| 1 $ = | Start | 07/18/2026 | Change | |
| Last 24 hours | 5.1268 R$ | ⇨ | 5.1097 R$ | -0.33% |
| Last week | 5.1114 R$ | ⇨ | 5.1097 R$ | -0.03% |
| Last month | 5.0908 R$ | ⇨ | 5.1097 R$ | +0.37% |
| Last year | 5.563 R$ | ⇨ | 5.1097 R$ | -8.15% |
| Currency | 07/11/2026 | 07/18/2026 | Change | |
| Venezuelan Bolívar (VES) | 708.81 Bs. | ⇨ | 724.84 Bs. | +2.26% |
| Russian Ruble (RUB) | 76.636 руб | ⇨ | 78.283 руб | +2.15% |
| Papua New Guinean Kina (PGK) | 4.3804 K | ⇨ | 4.464 K | +1.91% |
| Egyptian Pound (EGP) | 49.626 E£ | ⇨ | 50.5 E£ | +1.76% |
| Hungarian Forint (HUF) | 311.79 Ft | ⇨ | 317.24 Ft | +1.75% |
| Canadian Dollar (CAD) | 1.4173 C$ | ⇨ | 1.4026 C$ | -1.04% |
| Vanuatu Vatu (VUV) | 120.29 VT | ⇨ | 118.96 VT | -1.11% |
| Norwegian Krone (NOK) | 9.7826 kr | ⇨ | 9.6474 kr | -1.38% |
| South African Rand (ZAR) | 16.317 R | ⇨ | 16.028 R | -1.77% |
| Seychellois Rupee (SCR) | 14.725 SR | ⇨ | 13.409 SR | -8.94% |
| 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