What Is The Currency Of Bolivia?

What Is The Currency Of Bolivia?

If you are travelling, sending money, or simply learning about the country, it helps to start with one clear answer. The currency of Bolivia is the boliviano, commonly written with the symbol Bs.

This guide explains what Bolivia currency is, what denominations you will actually use, how people pay day to day, and how the boliviano connects to the forex market.

Bolivia’s Currency: The Boliviano

The currency of Bolivia is the boliviano, created by law as the country’s new monetary unit and issued by the Banco Central de Bolivia. It entered circulation on 1 January 1987. The boliviano is divided into 100 centavos, which is why you may see prices or coin labels using centavos for small values.

Another interesting detail is the conversion that introduced the modern boliviano. The law established 1 boliviano as equivalent to one million pesos bolivianos, marking a clean reset after a period of monetary instability.

Here are the key identifiers for the Bolivia currency:

• Name: boliviano
  
• Symbol: Bs
  
• Subdivision: 100 centavos
  
• Issuer: Banco Central de Bolivia

Now that you know the basics, the next step is practical. What does Bolivia currency look like in your wallet?

Bolivia Currency Denominations You Will See

Bolivia currency comes in coins and banknotes. In daily life, you will usually handle a mix of both, especially if you buy from markets, take local transport, or pay at small shops.

Coins In Circulation

The Banco Central de Bolivia lists coins in legal circulation including:

• c.10, c.20, c.50
  
• Bs1, Bs2, Bs5
  

Banknotes In Circulation

Common banknote denominations include:

• Bs10, Bs20, Bs50, Bs100, Bs200
  

This mix matters because making change can be an everyday issue. Carrying smaller bills (Bs10 and Bs20) usually makes life easier for routine purchases.

How People Pay In Bolivia Today

Even if your focus is purely on “what is the currency of Bolivia”, it is worth adding how payments work now because it improves real-world usefulness.

Cash is still widely used, but Bolivia has also seen strong adoption of QR payments.

QR Payments Are Mainstream

The central bank explains that QR BCB Bolivia is interoperable, meaning users from different banks and financial institutions can pay and collect using the same QR standard.

On the data side, Bolivia’s financial regulator reported that the value of QR operations multiplied sharply from Bs 3,195 million to Bs 156,926 million, and that in January 2025 alone QR payments reached Bs 19,939 million, representing 27% of the value of electronic transfer orders.

Here’s the takeaway: you will still want cash for many situations, but do not be surprised if you see QR codes everywhere, especially in cities.

Exchange Rates And The Practical Reality For The Boliviano

People often ask about the boliviano’s exchange rate alongside the currency name. The Banco Central de Bolivia publishes official exchange-rate tables, including USD buy and sell quotes. For 23 February 2026, it showed USD sell at 6.96 Bs and USD buy at 6.86 Bs.

It is also worth acknowledging recent context, because it helps readers understand why exchanging money can sometimes feel inconsistent. The IMF noted that Bolivia experienced FX shortages and depreciation of the parallel exchange rate in its 2025 Article IV conclusion.

Bolivia Currency In Forex Markets

Forex trading is organised in currency pairs such as USD/BOB. If USD/BOB is quoted at 6.96, it means one US dollar equals 6.96 bolivianos at that quoted level.

Is The Boliviano Heavily Traded In Global Forex

Global OTC forex activity is concentrated in major currencies. The BIS Triennial Survey is a key reference for global FX turnover, and its detailed currency and pair breakdowns focus on the most actively traded currencies and pairs.

The Most Traded Forex Pair Globally

BIS turnover data shows that the EUR/USD pair accounts for the largest share among listed currency pairs in global OTC foreign exchange trading.

The Most Relevant Pair For The Currency Of Bolivia

For the currency of Bolivia, the most practical benchmark pair is USD/BOB, because official exchange-rate quotes are published in bolivianos against the US dollar.

Final Thoughts

The currency of Bolivia is the boliviano, used across the country through coins and banknotes, with QR payments increasingly common in daily transactions.

In forex terms, global trading is dominated by major pairs such as EUR/USD, while the most meaningful reference pair for Bolivia currency is USD/BOB because it reflects how official exchange rates are quoted.

FAQs