The euro single currency
The euro is the currency of 20 EU countries, over 350 million EU citizens and the second most important currency in the world. Launched on 1 January 1999, euro notes and coins are tangible, everyday reminders of the freedom, convenience and opportunities that the European Union makes possible.
The euro plays an important role beyond EU borders and the euro area. It is now the second most widely used currency in terms of its share of global payments. The share of the euro in global payments amounted to around 36.7% in December 2020. The US dollar, by comparison, accounted for about 38.7% of total payments
The euro is the second most important currency in the international monetary system, after the US dollar. The share of the euro across various indicators of international currency use in 2020 was around 19% (ECB data)
Sixty other countries and territories around the world, home to some 175 million people, have chosen to use the euro as their currency or to peg their own currency to it.
(Source: European Commission)
