| 1 $ = | Start | 06/03/2026 | Change | |
| Last 24 hours | 5.0262 R$ | ⇨ | 5.0056 R$ | -0.41% |
| Last week | 5.0319 R$ | ⇨ | 5.0056 R$ | -0.52% |
| Last month | 4.967 R$ | ⇨ | 5.0056 R$ | +0.78% |
| Last year | 5.6713 R$ | ⇨ | 5.0056 R$ | -11.74% |
| Currency | 05/27/2026 | 06/03/2026 | Change | |
| Seychellois Rupee (SCR) | 13.53 SR | ⇨ | 14.818 SR | +9.52% |
| Venezuelan Bolívar (VES) | 534.72 Bs. | ⇨ | 558.05 Bs. | +4.36% |
| Russian Ruble (RUB) | 71.027 руб | ⇨ | 73.554 руб | +3.56% |
| Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR) | 325.37 Rs | ⇨ | 332.46 Rs | +2.18% |
| Congolese Franc (CDF) | 2,232 FC | ⇨ | 2,280 FC | +2.15% |
| Ethiopian Birr (ETB) | 161.28 Br | ⇨ | 159.45 Br | -1.13% |
| Paraguayan Guaraní (PYG) | 6,136.8 ₲ | ⇨ | 6,048.9 ₲ | -1.43% |
| Dominican Peso (DOP) | 58.85 RD$ | ⇨ | 57.95 RD$ | -1.53% |
| Colombian Peso (COP) | 3,675.7 $ | ⇨ | 3,588.7 $ | -2.37% |
| Zambian Kwacha (ZMW) | 18.731 ZK | ⇨ | 18.073 ZK | -3.51% |
| See also: 24h, monthly and yearly currency moves | ||||
| Currency name | Brazilian Real |
| Symbol | R$ |
| Also known as | BRL, Brazilian Real, R$1 = 100 centavos |
| ISO code | BRL |
| Banknotes | R$2, R$5, R$10, R$20, R$50, R$100, R$200 |
| Coins | 5, 10, 25, 50 centavos; R$1 |
| Central bank | Banco Central do Brasil (BCB) - Website: www.bcb.gov.br |
| Countries | 1 country: Brazil (capital: Brasília, major cities: São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Brasília, Salvador) |
| Population | 215 mil. |
History
Brazil's economic history is characterised by a series of currency changes that reflect the country's struggles with inflation. Brazil has had eight different currencies since independence in 1822, more than almost any other country. The pattern: inflation would erode a currency's value, a reform would introduce a new one with zeros dropped, then inflation would resume.
The sequence: the Brazilian real (1690s), milréis (1833), cruzeiro (1942), cruzeiro novo (1967), cruzeiro (1970), cruzado (1986, at 1,000:1), cruzado novo (1989, at 1,000:1), cruzeiro (1990), cruzeiro real (1993, at 1,000:1), and finally the current real (1994, at 2,750:1 from the cruzeiro real).
The Plano Real of 1994, introduced by Finance Minister Fernando Henrique Cardoso, was the turning point. Unlike previous stabilisation attempts, it succeeded through a combination of fiscal adjustment, monetary anchoring to the US dollar, and the introduction of the URV (Unit of Real Value) as a transitional accounting unit. The plan broke Brazil's hyperinflation — which had reached over 2,000% per year — and ushered in lasting monetary stability.
The real floated freely from January 1999, after a speculative attack. The Banco Central do Brasil manages an inflation-targeting framework. The real remains vulnerable to global commodity price swings (Brazil is a major exporter of iron ore, soybeans, and oil), political risk, and changes in US monetary policy affecting emerging market capital flows.
Sources:
"Brazilian real", Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazilian_real
"Plano Real", Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plano_Real