The Bank for International Settlements (BIS) has published a working paper and accompanying public database documenting 568 official currencies across six continents over 1850–2026. Independence is the most common recorded reason for introducing a currency, accounting for 28% of cases. Economic factors dominate discontinuations, with name or unit changes accounting for 35% and inflation another 20%. The number of currencies in circulation rose from about 67 in 1850 to a peak of 192 in 1994, following the Soviet Union’s breakup, before declining to 163 as of October 2026. The euro’s replacement of earlier currencies was the main driver of that decline. Across the database, 405 currencies, roughly 70% of the total, have been discontinued. The median recorded lifespan is 33 years, and nearly a quarter lasted less than a decade. The database tracks monetary units rather than exchange rate regimes, so reforms such as decimalization count as currency replacements, while changes in monetary anchors may not appear. Cryptoassets, stablecoins and central bank digital currencies are outside its scope. Historical coverage is less comprehensive before 1900, and a residual “other” category accounts for 26% of introductions, limiting interpretation of the reasons for currency creation.
BIS publishes global database tracking 568 currencies over 1850–2026
The Bank for International Settlements has released a public database covering 568 official currencies over 1850–2026, with 163 still circulating as of October 2026. Independence accounts for 28% of currency introductions, while name or unit changes and inflation together explain 55% of discontinuations. Roughly 70% of the currencies recorded have ended, with a median recorded lifespan of 33 years.