As of April this year, analysts observed a noticeable shift in the global currency landscape, with the euro’s share in international exchanges slipping to 31.74 percent—the lowest level seen in the past three years. Despite this decline, the euro remained the second most widely used currency for global transactions, trailing only behind the US dollar, according to Bloomberg, which cited data from SWIFT, the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication, and related analyst assessments. This snapshot highlights how the euro, while still a major instrument for cross-border payments and settlement, faced renewed competition from the dollar in a market that rewards liquidity, reliability, and broad acceptance across regions.
In the spring season, the euro’s prominence in the global clearing system declined by almost a full percentage point, retreating from 32.64 percent in March to 31.74 percent in April. During the same interval, the US dollar strengthened its position, gaining ground from 41.74 percent to 42.71 percent by the end of April. The movement underscores a shift in the composition of cross-border payment flows, where traders, financial institutions, and central banks gradually recalibrated their currency usage in response to evolving macroeconomic signals, trade dynamics, and the perceived stability of major reserve currencies.
According to market analysis, the use of the euro for international payments reached a three-year low in April, reflecting changes in how institutions structure their settlement routes and currency hedging strategies. The share of cross-border transactions conducted in euros fell from 32.64 percent in March to 31.74 percent in April, while the dollar’s share rose from 41.74 percent to 42.71 percent over the same period. This shift can be interpreted as a response to global liquidity conditions, shifts in monetary policy expectations, and the ongoing reallocation of exposure among participants in the international financial system who prioritize efficient settlement and currency risk management.
Meanwhile, on the Moscow Exchange, the ruble experienced movements in May as market participants reassessed risk and relative value against the U.S. dollar and the euro. Since mid-May, the dollar had slipped about 0.7 percent, while the euro declined around 1.1 percent, and the yuan softened by roughly 0.8 percent. These changes reflect a complex interplay of domestic factors, external pricing pressures, and shifting sentiment among investors who monitor geopolitical developments, commodity prices, and the flow of capital between regional markets and global trade nodes. The evolving currency configuration on major platforms underscores the ongoing need for careful currency risk assessment and strategic planning by traders and financial institutions alike, as they seek to balance liquidity access with exposure to exchange-rate fluctuations in an interconnected global economy.