Brazilian real

Real brasileiro (Portuguese)
Banknotes of reais (from 2 reais to 100 reais) 200 reais banknote
ISO 4217
Code	BRL (numeric: 986)
Subunit	0.01
Unit
Unit	real
Plural	reais
Symbol	$,R$‎
Nickname	pila, prata, mango, pau, conto, réis (plural)
Denominations
Subunit
1⁄100	centavo
Banknotes	R$ 2, R$ 5, R$ 10, R$ 20, R$ 50, R$ 100, R$ 200
Coins
Freq. used	5, 10, 25, 50 centavos, and R$ 1
Rarely used	1 centavo
Demographics
Date of introduction	1 July 1994
Replaced	Cruzeiro Real
User(s)	Brazil
Issuance
Central bank	Central Bank of Brazil
Website	www.bcb.gov.br
Printer	Casa da Moeda do Brasil
Website	www.casadamoeda.gov.br
Mint	Casa da Moeda do Brasil
Website	www.casadamoeda.gov.br
Valuation
Inflation	3.94% (May 2023)
Source	agenciadenoticias.ibge.gov.br
Method	CPI

The Brazilian real (pl. reais; sign: R$; code: BRL) is the official currency of Brazil. It is subdivided into 100 centavos. The Central Bank of Brazil is the central bank and the issuing authority. The real replaced the cruzeiro real in 1995.

As of April 2019,^[update] the real was the twentieth most traded currency.^[1]

History

Currencies in use before the current real include:

• The Portuguese real from the 16th to 18th centuries, with 1,000 réis called the milréis.
• The old Brazilian real from 1747 to 1942, with 1,000 réis also called the milréis.
• The first cruzeiro from 1942 to 1967, at 1 cruzeiro = 1 milréis or 1,000 réis.
• The cruzeiro novo from 1967 to 1970, at 1 cruzeiro novo = 1,000 first cruzeiros. From 1970 it was simply called the (second) cruzeiro and was used until 1986.
• The cruzado from 1986 to 1989, at 1 cruzado = 1,000 second cruzeiros.
• The cruzado novo from 1989 to 1990, at 1 cruzado novo = 1,000 cruzados. From 1990, because of the Plano Collor it was renamed the (third) cruzeiro and was used until 1993.
• The cruzeiro real (CR$) from 1993 to 1994, at 1 cruzeiro real = 1,000 third cruzeiros.

The current real was introduced in 1994 at 1 real = 2,750 cruzeiros reais.

The modern real (Portuguese plural reais or English plural reals) was introduced on 1 July 1994, during the presidency of Itamar Franco, when Rubens Ricupero was the Minister of Finance as part of a broader plan to stabilize the Brazilian economy, known as the Plano Real. The new currency replaced the short-lived cruzeiro real (CR$). The reform included the demonetisation of the cruzeiro real and required a massive banknote replacement.

At its introduction, the real was defined to be equal to 1 unidade real de valor (URV, "real value unit") a non-circulating currency unit. At the same time, the URV was defined to be worth 2,750 cruzeiros reais, which was the average exchange rate of the U.S. dollar to the cruzeiro real on that day. As a consequence, the real was worth exactly one U.S. dollar as it was introduced; that was equivalent to R$10 in 2020. Combined with all previous currency changes in the country's history, this reform made the new real equal to 2.75 × 10¹⁸ (2.75 quintillion) of Brazil's original réis.

Soon after its introduction, the real unexpectedly gained value against the U.S. dollar, due to large capital inflows in late 1994 and 1995. During that period it attained its maximum dollar value ever, about US$1.20=R$1. Between 1996 and 1998 the exchange rate was tightly controlled by the Central Bank of Brazil, so that the real depreciated slowly and smoothly to the dollar, dropping from near US$1=R$1 to about US$1=R$1.2 by the end of 1998. In January 1999 the deterioration of the international markets, disrupted by the Russian default, forced the Central Bank, under its new president Arminio Fraga, to float the exchange rate. This decision produced a major devaluation, to a rate of almost US$1=R$2.^[2]

In the following years, the currency's value against the dollar followed an erratic but mostly downward path from 1999 until late 2002, when the prospect of the election of leftist candidate Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, considered a radical populist by sectors of the financial markets, prompted another currency crisis and a spike in inflation. Many Brazilians feared another default on government debts or a resumption of heterodox economic policies and rushed to exchange their reais into tangible assets or foreign currencies.

The crisis subsided once Lula took office, after he, his finance minister Antonio Palocci, and Arminio Fraga reaffirmed their intention to continue the orthodox macroeconomic policies of his predecessor (including inflation-targeting, primary fiscal surplus and floating exchange rate, as well as continued payments of the public debt). The value of the real in dollars continued to fluctuate but generally upwards, so that by 2005 the exchange was a little over US$1=R$2. In May 2007, for the first time since 2001 (six years), the real became worth more than US$0.50 — even though the Central Bank, concerned about its effect on the Brazilian economy, had tried to keep it below that symbolic threshold. Lula started his government in 01/01/2003 with an exchange rate of US$1=R$3.52 and finished it in 12/31/2010 with an exchange rate of US$1=R$1.66.^[3]

The exchange rate as of September 2015 was US$1=R$4.05. After a period of gradual recovery, it reached US$1=R$3 by February 2017.

Jair Bolsonaro's tenure, initially welcomed with enthusiasm by the financial markets, started with US$1=R$3.86. Fueled by meager results of the economy, quick disenchantment followed, resulting in a lack of foreign investments and a real's strong depreciation.^[4] On 13 May 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, which deeply affected Brazil,^[5] the real reached a historical low against the US dollar, being negotiated at US$1=R$5.90.^[6]

Following Lula's reelection in the 2022 general elections, the market, which was expected to have reacted poorly, turned out favorable in the first week.^[7][8] The US dollar exchange hit its lowest point since 29 August 2022, dropping from roughly US$1=R$5.30 immediately before the second round of the election, to about US$1=R$5.05 a week after Lula's win.

Coins

First series (1994–1997)

Along with the first series of currency, coins were introduced in denominations of 1, 5, 10 and 50 centavos and 1 real on 30 June 1994; the 25 centavos piece was soon followed on 30 September 1994 due to the constant lack of change in intermediate values in the centavos range, which caused the validity of the old Cruzeiro and Cruzeiro Real banknotes to be extended for two months beyond what was initially intended for the exchange of banknotes and coins until then in circulation for new ones in the pattern that began to circulate in the second half of 1994. All were struck in stainless steel.

The coins issued in 1994 are identical in size and weight to the older cruzeiro real coins, save for the 1-centavo piece which corresponded to the even older 1000-cruzeiro coin, as no CR$1 coin was made. This influenced the replacement of this family with a newer one in 1998.

The original 1-real coins, produced only in 1994, were demonetized on 23 December 2003^[9] due to how often it was counterfeited.^[10] All other coins remain legal tender.

First series
Image	Value	Design	Emission start date	Withdrawn
	1 centavo	Obverse: Large denomination flanked by linear patterns. Reverse: Head of Republic.	1 July 1994	Current
	5 centavos	Obverse: Large denomination flanked by linear patterns. Reverse: Head of Republic.
	10 centavos	Obverse: Large denomination flanked by linear patterns. Reverse: Head of Republic.
	50 centavos	Obverse: Large denomination flanked by linear patterns. Reverse: Head of Republic.
	1 real	Obverse: Large denomination flanked by linear patterns. Reverse: Head of Republic.		23 December 2003
	25 centavos	Obverse: Large denomination intersected by wavy lines. Reverse: Head of Republic.	30 September 1994	Current

Commemorative coins

In 1995, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Food and Agriculture Organization, the Central Bank of Brazil released two commemorative variants of the 10 and 25 centavos coins.

Circulating commemorative coins of the Brazilian real's first series
Image	Value	Details
	10 centavos	Release date: 31 May 1995 Occasion: The 50th anniversary of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Units produced: 1 million for each design Reverse: The 10 centavos coin depicts hands offering a plant shoot with folious ramifications, and the 25 centavos coin depicts crop cultivation. Both coins contain the inscriptions "FAO—1945/1995" and "alimentos para todos" (food for all).[11][12]
	25 centavos

Additionally, non-circulating commemorative coins have also been minted, with non-standard face values – namely R$2, R$3, R$4 and R$20 coins.^[13] Although worth more than their face value to collectors, they are nevertheless legal tender.^[14]

Second series (1998–present)

In 1998, a second series of coins was introduced. It featured copper-plated steel coins of 1 and 5 centavos, bronze-plated steel 10 and 25 centavos, cupronickel 50 centavos coin, and a bimetallic nickel-brass and cupronickel coin of 1 real. In 2002 cupronickel was replaced with stainless steel for the 50-centavo coin and the central part of the 1-real coin, and the nickel-brass ring was changed to a bronze-plated steel one.^[10][15]

In November 2005, the Central Bank discontinued the production of the 1 centavo coins, but the existing ones continue to be legal tender. Retailers now generally round their prices to the next 5 or 10 centavos.^{[citation needed]}

Second series
Image	Value	Design
	1 centavo (no longer produced)	Obverse: The Southern Cross in right upper side. Reverse: Depicts Pedro Álvares Cabral, Portuguese sea captain and Brazil's colonizer, with a 16th-century Portuguese ship in the background.
	5 centavos	Obverse: The Southern Cross in right upper side. Reverse: Depicts Joaquim José da Silva Xavier (also known as Tiradentes), martyr of an early independence movement known as the Minas Conspiracy. In the background, a triangle, symbol of the movement, and a dove, symbol of peace and freedom.
	10 centavos	Obverse: The Southern Cross in right upper side. Reverse: Depicts Emperor Pedro I, Brazil's first monarch. In the background, the Emperor on a horse: a scene alluding to the proclamation of independence.
	25 centavos	Obverse: The Southern Cross in right upper side. Reverse: Depicts Field Marshal Deodoro da Fonseca, Brazil's first Republican president. The Republic's coat of arms is in the background.
	50 centavos	Obverse: The Southern Cross in right upper side. Reverse: Depicts José Paranhos, Jr., the Baron of Rio Branco, the country's most distinguished Minister of Foreign Affairs. In the background, image of the country with ripples expanding outwards, representing the development of Brazil's foreign policy and the expansion and demarcation of the national borders.
	1 real	Obverse: The Southern Cross in right upper side. Reverse: Outer ring depicts a sample of the marajoara art pattern. In the inner ring, the Efígie da República, symbol of the Republic.

In November 2019, the Central Bank had the Royal Dutch Mint produce 5 centavos and 50 centavos coins, which have a distinctive letter "A" to indicate they weren't minted by Casa da Moeda.^[16]

• Coins minted by the Royal Dutch Mint
• 
  5 centavos coin with mint mark
• 
  50 centavos coin with mint mark

Commemorative coins

On occasion, the Central Bank of Brazil has issued special commemorative versions of some of the standard coins. These commemorative coins are legal tender, and usually differ from the standard design only on their reverse side.

Circulating commemorative coins of the Brazilian real's second series
Image	Value	Details
	1 real	Release date: 10 December 1998 Occasion: The 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Units produced: 600 thousand Reverse: The official logo of the commemorations; in bas-relief, a human figure. In the outer ring, the inscriptions "Declaração Universal dos Direitos Humanos" (Universal Declaration of Human Rights) and "Cinqüentenário" (50th anniversary).[17]
	1 real	Release date: 12 September 2002 Occasion: The 100th birth anniversary of Brazilian former president Juscelino Kubitschek Units produced: 50 million Reverse: A face portrait of Kubitschek. Vertically, the inscription "Centenário Juscelino Kubitschek" (Juscelino Kubitschek's centenary). In the outer ring, images alluding to the columns of the Alvorada Palace, the presidential residence in Brasília, the city that he decided would be built.[18]
	1 real	Release date: 23 September 2005 Occasion: The 40th anniversary of the foundation of the Central Bank of Brazil Units produced: 40 million Reverse: Image of the trademark Central Bank building, inspired in the official logo developed for the commemorations. In the outer ring, the inscriptions "Banco Central do Brasil" (Central Bank of Brazil) and "1965 40 anos 2005" (1965 40 years 2005).[19]
	1 real	Release date: 13 August 2012 Occasion: The Olympic Flag Handover for the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics Units produced: 2 million Reverse: The Olympic Flag in a pole above the official logo of the Games of the XXXI Olympiad. In the outer ring, the inscriptions "Entrega da Bandeira Olímpica" (Olympic Flag Handover) and "Londres 2012—Rio 2016" (London 2012—Rio 2016)[20]
	1 real	Release dates: 28 November 2014, 17 April 2015, 7 August 2015, 19 February 2016 (four sets of four designs) Occasion: 2016 Summer Olympics Units produced: 20 million for each design Reverse: Sixteen coin designs, representing athletics (triple jump), swimming, paralympic triathlon, golf, basketball, sailing, paralympic canoeing, rugby, football, volleyball, paralympic athletics (running), judo, boxing, paralympic swimming, and each mascot of the 2016 Summer Olympics and Paralympics.[20]
	1 real	Release date: 30 March 2015 Occasion: The 50th anniversary of the foundation of the Central Bank of Brazil Units produced: 50 million Reverse: The Central Bank building, its logo, and the inscription "50 anos" (50 years).[20]
	1 real	Release date: 28 August 2019 Occasion: The 25th anniversary of the creation of the Plano Real (Real Plan) Units produced: 25 million Reverse: A hummingbird feeding its chicks, based on the image of the 1 real banknote.

Similarly to the first series, non-circulating commemorative coins have also been minted, with the following non-standard face values: R$2, R$5, R$10 and R$20 coins.^[13] Likewise, even if they are worth more than their face value to collectors, they are nevertheless legal tender.^[14]

There were 18 types of non-circulating commemorative coins released from 2000 through 2009:

From 2010 through 2019, 15 types of non-circulating commemorative coins were released:

Since 2020, 2 types of non-circulating commemorative coins were released:

Trial strike controversy

In 2011, a collector named Pedro Pinto Balsemão claimed to have found a trial strike of the R$1, with a never before seen design, completely different from circulating 1 real coins.^[21] Despite the initial skepticism, it was later supposedly confirmed via FOIA [pt] requests and interviews that Casa da Moeda do Brasil had minted trial strikes of the R$1 coin prior to the currency design change in 1998, with custom designs that were purposefully different to the final product as to avoid leaks.^[22][23]

In May 2021, however, Bentes Group published an explanation as to why the "Real Bromélia" was not included in their Brazilian coins catalog. They claim to have done extensive research into the piece, and to have concluded that it is not a trial strike or test coin, but instead a sort of vending machine token with no numismatic value.^[24]

Banknotes

First series (1994–2010)

In 1994, banknotes print "A" were issued by Casa da Moeda do Brasil in the amounts of 1, 5, 10, 50 and 100 reais, in addition to supplementary issues of banknotes ordered abroad in the values of 5, 10 and 50 reais of the print "B" produced abroad by the companies Giesecke+Devrient, Thomas de la Rue and François-Charles Oberthur Fiduciaire respectively. In 1997, modified banknotes of 1 real (print "B"), 5 and 10 reais (print "C") were launched, bearing the national flag as a watermark instead of the effigy of the republic in order to reduce the risk of such banknotes being used for counterfeiting banknotes at higher denominations. In 2000, the 10 reais commemorative banknote (print "D") was launched, and this banknote was the first polymer banknote to be issued in the country. In 2000 and 2001, the 2 and 20 reais banknotes were launched, respectively, using the sea turtle and the golden lion tamarin in the watermark and theme, and the 20 reais banknote was the first to make use of holographic elements on the Brazilian banknotes. In 2003, the print "C" of the 1 real banknote was put into circulation, which would have the name "República Federativa do Brasil" at the top in the place where the name "Banco Central do Brasil" was customarily placed, which was placed on the under the obverse of the bill, next to the word real. Such banknote ceased to be issued in 2005.

First series[25]
Image		Value	Dimensions	Description
Obverse	Reverse			Obverse	Reverse
		1 real	140 mm × 65 mm	The Republic's Effigy, portrayed as a bust	Sapphire-spangled emerald hummingbird (Amazilia lactea)
		2 reais			Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
		5 reais			Great egret (Casmerodius albus)
		10 reais			Green-winged macaw (Ara chlorepterus)
		20 reais			Golden lion tamarin (Leontopithecus rosalia)
		50 reais			Jaguar (Onça pintada, Panthera onca)
		100 reais			Dusky Grouper (Epinephelus marginatus)

Commemorative banknotes

In April 2000, in commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the Portuguese arrival on Brazilian shores, the Brazilian Central Bank released a polymer 10 real banknote that circulated along with the other banknotes above. The Brazilian Mint printed 250 million of these notes, which at the time accounted for about half of the 10 real banknotes in circulation.

Obverse	Reverse	Value	Year	Material	Description
		10 reais	2000	Polymer	Obverse: Image of Pedro Álvares Cabral, the colonizer of Brazil. Reverse: Stylized version of the map of Brazil, with pictures highlighting the ethnic and cultural plurality of the country.

Second series (2010–present)

On 3 February 2010, the Central Bank of Brazil announced the new series of the real banknotes which would begin to be released in April 2010. The new design added security enhancements in an attempt to reduce counterfeiting. The notes have different sizes according to their values to help vision-impaired people. The changes were made reflecting the growth of the Brazilian economy and the need for a stronger and safer currency. The new banknotes began to enter circulation in December 2010, coexisting with the older ones.^[26][27] On 29 July 2020, the Central Bank of Brazil announced the release of the 200 reais banknote.^[28] It was released into circulation on 2 September 2020.^[29]

Second series
Image		Value	Dimensions	Main color	Description		Date of first issue	Watermark
Obverse	Reverse				Obverse	Reverse
		2 reais	121 mm × 65 mm	Blue	Wave pattern; head of Republic	Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)	29 July 2013	Hawksbill turtle and electrotype 2
		5 reais	128 mm x 65 mm	Purple	Plants; head of Republic	Great egret (Casmerodius albus)	29 July 2013	Great egret and electrotype 5
		10 reais	135 mm × 65 mm	Red	Plants; head of Republic	Green-winged macaw (Ara chlorepterus)	23 July 2012	Green-winged macaw and electrotype 10
		20 reais	142 mm × 65 mm	Yellow	Plants; head of Republic	Golden lion tamarin (Leontopithecus rosalia)	23 July 2012	Golden lion tamarin and electrotype 20
		50 reais	149 mm × 70 mm	Brown	Jungle plants; head of Republic	Jaguar (Panthera onca)	13 December 2010	Jaguar and electrotype 50
		100 reais	156 mm × 70 mm	Cyan	Underwater plants and starfish; head of Republic; coral	Dusky Grouper (Epinephelus marginatus); coral	13 December 2010	Dusky Grouper and electrotype 100
		200 reais	142 mm × 65 mm	Grey	Savanna plants; head of Republic	Maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus)	2 September 2020	Maned wolf and electrotype 200

Exchange rates

Current exchange rates

Historical exchange rate

Most traded currencies by value
Currency distribution of global foreign exchange market turnover^[30]

• v
• t
• e

Rank	Currency	ISO 4217 code	Symbol or abbreviation	Proportion of daily volume		Growth rate (2019–2022)
				April 2019	April 2022
1	U.S. dollar	USD	US$	88.3%	88.5%	0.2%
2	Euro	EUR	€	32.3%	30.5%	5.5%
3	Japanese yen	JPY	¥ / 円	16.8%	16.7%	0.6%
4	Sterling	GBP	£	12.8%	12.9%	0.7%
5	Renminbi	CNY	¥ / 元	4.3%	7.0%	62.7%
6	Australian dollar	AUD	A$	6.8%	6.4%	5.8%
7	Canadian dollar	CAD	C$	5.0%	6.2%	24%
8	Swiss franc	CHF	CHF	4.9%	5.2%	6.1%
9	Hong Kong dollar	HKD	HK$	3.5%	2.6%	25.7%
10	Singapore dollar	SGD	S$	1.8%	2.4%	33.3%
11	Swedish krona	SEK	kr	2.0%	2.2%	10%
12	South Korean won	KRW	₩ / 원	2.0%	1.9%	5%
13	Norwegian krone	NOK	kr	1.8%	1.7%	5.5%
14	New Zealand dollar	NZD	NZ$	2.1%	1.7%	19%
15	Indian rupee	INR	₹	1.7%	1.6%	5.8%
16	Mexican peso	MXN	MX$	1.7%	1.5%	11.7%
17	New Taiwan dollar	TWD	NT$	0.9%	1.1%	22.2%
18	South African rand	ZAR	R	1.1%	1.0%	9%
19	Brazilian real	BRL	R$	1.1%	0.9%	18.1%
20	Danish krone	DKK	kr	0.6%	0.7%	16.6%
21	Polish złoty	PLN	zł	0.6%	0.7%	16.6%
22	Thai baht	THB	฿	0.5%	0.4%	20%
23	Israeli new shekel	ILS	₪	0.3%	0.4%	33.3%
24	Indonesian rupiah	IDR	Rp	0.4%	0.4%	0%
25	Czech koruna	CZK	Kč	0.4%	0.4%	0%
26	UAE dirham	AED	د.إ	0.2%	0.4%	100%
27	Turkish lira	TRY	₺	1.1%	0.4%	63.6%
28	Hungarian forint	HUF	Ft	0.4%	0.3%	25%
29	Chilean peso	CLP	CLP$	0.3%	0.3%	0%
30	Saudi riyal	SAR	﷼	0.2%	0.2%	0%
31	Philippine peso	PHP	₱	0.3%	0.2%	33.3%
32	Malaysian ringgit	MYR	RM	0.2%	0.2%	0%
33	Colombian peso	COP	COL$	0.2%	0.2%	0%
34	Russian ruble	RUB	₽	1.1%	0.2%	81.8%
35	Romanian leu	RON	L	0.1%	0.1%	0%
36	Peruvian sol	PEN	S/	0.1%	0.1%	0%
37	Bahraini dinar	BHD	.د.ب	0.0%	0.0%	0%
38	Bulgarian lev	BGN	BGN	0.0%	0.0%	0%
39	Argentine peso	ARS	ARG$	0.1%	0.0%	100%
…	Other			1.8%	2.3%	27.7%
Total[a]				200.0%	200.0%