The official currency of Brunei is the Brunei dollar (BND), which has been in circulation since 1967. The currency is divided into 100 cents, known as Sen in Malay. The Brunei dollar is issued by the Brunei Darussalam Central Bank and is normally abbreviated using the dollar sign ($) or B$ to distinguish it from other dollar-based currencies.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Currency Name | Brunei Dollar |
Currency Code | BND |
Currency Symbol | \(, B\) |
Number of Cents in a Dollar | 100 |
Name of a Cent | Sen |
Countries with the Same Currency Value | Singapore |
Currency Interchangeability Agreement | Signed with Singapore in 1967 |
Year of Introduction | 1967 |
Replaced | Malaya and British Borneo dollar |
Coins | 1, 5, 10, 20 and 50 Sen |
Banknotes | 1, 5, 10, 50, 100, 500, 1,000 and 10,000 Brunei dollars |
Languages Used on Banknotes | Malayan, Latin and Jawi |
What You'll Learn
The Brunei dollar (BND) is the official currency of Brunei
The Brunei dollar is abbreviated with a dollar sign ($) or B$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies. The BND is accepted in Singapore as "customary tender" and the Singapore dollar is accepted in Brunei due to a Currency Interchangeability Agreement in 1967. This agreement also means that the BND and the Singapore dollar have been interchangeable at par since the 1970s.
Brunei has a history of using a variety of different currencies. In the 10th century, the first coins used in Brunei were Chinese. Later, the country used cowrie shells as currency, as well as bronze teapots for barter trade along the coast of northern Borneo. From the 16th to the 19th centuries, the Spanish-American silver dollar was widely used for international trade.
Today, coins in Brunei are available in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 20, and 50 sen. Banknotes are available in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 50, 100, 500, 1,000, and 10,000 Brunei dollars. All banknotes are written in Malay, Latin, and Jawi alphabets.
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BND is interchangeable with the Singapore dollar
The Brunei dollar (BND) is the official currency of the Sultanate of Brunei and has been since 1967. It is divided into 100 cents, which are known as 'sen' in Malay.
Under a Currency Interchangeability Agreement established in 1967, the Brunei dollar is interchangeable with the Singapore dollar at par. This means that the currencies can be exchanged at a 1:1 ratio and without charge. The agreement was set up to promote monetary cooperation between the two countries and reflects the strong bilateral relationship between them.
The Currency Interchangeability Agreement means that the Brunei dollar is accepted in Singapore as "customary tender", and likewise, the Singapore dollar is accepted as "customary tender" in Brunei. Banks in both countries accept the other country's currency for deposit at par and without charge.
To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the agreement in 2017, Brunei and Singapore jointly issued a set of two $50 commemorative polymer notes. The two countries also jointly issued $20 commemorative notes in 2007 to mark the 40th anniversary of the agreement.
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Brunei's currency is divided into 100 cents (Malay: sen)
The Brunei dollar (Malay: ringgit Brunei) has been the official currency of the Sultanate of Brunei since 1967. It is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or alternatively B$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies. The currency is divided into 100 cents, which are known as 'sen' in Malay.
The Brunei dollar was introduced in 1967, replacing the Malaya and British Borneo dollar. It was established following the formation of Malaysia and the independence of Singapore. The currency is issued by the Brunei Darussalam Central Bank.
Under the 1967 Currency Interchangeability Agreement, the Brunei dollar is interchangeable with the Singapore dollar at par. This means that the Brunei dollar is accepted in Singapore as "customary tender", and vice versa.
The Brunei dollar is further subdivided into 1, 5, 10, 20 and 50 sen coins. These coins have featured the effigies of the different Sultans that have ruled the country since the currency's inception.
The Brunei dollar also includes banknotes in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 50, 100, 500, 1,000 and 10,000. All banknotes are written in Malay, using both the Latin and Jawi alphabets, and feature the portrait of the current Sultan, Hassanal Bolkiah.
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Brunei's currency came into circulation in 1967
The Brunei dollar (also known as the ringgit Brunei) is the official currency of the Sultanate of Brunei. Its ISO code is BND, and it is divided into 100 cents (or sen in Malay).
The Brunei dollar came into circulation in 1967, replacing the Malaya and British Borneo dollar after the formation of Malaysia and the independence of Singapore. It is interchangeable with the Singapore dollar at par, meaning that both currencies are accepted as "customary tender" in either country.
Brunei has a history of currency dating back to the 10th century, with early forms including cowrie shells and bronze teapots used in barter trade. In the 19th century, tin coins called pitis were issued, followed by the 1-cent coin of the Straits Settlements dollar.
On 12 June 1967, the Brunei government introduced notes in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 50, and 100 dollars. The currency featured the portrait of Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin III, the 28th ruler of Brunei. In 1979, two new higher denominations of 500 and 1,000 dollars were issued, along with a change in the portrait to Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, the 29th and current ruler of Brunei. All subsequent currency has borne his image.
In 1984, the Brunei Currency Board ordered four million circulation coins from the Singapore Mint, consisting of 1-cent coins in bronze and 5, 10, 20, and 50-cent coins in cupro-nickel. In 1986, copper-clad steel replaced bronze, and in 2008, the 1-cent coins switched to brass.
Today, Brunei's currency continues to circulate in both coins and banknotes, with denominations ranging from 1 sen to 10,000 Brunei dollars.
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Brunei's banknotes are written in Malay, Latin, and Jawi scripts
The Brunei dollar (or BND) is the official currency of the Sultanate of Brunei and has been since 1967. It is divided into 100 Sen and is issued by the Brunei Darussalam Central Bank.
Brunei banknotes are written in Malay, Latin, and Jawi scripts. The use of these three scripts is a reflection of the country's history and culture. Malay is the official language of Brunei, and Latin script is used alongside the Jawi script, which is a writing system for the Malay language that uses Arabic letters.
The first banknotes in Brunei featured the reigning monarch on one side and the Omar Ali Saifuddin mosque in Bandar Seri Begawan on the other. In 1985, the Brunei Currency Board issued redesigned banknotes with the name Negara Brunei Darussalam, which is the official name of the country, meaning "State of Brunei, Abode of Peace." This series also featured a new portrait of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Waddaulah on the front and scenes from Kampong Ayer in Bandar Seri Begawan on the back.
In 1996, a rainforest-themed series of banknotes was issued, with lower denominations ($1, $5, and $10 notes) printed on polymer, and larger denominations printed on paper. Since 2004, the paper series have been replaced by new ones printed in polymer.
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Frequently asked questions
The Brunei dollar (BND) is the official currency of the Sultanate of Brunei.
The Brunei dollar is commonly abbreviated to B$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies.
The Brunei dollar is divided into 100 cents, which are known as Sen in Malay.
Yes, under a Currency Interchangeability Agreement, the Singapore dollar and the Brunei dollar are interchangeable at par.
As of November 2024, 1 BND is approximately equal to 0.75-0.76 USD.