How to read CNY to USD
CNY to USD is the number of USD (US Dollar) that 1 CNY (Chinese Yuan) buys. The opposite direction is USD to CNY.
The European Central Bank publishes its reference rates against the euro, so CNY to USD is a cross rate, derived from the two published figures for CNY and USD. The rate for this pair is (USD per EUR) ÷ (CNY per EUR).
Who converts CNY to USD
Yuan to dollars is used by people in China and Chinese-speaking communities who pay for study, travel or goods abroad, by exporters who receive dollars for what they sell, and by foreign buyers who want to understand a supplier's pricing. Starting from yuan gives you the dollar value, which is the figure most international contracts are written in.
Facts about this pair
- CNY is ISO 4217 code 156 and USD is code 840; the three letter codes are what the converter and the ECB use to tell currencies apart.
- Both currencies are written with 2 decimal places in ISO 4217, so a result in USD is rounded to 2 decimal places.
- The reverse pair is the reciprocal: the USD to CNY rate is 1 divided by the CNY to USD rate, apart from rounding.
Chinese suppliers often quote ex-works or free-on-board prices, which leave out shipping, insurance and import duties. When you convert a yuan quote into dollars, ask what terms the price is based on, and add freight and duties separately. The converted unit price alone does not show what the goods will cost when they arrive.
The Chinese Yuan and the US Dollar
| Detail | Chinese Yuan | US Dollar |
|---|---|---|
| ISO code | CNY | USD |
| Symbol | CN¥ | $ |
| Central bank | The People's Bank of China | The Federal Reserve System |
| Minor unit | fen (with the jiao worth ten fen), 1/100 of the main unit | cent, 1/100 of the main unit |
| Used in | Mainland China | The United States and its territories, and it is official or widely used in some other economies such as Ecuador and El Salvador |
Renminbi is the name of the currency and yuan is its unit, so you will see both words. CNY is the onshore code; the offshore code CNH trades separately outside mainland China. It is the most widely held reserve currency, and many commodities, including crude oil, are priced in it.
Getting a fair rate on CNY to USD
Chinese banks and payment apps have their own conversion rates and limits on how much an individual may exchange. Read the terms carefully, and use the reference rate on this page to tell whether the rate offered is in line with the mid-market.
If you receive dollars from a family member abroad and plan to convert them to yuan, or the other way around, ask the bank in advance about its exchange rate, fees and any documents it requires. For larger sums, the paperwork can take longer than the transfer itself. Keep records of the purpose of the payment, such as tuition or a gift, because banks may ask for them.
The yuan is also written RMB or with the character that looks like a Y with two bars. All refer to the same currency. For the reference rate here the code is CNY.
Where the rate comes from
The rate loads in your browser from Frankfurter, which republishes European Central Bank reference rates. They are published on working days for information only, and a bank is not obliged to deal at them. If the service cannot be reached the page shows no number, except a rate saved in your browser within six hours, marked as cached. How the rates work is explained on the currency pairs page. Nothing here is financial advice.
FAQ
What does CNY to USD mean?
It is the number of US dollars you receive for one Chinese yuan. Because a yuan is worth less than a dollar, the figure is below one.
Is RMB the same as CNY?
RMB stands for renminbi, the name of the currency, and CNY is its ISO code for the onshore yuan. In everyday use they mean the same money.
Does the yuan rate here move every day?
The ECB publishes a new reference rate on each working day, and the converter always shows the latest one with its date.
Are there limits on exchanging yuan?
China has rules on moving money in and out of the country, including limits for individuals. Ask your bank about the current rules before a large conversion.
More currency pairs
Other pairs on this site, each with its own latest rate and notes:
- USD to CNY: the same exchange read the other way.
- AUD to USD: another route into USD.
- EUR to USD: another route into USD.
- GBP to USD: another route into USD.
- JPY to USD: another route into USD.
- CAD to USD: another route into USD.
- USD to JPY: a related pair.
- USD to CAD: a related pair.
- All currency pairs: the full list.
- Currency converter: choose any two of the supported currencies.