Currency Dominance
I’m exploring what people mean when they say the dollar dominates.
How to read this & what to try
This looks at the foreign currencies central banks keep in reserve—their stash of other countries’ money.
Central banks help manage a country’s money. Imagine dividing their reserves into piles of dollars, euros, yen, and other currencies. The share chart shows how big each pile is compared with the total. A currency’s share can fall even while the amount held grows, if the other piles grow faster.
Try this: Select two currencies and compare them over time. Switch between share and dollar value to see why those views can tell different stories.
This is one measure of currency use. It does not show all trade, payments, or savings, and it excludes gold. The charts use the IMF’s published reserve data.
- Total reserves
- $13.10T
- US dollar share
- 57.13% +0.71 pp vs prior quarter
- Latest quarter
- Q1 2026
Reserve share over time
% of total reservesSelect currencies to compare. The vertical scale adjusts to your selection.
Latest composition
Q1 2026Select a currency to see its history.
Exact values & data downloads
| Currency | Share | Holdings (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| US dollar | 57.13% | $7.49T |
| Euro | 20.03% | $2.63T |
| Renminbi | 1.99% | $260.1B |
| Japanese yen | 5.44% | $713.1B |
| Pound sterling | 4.40% | $576.5B |
| Australian dollar | 2.11% | $276.8B |
| Canadian dollar | 2.48% | $324.6B |
| Swiss franc | 0.24% | $32.0B |
| Other currencies | 6.18% | $809.9B |
A dash means the currency was not yet reported separately, not a zero holding.
Source & methodology
The revised IMF series covers total foreign exchange reserves, including estimates for unreported currency composition. History from 2000 is revised consistently. The estimated portion is 10.65% in Q1 2026.
AUD and CAD are reported separately from Q4 2012; renminbi from Q4 2016. Before those dates they are included in “Other currencies.” Gold, SDRs, and reserve positions at the IMF are excluded. Dollar valuations move with exchange rates as well as reserve purchases and sales.
IMF release: Jul 1, 2026 · Checked: Sep 19, 2026 · Checks for updates every 6 hours.