US Dollar (USD) Live Exchange Rate & Remittance Guide

About the US Dollar

The US Dollar became the world's primary reserve currency following the Bretton Woods Agreement of 1944, replacing gold as the anchor of the global financial system. Its dominance was cemented after the collapse of the gold standard in 1971 when President Nixon ended dollar convertibility to gold. Today the USD is on one side of roughly 88% of all foreign-exchange trades.

Why USD matters for remittance

The USD is the single most-used currency for international remittances. Over $79 billion was sent from the United States in 2022 alone, with the largest corridors flowing to Mexico, India, China, Philippines, and Vietnam. Most non-USD remittance corridors still settle through the dollar in the wholesale FX market.

Compare USD corridors

See live rates and the best providers for each pair.

USA remittance guide

Country profile for sending money OUT of USA — regulators, top corridors, FAQs.

USD remittance regulations

Outbound transfers from the US are regulated by FinCEN under the Bank Secrecy Act. Money services businesses must register federally and obtain state-level licenses (49 of 50 states require one). Transfers over $10,000 are reported to FinCEN; the recipient does not normally pay tax on a gift remittance, but income remittances may be taxable.

How to send US Dollar (USD)

1. 1

   Pick a provider in the comparison table above — look at the 'recipient gets' column rather than the headline fee.

2. 2

   Verify the recipient's name exactly matches their government ID; mismatches are the #1 cause of held transfers.

3. 3

   Choose a payment method: ACH (cheapest, 1–3 days), debit card (instant, ~1% extra), or wire (fastest, $25–35 fee).

4. 4

   Confirm the live rate before locking in — providers normally hold the quoted rate for 24 hours after you initiate.

5. 5

   Save the receipt and tracking ID; you'll need it if the recipient's bank flags the deposit for review.

Currency facts

ISO 4217

840

Sub-unit

100 cents = 1 dollar

Central bank

Federal Reserve

Daily FX volume

$6.6 trillion/day

Symbol

$

52-week range (vs USD)

1 – 1

Frequently asked questions