How to read USD to CNY
USD to CNY is the number of CNY (Chinese Yuan) that 1 USD (US Dollar) buys. The opposite direction is CNY to USD.
The European Central Bank publishes its reference rates against the euro, so USD to CNY is a cross rate, derived from the two published figures for USD and CNY. The rate for this pair is (CNY per EUR) ÷ (USD per EUR).
Who converts USD to CNY
The dollar to yuan pair is central to trade between the United States and China, so it matters to importers, manufacturers, sourcing agents and anyone buying goods that are made in China. It is also used by students and professionals moving between the countries and by travellers. China manages cross-border capital flows with rules of its own, so the rate on a screen and the rate you can actually use as an individual can differ.
Facts about this pair
- USD is ISO 4217 code 840 and CNY is code 156; 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 CNY is rounded to 2 decimal places.
- The reverse pair is the reciprocal: the CNY to USD rate is 1 divided by the USD to CNY rate, apart from rounding.
The US Dollar and the Chinese Yuan
| Detail | US Dollar | Chinese Yuan |
|---|---|---|
| ISO code | USD | CNY |
| Symbol | $ | CN¥ |
| Central bank | The Federal Reserve System | The People's Bank of China |
| Minor unit | cent, 1/100 of the main unit | fen (with the jiao worth ten fen), 1/100 of the main unit |
| Used in | The United States and its territories, and it is official or widely used in some other economies such as Ecuador and El Salvador | Mainland China |
It is the most widely held reserve currency, and many commodities, including crude oil, are priced in it. 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.
Getting a fair rate on USD to CNY
When a supplier quotes in yuan and you pay in dollars, agree in writing which rate and which date will apply to the payment. Using the mid-market reference rate as a benchmark helps you spot when a quoted conversion is out of line.
If you will travel in China, check in advance how your cards and wallet apps will work, since local mobile payment systems dominate daily spending and some of them need a linked card or a local account. For business payments, ask whether the invoice is fixed in yuan or in dollars, because that decides who carries the exchange rate risk between the order date and the payment date.
Renminbi and yuan refer to the same currency, and the ECB publishes its reference rate under the code CNY. The offshore yuan, CNH, trades separately and can differ slightly, so check which one a quote refers to.
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
Is yuan the same as renminbi?
Renminbi is the official name of China's currency and yuan is the main unit, similar to how sterling is the currency and pound is the unit. Both words refer to the same money.
What is the difference between CNY and CNH?
CNY is the code for the yuan used inside mainland China, and CNH is the offshore yuan traded outside it. Their rates are close but not identical. The ECB publishes its reference rate under the code CNY, and this page uses that.
Why can't I get exactly this rate when exchanging money?
This is a mid-market reference rate. Exchange providers add a margin or fee, and individuals face limits and procedures for moving money across Chinese borders.
How is a dollar amount converted to yuan here?
The tool multiplies your dollar amount by the latest reference rate and rounds to two decimals, the usual number of places for yuan prices.
More currency pairs
Other pairs on this site, each with its own latest rate and notes:
- CNY to USD: the same exchange read the other way.
- USD to BRL: another way to spend USD.
- USD to AUD: another way to spend USD.
- USD to INR: another way to spend USD.
- USD to PHP: another way to spend USD.
- USD to KRW: another way to spend USD.
- USD to EUR: another way to spend USD.
- USD to GBP: another way to spend USD.
- All currency pairs: the full list.
- Currency converter: choose any two of the supported currencies.