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Singapore Dollar (SGD)

Singapore Dollar · S$ · Official currency of Singapore

History

The Singapore dollar (S$) was introduced in 1967 after separating from the shared Malaya-and-British-Borneo currency system also used by Malaysia and Brunei. It remains interchangeable at par value with the Brunei dollar to this day.

Banknote Denominations

Various denominations circulate, including $2, $5, $10, $50, $100, and $1,000 (higher denominations are rarely seen in daily use). The current 'Portrait Series' design features Singapore's first president, Yusof Ishak, on every note.

Traveler Tips

While the Singapore dollar and Brunei dollar are interchangeable at par value in theory, most shops in Singapore in practice won't accept Brunei dollar notes, so it's safer to use Singapore dollars while traveling. Card and mobile payments (like PayNow) are extremely widespread, making it one of the easier cities to get around cash-free. Some stalls at hawker centers are still cash-only, so it's worth keeping small bills handy.

Issuing authority
Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS)
Introduced
Founded 1971
Sub-unit
1 dollar = 100 cents

You can view the real banknote designs on the Monetary Authority of Singapore's official page.

See Singapore Dollar banknotes at today's exchange rate →