A dollar bill's value relies on two elements: people believing it will be accepted in exchange for goods and services, and how much demand for the currency there is.

The US dollar is the official currency of the United States and is the most circulated currency around the world

The US dollar was established in 1792 and comes in the form of coins or paper money. It's considered one of (if not the most) stable currencies in the world due to America’s strong and robust economy, as well as its relatively stable government.

The lifespan of a dollar bill

Durable, made of a cotton blend, and with billions in circulation, the common dollar bill is made to last. This video from 1440 goes inside the life of the country's paper currency, from printing to purchasing, in this quick 60-second overview.

The global economy runs on US dollars, with nearly 90% of international trade in 2019 being processed in US dollars.

The US dollar became the world's reserve currency, backed by gold, after 44 nations gathered in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, in 1944 with the intention of rebuilding the global economy.

Dive into the fascinating journey of a Federal Reserve note

Ever wondered how long an individual dollar bill lasts? After cash is designed and produced, money circulates in the economy, with $100 bills staying in use for the longest on average—roughly 15 years—and the $10 lasting just less than five.

The US has used a wide variety of different currencies between the 1690s and today

From colonial money to national banknotes, people have used all kinds of forms of currency throughout the history of the United States before settling on the dollar bills and quarters that we pay for things with today.

The US dollar has served as the world's reserve currency for 80 years—but is its dominance coming to an end?

Since the establishment of the Bretton Woods economic system, about 90% of global foreign exchange transactions have involved USD. Although no viable alternative exists yet, the dollar's share of central bank reserves has decreased from 73% to 58% from 2001 to 2024, and President Trump's 2025 tariffs have sped up this trend.

America's most misunderstood dollar

The $2 bill isn't rare; it's just hiding. First printed in 1862, stopped in 1966, and revived in 1976, there are still 1.6 billion in circulation. People just don't spend them.

See the value of currency in circulation in billions of dollars as of Dec. 31 of each year.

The US dollar is the most popular note to counterfeit

Counterfeit operations are often controlled by rogue governments, drug cartels, and more. These organized crime rings often sell counterfeit bills wholesale, for anywhere between 40 and 70 cents per dollar.

Contrary to popular belief, the $2 bill is still in circulation today, although usage has been in decline for decades.

Some argue that the $2 bill could be more useful than the $1 bill

Inflation has made purchasing items with just a $1 bill extremely rare. At a time when dollar stores are no longer true to their name, it seems that the $2 note may be the more practical small bill to keep on hand. This article advocates for the use of $2 bills, while detailing their history of being overlooked and the communities that swear by them.

Each design detail on the US $1 bill has significance

The eye in the triangle floating above the pyramid, for instance, is “the Eye of Providence watching over and ensuring the endurance of the structure of the American government.” This article details every design choice’s significance on the dollar—and a few conspiracies around these choices as well.

The portrait of George Washington was first placed on the one-dollar bill in 1869

Trace the history of the US dollar from its colonial roots to its adoption as the national currency. The video explores the word's Germanic origins, how the dollar sign evolved from the Spanish peso, and how Washington's portrait came to define US paper currency.

You can find the value of a dollar dating back to 1635

The value of a dollar hasn’t been consistent throughout history. An inflation calculator lets you compare the value of dollars from any two years over the past four centuries.

The $1 bill hasn't been redesigned in over 60 years, making it one of the least secure American banknotes from a counterfeiting and forgery perspective.

How US currency is issued

Cash in the US is the result of a collaborative process between the Federal Reserve, the Treasury Department, regional banks, and a little-known agency called the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. From design to issuance, learn the steps in currency production in the US with this smart, aesthetic interactive.

The US has discontinued a variety of different currency denominations over the years—including a $100K bill.

Fiat money is a currency with no intrinsic, tangible value

Unlike the gold standard, where a nation's currency is linked to the value of gold, fiat money gets its power from the public's trust in its value.

The United States had a washing machine that cleaned dirty dollar bills

In the early 1900s, the US Treasury Department had a machine that washed and ironed old, soiled paper bills. The machine helped the Treasury save money by decreasing printing costs for new dollar bills, but had nothing to do with the modern understanding of money laundering.

Some argue that stablecoins are unnecessary due to the ubiquity of the US dollar

Others have criticized fiat-backed stablecoins for their lack of decentralization, believing that digital currencies not controlled by central banks will become more popular in the future.

Stablecoins could give people in high-inflation economies access to stronger currencies

Specifically, stablecoins could provide a way to make sure these funds remain valuable during times of volatility. Some examples of people without access to the US dollar using stablecoins as a store of value have been observed in Venezuela.

There have been many versions of US banknotes throughout history

From the Civil War to the present day, the US has gone through many, many versions of paper money (or “notes”). Some notes, like “demand notes,” were created to finance the Civil War. Others, like “treasury notes,” helped pay for silver.

Throughout most of the 1800s, US currency was backed by silver and gold

In post-Civil War America, the government moved to use only the gold standard. This was how US currency was backed for decades in the US. You can read a comprehensive explainer on the gold standard and its history in the US to learn more.

Stablecoins like USDC are backed by real assets including US Treasurys and cash

While Tether (USDT) is primarily backed by US Treasury bills (64.9%), USDC is mostly backed by US Treasury repurchase agreements (49.6%). USDC also goes by the name Circle, given that it is owned by the company Circle Internet Financial.

Watch what would happen if you literally had all the money in the world.

During the Civil War, the US government printed paper money for the first time

Those original paper bills were called “greenbacks” or “demand notes.” Since then, paper money has evolved with different designs, names, and values. Today, it is solely issued by the Bureau of Engraving & Printing.

The value of a dollar differs from state to state

Did you know that $100 is worth 26% less in California than in Arkansas? The value of a dollar isn't consistent in every US state due to a multitude of factors, such as taxes and other varying cost-of-living differences.

The US Currency Education Program created a guide to authenticating currency

This video was created to teach everyday people a few easy ways to spot some counterfeit banknotes. Specifically, it outlines the main security features to check for that are common across many US banknotes, such as the color-shifting ink visible when tiling US banknotes $10 or higher.

Hamilton has appeared on US paper currency since the Civil War

Since the US began printing money in 1861, Alexander Hamilton has appeared at different times on the $5, $2, $20, $50, $500, and $1000 bills. Since 1928, he has remained on the $10 bill—making him, alongside Benjamin Franklin, one of the two non-presidents currently on US currency.

Stablecoins' market cap surged during 2021's crypto bull market

In 2020, the value of all stablecoins was equivalent to just 1% of all physical US dollars. Roughly five years later in August 2025, that value had jumped to roughly 11% of all US cash in circulation.

No institution wields more power in US finance than the Federal Reserve, the central bank of the US—but opinion polls indicate that most Americans don't know what it does.

Some coin denominations have ridges on their sides in part to prevent counterfeiting.

Switzerland's currency is so strong that it could cause deflation

Economic instability in the United States in 2025 strongly benefited Switzerland, where the value of the franc relative to the dollar increased by about 12.7%. In response, the price of imports dramatically decreased, making goods overall much cheaper.

Every printed bill has its own unique serial number

In the US, each bill also has its own plate number, series year, Treasury seal, and more. Each design helps track money and combat counterfeiting.

In 1792, Congress established the first national mint to produce all the coins in the US

At the same time, the US also started producing the dollar, its first official currency. The US Mint has since issued coins throughout the country.

British economist John Maynard Keynes originally proposed a global currency called the bancor.

What is the function of money?

Nearly everyone uses some form of money to facilitate day-to-day activities, but what is it, anyways? Economists define money as anything that can be accepted as final payment for goods and services. Shells, beads, corn, and a wide range of objects have acted as money throughout history—explore the common but deceptively abstract concept of money in this eight-minute podcast from the Federal Reserve.

The world's largest stablecoins by market cap

The largest stablecoin by market cap, Tether (USDT), as well as the second largest, USDC, are both pegged to the US dollar. As of April 2026, Tether had a roughly $184B market cap.

The US has carried debt since 1791

After the Revolutionary War, the US owed $75M to nations like France. Debt builds when spending exceeds revenue, funding programs, wars, and economic recovery efforts. Most debt is domestic, like Social Security bonds, with foreign nations also holding a share.

About 80% of US debt is held by domestic and foreign investors.

Nixon's 1971 decision to untether the dollar from gold ended the Bretton Woods exchange rate system

The Bretton Woods system initially pegged all major currencies to the US dollar, which could be exchanged for gold at a fixed rate of $35 per ounce. Growing deficits and decreasing gold reserves prompted Nixon to end that guarantee in 1971, marking the end of the fixed exchange rate era.

The Federal Reserve follows the health of the US economy by tracking the money supply

That includes all of the physical and electronic money in circulation. It tracks not only US coins and bills, but also the money that moves through bank deposits. The Fed uses metrics called trackers to follow different types of transactions through the money supply.

While the Fed is involved in issuing new generations of cash, the way it adds to the money supply does not involve printers

The majority of money in circulation is credit, not cash. This credit, which acts similarly to direct deposit from employers, is added to bank accounts by the Federal Reserve. The Fed also employs tools like the federal funds rate and open market operations to expand or contract credit.

The Federal Reserve is the most powerful financial institution in the US

The Fed controls the money supply, determines interest rates, and regulates the banking system. Established in 1913 after a volatile series of financial panics, the central bank has managed to retain its legitimacy despite broad critiques against its obscure and independent decision process.

A gold standard is a system where every dollar in circulation can be exchanged for a set amount of gold

For centuries, the things people used as money had intrinsic value, such as precious metals like gold. In medieval Italy, giant wheels of parmesan cheese were once used as a store of value.

The first stablecoin pegged to the US dollar launched in 2014

That coin was Tether, also known as USDT. Other key dates in stablecoin history include Circle's launch of USDC in 2018, and, more recently, President Donald Trump's signing of the GENIUS Act in 2025.

US inflation can generally be split into to two periods—before and after the Federal Reserve

A central bank itself does not mean significant inflation will occur, but economists generally point to factors like two world wars and the printing of money to finance the US federal deficit as primary drivers of price increases.

Stablecoins now transfer more value than Visa or Mastercard.

Because stablecoins operate on public blockchains, transfers can occur nearly instantly without intermediaries, unlike traditional credit card networks. This has fueled stablecoins' adoption within the crypto world and in cross-border payments. Stablecoin transfer volume rose from about $3B in 2018 to roughly $18T in 2024, overtaking Visa's roughly $16T and Mastercard's $10T.

Cryptocurrency acts as a store of value

Traditional money, dating back to its first known uses in ancient Babylonia, has many uses—it reduces friction in transactions by providing a common denominator of value (unit of account), acts as a single item accepted by many vendors (medium of exchange), and holds wealth as a store of value.