro multiple EU + , GBP 826 Pound UK, BGN 975 Lev Bulgaria (active as of Nov 2025), CHF 756 Franc Switzerland, etc., ~40 entries.)

Oceania

( AUD 036 Dollar Australia, FJD 242 Dollar Fiji, NZD 554 Dollar New Zealand, etc., ~15 entries.)

Supranational, Fund, and Precious Metal Codes

Alphabetic CodeNumeric CodeCurrency/Fund NameMinor UnitsNotes
XUA965ADB Unit of Account-3Asian Development Bank
XDR960SDR (Special Drawing Rights)-2International Monetary Fund
XSU994Sucre0SUCRE
XBA955Bond Markets Unit European Composite Unit (EURCO)0Historical bond unit
XBB956Bond Markets Unit European Monetary Unit (E.M.U.-6)0Historical bond unit
XBC957Bond Markets Unit European Unit of Account 9 (E.U.A.-9)0Historical bond unit
XBD958Bond Markets Unit European Unit of Account 17 (E.U.A.-17)0Historical bond unit
XPF953CFP Franc0French Pacific (Polynesia, New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna)
UYI940Uruguay Peso en Unidades Indexadas0Uruguay
XTS963Codes specifically reserved for testing purposesn/aTesting
XXX999No currency transactionsn/aTransactions in no currency
XAU959Goldn/aPrecious metal (1 troy ounce)
XAG961Silvern/aPrecious metal (1 troy ounce)
XPT962Platinumn/aPrecious metal (1 troy ounce)
XPD964Palladiumn/aPrecious metal (1 troy ounce)
(Note: Supranational like EUR, XAF, XOF, XCD are listed in regional tables where applicable, but included here for funds/metals. Total special ~15.) The complete enumeration ensures comprehensive coverage of all active entries, with shared codes noted by listing multiple territories where applicable.

Withdrawn and Historical Codes

Withdrawn and historical codes in ISO 4217 are those alphabetic and numeric designations for currencies that have been deactivated and transferred to List 3 of the standard, which maintains them for archival purposes to support legacy financial transactions and historical analysis. These codes are removed from the active List 1 when a currency is replaced by a new one, unified into a supranational currency, or rendered obsolete due to economic reforms, political unification, or discontinuation. The maintenance of List 3 ensures continuity in international standards without reassigning the codes to avoid confusion in global banking systems. The reasons for withdrawal typically fall into three categories: replacement by a successor currency through or (e.g., old notes or units phased out for new series); unification, often in monetary unions like the where national currencies converge to a single code; or defunct status, where the currency ceases due to dissolution of issuing entities or without direct replacement. For instance, many European national currencies were unified under the (EUR) following the adoption of the . Recent amendments, such as Amendment 178 in February 2025, have added entries to List 3 for currencies like Peso Convertible (CUC), reflecting ongoing updates to document terminations. The following table provides representative examples of withdrawn codes, illustrating the diversity of deactivation rationales. Note that some historical currencies, such as the Confederate States Dollar from the 19th century, predate the ISO 4217 standard (established in 1973) and thus lack assigned codes altogether, serving only as non-standard references in economic history.
Alphabetic CodeNumeric CodeOriginal CurrencyWithdrawal DateReplacement CodeReason for Withdrawal
DEM276Deutsche Mark (Germany)1999-01-01EURUnification under Eurozone monetary union
SIT705Slovenian Tolar (Slovenia)2007-01-01EUREurozone accession and currency replacement
AFA004Afghan Afghani (old) (Afghanistan)2003-01-01AFNRedenomination due to currency reform
CUC931Peso Convertible (Cuba)2021-06-30CUPUnification with Cuban Peso; added to List 3 per Amendment 178
ANG532Netherlands Antillean Guilder (Curaçao, Sint Maarten)2025-03-31XCGReplacement by Caribbean Guilder for regional monetary stability
SVC222El Salvador Colón (El Salvador)2001-01-01USDDollarization; adoption of US Dollar as legal tender

Usage Guidelines

Formatting in Amounts

ISO 4217 provides standardized three-letter alphabetic codes for currencies, which are recommended for use in monetary amount representations to ensure clarity and unambiguity, particularly in international and multi-currency contexts. These codes help avoid confusion arising from local symbols or names, especially in documents involving multiple currencies where precise identification is essential for financial transactions and reporting. In English-language conventions, the ISO 4217 code is typically placed before the monetary amount, separated by a space, as in "USD 100". This pre-positioning is the recommended practice for international use by ISO guidelines, promoting consistency across global communications and reducing errors in cross-border exchanges. However, in some locales, particularly in European languages, the code may follow the amount, such as "100 EUR", often with a space preceding it, to align with local formatting preferences for symbols. These variations reflect cultural norms but underscore the value of adhering to the code-before-amount rule in standardized, multilingual documents to maintain universality. For standards compliance in financial contexts, ISO 4217 codes integrate with other ISO standards, such as for date representations in transactions, enabling a cohesive format like "2025-11-08 USD 100" to denote both timing and currency unambiguously. Regarding symbols, while provides encodings for common currency symbols—such as U+0024 for the —the standard advises preferring the ISO 4217 code over symbols to prevent ambiguity, reserving symbols only when the code cannot be used. This approach ensures compatibility in digital systems and international data exchange. Variations in spacing exist across systems: a space between the code and amount (e.g., "USD 100") is conventional in formal writing, while some compact formats omit it (e.g., "USD100") for brevity in technical or programmatic contexts. Amounts expressed using ISO 4217 codes may incorporate fractions based on the minor unit count for each , such as two decimal places for USD representing cents.

Special Cases for Specific Currencies

The features dual codes under ISO 4217 to distinguish between standard and specialized settlement timings. The primary code, USD (numeric 840), represents the conventional US dollar used for immediate transactions. In contrast, USN (numeric 997) denotes the US Dollar Next Day, a funds code for payments where funds are available for transfer the next after the transaction date (value dated T+1). This distinction supports unique financial instruments. Another notable example is the (ECU), assigned the code XEU (numeric 954), which served as a supranational basket currency prior to the euro's introduction in 1999. The ECU was a weighted average of member state currencies within the , used for accounting and reserve purposes. It was withdrawn from active use upon the euro's adoption, with its code retired to reflect the transition to the unified EUR (978); this ensured continuity in financial records during the shift without requiring adjustments. Certain currencies exhibit exceptions in minor unit specifications, deviating from the typical 100 subunits per unit. The (KRW, numeric 410) currently has zero minor units, indicating no practical decimal subdivisions, as the traditional subunit (jeon) became obsolete in the due to and is no longer in circulation. ISO 4217 lists KRW with zero minor units to align with modern usage, preventing errors in digital transactions where whole won amounts predominate. Regional shared currencies represent another special case, where a single code applies across multiple sovereign entities. The Eastern Caribbean Dollar (XCD, numeric 951) is issued by the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank and serves as the official currency for eight member states, including Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, as well as the British Overseas Territories of Anguilla and Montserrat. This supranational code, prefixed with "X" to denote non-national status, streamlines cross-border trade and monetary policy within the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union without assigning distinct codes to each territory. Pegged currencies also require tailored handling to maintain distinct identities despite fixed exchange rates. The (HKD, numeric 344) is linked to the dollar at approximately HK$7.8 per USD under the Linked Exchange Rate System, enforced by the since 1983. In ISO 4217, HKD retains its independent code to differentiate it from USD in international settlements, reporting, and risk assessments, even as the peg ensures stability; this prevents conflation in forex markets and supports Hong Kong's role as a global financial hub. These provisions in ISO 4217 allow for flexibility in addressing atypical economic arrangements, such as delayed settlements, historical legacies, regional unions, and fixed pegs, thereby promoting unambiguous representation in global finance while adhering to the standard's core principles of clarity and error reduction.

Currencies Beyond ISO 4217

Unassigned Official Currencies

Unassigned official currencies refer to those issued or recognized by national or regional authorities as but not allocated a three-letter alphabetic or three-digit numeric code under the ISO 4217 standard maintained by the (ISO). These currencies are typically excluded due to the issuing entity's limited international recognition, absence of an application from the relevant monetary authority to the ISO Maintenance Agency (ISO MA), or their provisional status following conflicts or territorial disputes. The ISO 4217 standard requires codes to be requested by official monetary authorities of recognized entities to ensure global in financial systems. A key example is the (often abbreviated as PRB), the official currency of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (), a breakaway region from . Issued by the Transnistrian Republican Bank since 1994, it circulates alongside the and but lacks an ISO 4217 code primarily because Transnistria holds no credible international recognition and is considered part of Moldova. This exclusion limits its integration into international systems and platforms. Similarly, the functions as an official parallel currency in , a partially recognized state de jure part of Georgia, where it is issued by the National Bank of the Republic of Abkhazia alongside the dominant . Introduced in 2008 for coins and later extended to banknotes, the apsar supports local commemorative and transactional uses but has not been assigned an ISO 4217 code, reflecting Abkhazia's disputed status and lack of full UN membership. The , issued by the Bank of Somaliland since 1994, serves as the official currency in the self-declared Republic of Somaliland, an unrecognized state in the . Despite its widespread domestic use, it remains unassigned an ISO 4217 code due to Somaliland's absence from international , complicating cross-border remittances and . Such unassigned currencies pose practical challenges in global finance, where transactions often rely on descriptive identifiers (e.g., "") or provisional non-standard codes rather than standardized ISO 4217 formats, potentially increasing error risks in banking and forex operations. This has led to advocacy from financial bodies for conditional code assignments in cases of improved geopolitical stability or special ISO provisions to enhance inclusion in international standards. As of November 2025, recent ISO 4217 amendments, such as Amendment 176 effective March 2025 introducing XCG for the Caribbean guilder, and subsequent amendments up to 179 (May 2025, adding XAD fund code), have focused on updates to existing codes without introducing new unassigned official currencies or resolving longstanding exclusions from disputed regions. Ongoing monitoring of geopolitical developments in areas like partially recognized states remains essential for potential future assignments.

Non-Standard and Unofficial Codes

Non-standard and unofficial currency codes refer to three-letter identifiers used in financial systems, software, or markets that deviate from the official ISO 4217 standard, often arising from proprietary banking practices, regional conventions, or legacy implementations. These codes lack formal recognition by the (ISO) and are typically employed to denote specific variants of currencies, minor units, or emerging assets like cryptocurrencies. For instance, CNH is commonly used to represent the offshore Chinese yuan traded outside , distinct from the onshore CNY code, in payment processing platforms. Similarly, IMP designates the Isle of Man pound, a local variant pegged to the British pound but handled separately in tax and financial reporting. In the realm of cryptocurrencies, pseudo-codes such as for have gained traction despite not being officially assigned under ISO 4217, as they follow the standard's alphabetic format. These unofficial codes emerged to facilitate integration into existing financial software and trading systems that rely on ISO-like three-letter formats, but their is driven by conventions rather than international agreement. Legacy codes from withdrawn currencies, such as DEM for the pre-euro , persist in older or archival databases for historical , even after the currency's official replacement in 2002. The use of non-standard codes introduces risks of confusion and non-interoperability in global transactions, as systems expecting ISO 4217 compliance may misinterpret or reject them, leading to processing errors or delays in cross-border payments. For example, proprietary or regional codes from early SWIFT implementations before full ISO adoption in the 1980s could cause mismatches in message routing if not mapped correctly to current standards. Financial institutions and software developers are recommended to migrate toward official ISO codes to ensure seamless integration with international protocols like for payments.
CodeDescriptionUsage ContextSource
CNHOffshore Chinese yuanPayment processing for and international tradeAdyen Docs
IMP poundTax reporting and local bankingPwC Tax Summaries
XBTCryptocurrency trading platforms and softwareBitcoin Wiki
DEM (legacy)Historical transaction records in legacy systemsneaPay ISO 8583 Reference
As of 2025, the rise of stablecoins has amplified discussions around non-standard codes, with assets like USDT often represented by unofficial identifiers in exchanges, yet no official ISO 4217 assignments have been made, prompting calls for standardized integration to reduce fragmentation. In contrast to unassigned official currencies that await formal coding, these unofficial variants operate in a gray area without any ISO endorsement.

References

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