Brazilian Real

The Brazilian Real (BRL) is the official currency of Brazil. With the symbol R$, it is managed by the Central Bank of Brazil. The currency was introduced in 1994 and is subdivided into 100 Centavo. It's commonly known by its nickname "Real".

Rates updated Sep 21, 2026, 08:00 PM UTC. Over the last 90 days, 1 BRL ranged from 0.1916 to 0.197 USD (+1.96%).

Currency Name

Brazilian Real

Currency Code

BRL

Symbol

R$

Country

Brazil

Central Bank

Central Bank of Brazil

Introduced

1994

Subunit

1/100 Centavo

ISO Numeric Code

986

The Brazilian Real was introduced in 1994 as part of the Plano Real, which successfully ended decades of hyperinflation. The name 'real' means 'royal' in Portuguese and was the name of Brazil's first national currency in 1690.

Brazil has the largest economy in South America, making the Real one of the most important emerging market currencies. It's actively traded in forex markets and sensitive to commodity prices.

The Brazilian Real is Brazil's sole legal tender. Despite some volatility, it remains central to South American trade and finance, with Brazil being a major exporter of agricultural products and minerals.

• 1The real was introduced to end hyperinflation that reached 2,477% in 1993
• 2Brazilian notes feature native animals and the effigy of the Republic
• 3Brazil has the largest economy in Latin America