Trading AUD USD: A Complete Guide to the Aussie-US Dollar Pair

Pre-decimal Australian coins remain legal tender for 10 cents per shilling. Before 2006 the old New Zealand 5, 10 and 20 cent coins were often mistaken for Australian coins of the same value, and vice versa, and therefore circulated in both countries. The UK replaced these coins with smaller versions from 1990 to 1993, as did New Zealand in 2006. Still, some confusion occurs with the larger-denomination coins in the two countries; Australia’s $1 coin is similar in size to New Zealand’s $2 coin, and the New Zealand $1 coin is similar in size to Australia’s $2 coin.

The AUD also benefits from Australia’s typically conservative monetary policy. For instance, the Reserve Bank of Australia did not intervene with economic stimulus to the same degree as the U.S., European Central Bank, and the Bank of Japan following the Great Recession. This contributed to higher interest rates in Australia relative to other countries, inviting currency trades to long AUD relative to JPY, for instance, based on the interest-rate differential between these countries.

  1. In addition, demand for natural resources, especially from other Asian countries, such as China and India, affects AUD exchange rates.
  2. Even with a policy of economic liberalization dating back to the early 1980s, Australia has never managed to develop a thriving domestic manufacturing sector.
  3. AUD/USD is one of the most widely traded currency pairs in forex trading and is usually linked to commodity prices and market risk sentiment.
  4. This post has everything you need to know about converting AUD to USD, including where to secure the best exchange rates and how to avoid paying high fees on your conversion.
  5. This happens because the Fed’s actions move more U.S. dollars into bank circulation, thus increasing the supply of U.S. dollars, and placing downward pressure on the price of the currency.
  6. The note depicted on one side a young male Aboriginal person in body paint, with other elements of Aboriginal culture.

Our currency rankings show that the most popular Australian Dollar exchange rate is the AUD to USD rate. These are the average exchange rates of these two currencies for the last 30 and 90 days. Australia also prints polymer banknotes for a number of other countries through Note Printing Australia, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Reserve Bank of Australia. Current Australian 5, 10 and 20 cent coins are identical in size to the former Australian, New Zealand, and British sixpence, shilling, and two shilling (florin) coins.

You can convert Australian Dollars to US Dollars by using the exchange-rates.org currency converter in just one easy step. Simply enter the amount of AUD you want to convert to USD in the box labeled “Amount”, and you’re done! You’ll now see the value of the converted currency according to the most recent exchange rate. Once you know that information, multiply the amount you have in USD by the current exchange rate.

The Royal Australian Mint also has an international reputation for producing quality numismatic coins. Issues expanded into greater numbers in the 1990s and the 21st century, responding to collector demand. Commemorative designs have also been featured on the circulating two dollar, one dollar, and 20 cent coins. In terms of GDP (measured in U.S. dollars), Australia is well down the list among the major currencies, with the 12th-largest economy. Providing access to our stories should not be construed as investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any security or product, or to engage in or refrain from engaging in any transaction by Forbes Advisor Australia. In comparing various financial products and services, we are unable to compare every provider in the market so our rankings do not constitute a comprehensive review of a particular sector.

Conversion Table

It is not a solicitation or a recommendation to trade derivatives contracts or securities and should not be construed or interpreted as financial advice. Any examples given are provided for illustrative purposes only and no representation is being made that any person will, or is likely to, achieve profits or losses similar to those examples. DailyFX Limited is not responsible for any trading decisions taken by persons not intended to view this material. The Australian Dollar is currently the fifth-most-traded currency in world foreign exchange markets. It is also used in the Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu.

The Australian Dollar is the fifth-most traded currency in the global foreign exchange market, accounting for 6.8% of the world’s forex turnover in 2019, according to the Bank of International Settlement (BIS). The institution compiles statistics in cooperation with central banks and is a good resource to gauge the size of the global forex market. However, it is important to note that non-institutional, or retail and/or individual investors, do not engage in trading directly in the interbank market. AUD/USD is the abbreviation for the Australian Dollar / US Dollar currency pair. It measures how much US Dollars are needed to purchase one unit of the Australian Dollar. In this case the Australian Dollar (AUD) is the base currency and the US Dollar (USD) is the quote (or “counter”) currency.

AUD – Australian Dollar

In April, 0.736; May, 0.705; June, 0.702; July 0.686; a slight increase in August to 0.696; and back down significantly to 0.667 for the month of September. The Australian dollar started off 2023 on a high note, where it enjoyed a brief rise to .71 US cents in January after beginning the month at 0.68 USD. To the extent any recommendations or statements of opinion or fact made in a story may constitute financial advice, they constitute general information and not personal financial advice in any form. As such, any recommendations or statements do not take into account the financial circumstances, investment objectives, tax implications, or any specific requirements of readers. When covering investment and personal finance stories, we aim to inform our readers rather than recommend specific financial product or asset classes.

Economic Calendar

Government policy has led to fairly stable high-interest rates, a stable government and economy, a lack of intervention in the currency markets, and a Western approach to business and the rule of law that has not always been typical in the region. This movement is in the opposite direction to other reserve currencies, which tend to be stronger during market slumps as traders move value from falling stocks into cash. Major economic data includes the release of GDP, retail sales, industrial production, inflation, and trade balances. These come out at regular intervals and many brokers, as well as many financial information sources like the Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg, make this information freely available. Traders, however, incorporate a much larger range of economic data into their trading decisions and their speculative outlooks can themselves move rates just as investor optimism or pessimism can move a stock above or below the value its fundamentals suggest.

Choose your currencies

The Australian economy and the AUD often benefit during periods of rising commodity prices. In comparison, the U.S. and other countries that produce many finished goods tend to see inflation amid rising commodity prices. This sometimes invites traders to take a long position in AUD relative to USD. Australian notes and coins are also legal tender in the independent sovereign states of Kiribati, Nauru, and Tuvalu.[4][5][6] Nauru never had its own currency.

Popular Conversions

Australia produces relatively little in the way of manufacturing exports and most of the country’s exports go to the growing economies of Asia. Along those lines, the strength of the Aussie dollar is closely tied to its exposure to Asia and the commodity cycle, as well as a somewhat counter-cyclical position relative to the currencies of other major currencies. The demand in China, India, and to a lesser extent Japan, for natural resources, has https://bigbostrade.com/ pushed the Aussie dollar up in past cycles, only to fall later as commodity demand wanes. Australia’s resource wealth has not had a universally positive impact on the country’s economy. Even with a policy of economic liberalization dating back to the early 1980s, Australia has never managed to develop a thriving domestic manufacturing sector. Instead, the country has a large current account deficit and a rather high level of foreign debt.

When the Fed intervenes in open market activities to make the U.S. dollar weaker, for example, the value of the AUD/USD pair could increase. This happens because the Fed’s actions move more U.S. dollars into bank circulation, thus increasing the supply of U.S. dollars, and placing downward pressure on the price of the currency. Using a currency conversion calculator is often the easiest way to get an estimate when you’re converting currency. Since exchange rates fluctuate on a daily basis, using a calculator can ensure your math is correct. You can send a variety of international currencies to multiple countries reliably, quickly, and safely, and at a rate cheaper than most banks.

Although the value of the dollar fell significantly from this high towards the end of 2008, it gradually recovered in 2009 to 94 US cents. With a mass of 15.55 grams (0.549 oz) and a diameter of 31.51 millimetres best forex indicators (1+1⁄4 in), the Australian 50-cent coin is one of the largest coins used in the world today. Australia’s coins are produced by the Royal Australian Mint, which is located in the nation’s capital, Canberra.

It is also worth noting that the RBA is often challenged by the unpredictability of the commodity cycle and its impact upon the county’s trade balance and capital account. As economists warn of a recession in advanced economies, it becomes less and less likely that the Aussie dollar will stage a spirted comeback in the last few months of 2023, especially in light of China’s slowing economy, which impacts demand for our iron ore. CBA economists have predicted a much more tepid recovery over the next 12 months. The bank predicts the exchange rate would slip over the next quarter to June 2023, and to reach 0.68 by June 2024. Looking further ahead, Westpac was forecasting an AUD/USD exchange rate of 0.76 by June 2024 and NAB was predicting AUD to be 0.78 to the US dollar by June 2024. A currency pair tells the reader how much of one currency is needed to purchase one unit of another currency.

High-interest rates and non-competitive costs make it difficult for Australian businesses to compete and the country lacks a strong manufacturing infrastructure. With that in mind, the Australian dollar is likely to continue to trade on the basis of commodity prices, the health of major Asian resource importers, and its high-interest rates. Though the state of Australia’s economy should be a concern to Australians, it is unlikely that the Australian dollar will fade from importance even as the Chinese yuan becomes more significant in the region. Despite many attractive characteristics, the foreign exchange market is vast, complicated, and ruthlessly competitive.