Chinese Yuan (CNY) Exchange Rates Today
Live rates, 30-day trends, and real talk about what banks charge you for Chinese Yuan.
Mid-market rate - no bank markup 200+ currencies Free
What is the Chinese Yuan?
CNY trades within a daily band set by the PBOC. Offshore Yuan (CNH) trades more freely in Hong Kong and other markets.
Symbol: ¥ ISO code: CNY Central bank: People's Bank of China (PBOC)
BIS ranking: 5th most traded (the 5th most bought and sold currency worldwide) Used in: China (mainland)
This page is a hub for all CNY exchange rates on our site. Use the converter above to check the current mid-market rate for Chinese Yuan against any supported currency, or scroll down to browse individual pair pages with 30-day charts, historical data, and conversion tables.
How the Chinese Yuan exchange rate works
Managed float with daily fixing
The People's Bank of China sets a daily central parity rate (the "fixing") for USD/CNY each morning. The Yuan is allowed to trade within a +/- 2% band around this fixing during the day.
Onshore vs offshore Yuan
CNY (onshore) and CNH (offshore, traded freely in Hong Kong and other markets) can show slightly different rates. Most international conversions use the offshore CNH rate. China's capital account controls mean moving large sums into or out of the country requires approval from the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE).
ExchangeRates.com shows the official mid-market rate. Rates available through unofficial channels may differ and transacting at such rates may violate local regulations.
How Chinese Yuan is commonly exchanged
The Chinese Yuan trades within a daily band set by the People's Bank of China. Most international CNY conversion happens through USD/CNY. Offshore Yuan (CNH), traded more freely in Hong Kong, is what most foreign investors access. China's capital controls mean onshore and offshore rates can diverge slightly.
Most CNY conversions pass through one of the major pairs listed below. For less common combinations, rates are computed as cross-rates through USD or EUR, which may carry a slightly wider spread.
Practical notes for Chinese Yuan
Bank spreads
As a less liquid currency, CNY spreads at banks and exchanges tend to be wider than for major currencies - sometimes 4-6% at banks and up to 15% at airport counters. Online transfer services usually offer much tighter spreads for CNY.
Large transfers
For conversions above 10,000 CNY, consider a specialist FX broker rather than your bank. The difference in rate on a large transfer can be significant - even a 0.5% improvement on a large sum adds up quickly. Get quotes from at least two providers and compare the final amount the recipient would receive, not just the headline rate.
The People's Bank of China (PBOC) and the Chinese Yuan
The People's Bank of China (PBOC) manages monetary policy through a combination of interest rates, reserve requirements, and direct FX market management.
Policy tool: The Loan Prime Rate (LPR), Medium-term Lending Facility (MLF) rate, and daily USD/CNY fixing. The PBOC does not follow a fixed meeting schedule like Western central banks.
Key data releases: Chinese GDP (quarterly), PMI data, trade balance, and any changes to the daily fixing methodology.
Moments that shaped the Chinese Yuan
2005 revaluation
On 21 July 2005, China abandoned its decade-long peg of 8.28 yuan per dollar, revaluing the currency by 2.1% and switching to a managed float against a basket of currencies. Source: People's Bank of China
2015 devaluation
In August 2015, the PBOC devalued the yuan by about 3% over three days - a small move by forex standards but seismic for a managed currency. Global markets sold off sharply on fears of competitive devaluation.
Did you know?
- China was the first civilization to use paper money, beginning with 'jiaozi' notes during the Song Dynasty (around 1024 AD) - roughly 600 years before Europe.
Frequently asked questions
What is the CNY exchange rate today?
The live mid-market rate is shown in the converter above. It updates every 60 seconds during market hours (Sunday 5pm ET through Friday 5pm ET). Scroll down to see CNY rates against all supported currencies.
What is the mid-market rate for Chinese Yuan?
The mid-market rate is the midpoint between wholesale buy and sell prices - the fairest benchmark before any provider adds markup. It is the rate shown on this page. Your bank or service will offer a different rate that includes their margin.
How is CNY performing this month?
Use the converter above and click through to any pair page to see the 30-day range bar, which shows where today's rate sits relative to the recent trend. The rate statistics panel shows 30-day low, high, average, and volatility.
Where can I find historical CNY rates?
Click on any pair page below and scroll to the history chart. You can view 7-day, 30-day, or 1-year history with daily rates. Use the date picker to look up a specific historical date.
What affects the value of Chinese Yuan?
Central bank interest rate decisions from the People's Bank of China (PBOC) are typically the largest driver. Inflation data, economic growth figures, trade balances, and political stability also matter. On a day-to-day basis, scheduled economic data releases and central bank communication can cause noticeable moves.
Why do different sites show different CNY rates?
Different providers use different data sources, update at different times, and may show rates that already include their markup. The mid-market rate (shown here) is the most neutral benchmark. If a site shows a rate that is noticeably worse, that difference is likely their margin built into the number.
How is the CNY exchange rate set?
Most exchange rates are determined by supply and demand in the global forex market, where banks, funds, and corporations trade currencies 24 hours a day on weekdays. Interest rate differentials between central banks are the biggest long-term driver. No single entity "sets" the rate - it emerges from millions of transactions.
Learn more
- PBOC - Monetary Policy - People's Bank of China policy announcements
- IMF - China Country Page - Economic assessments and Article IV consultations
CNY rate statistics
Chinese Yuan rate context
We compare the current Chinese Yuan exchange rate against its recent trading range to help you decide whether now is a good time to convert. The live analysis updates throughout market hours.
Rate analysis updates when live data is available.
Forex Market Hours
The forex market is open 24 hours a day, five days a week. Trading passes between these major financial centers as the world turns.
| Market | Timezone | Local Time | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🇦🇺 Sydney | AEST | — | — |
| 🇯🇵 Tokyo | JST | — | — |
| 🇬🇧 London | GMT/BST | — | — |
| 🇺🇸 New York | ET | — | — |
All CNY Currency Pairs
Live exchange rate pages for Chinese Yuan against every supported currency.