| 1 $ = | Start | 04/18/2026 | Change | |
| Last 24 hours | 4.9945 R$ | ⇨ | 4.9808 R$ | -0.27% |
| Last week | 5.0092 R$ | ⇨ | 4.9808 R$ | -0.57% |
| Last month | 5.2531 R$ | ⇨ | 4.9808 R$ | -5.18% |
| Last year | 5.8082 R$ | ⇨ | 4.9808 R$ | -14.25% |
| Currency | 04/11/2026 | 04/18/2026 | Change | |
| Ukrainian Hryvnia (UAH) | 43.382 ₴ | ⇨ | 44.099 ₴ | +1.65% |
| Yemeni Rial (YER) | 237.15 YR | ⇨ | 238.6 YR | +0.61% |
| Turkish Lira (TRY) | 44.665 ₺ | ⇨ | 44.828 ₺ | +0.36% |
| Iraqi Dinar (IQD) | 1,308 ID | ⇨ | 1,312.2 ID | +0.32% |
| Indonesian Rupiah (IDR) | 17,089 Rp | ⇨ | 17,140 Rp | +0.3% |
| Australian Dollar (AUD) | 1.416 A$ | ⇨ | 1.3951 A$ | -1.48% |
| Norwegian Krone (NOK) | 9.5249 kr | ⇨ | 9.3687 kr | -1.64% |
| Egyptian Pound (EGP) | 53.013 E£ | ⇨ | 51.908 E£ | -2.08% |
| Israeli Shekel (ILS) | 3.0342 ₪ | ⇨ | 2.9598 ₪ | -2.45% |
| Hungarian Forint (HUF) | 320.2 Ft | ⇨ | 307.31 Ft | -4.03% |
| 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