UYUUruguayan PesoUruguayan Peso (UYU)
The Uruguayan peso is Uruguay's national currency and a southern-cone unit serving a trade-oriented agricultural and service economy.
- ISO code
- UYU
- Symbol
- $U
- Region
- Americas
- Currency type
- Fiat currency
- Exchange system
- The Central Bank of Uruguay issues peso currency and conducts monetary and foreign-exchange policy within the national financial system.
- Last reviewed
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Quick facts
UYU at a glance
Currency profile
How UYU works
The Uruguayan peso is Uruguay's national currency and a southern-cone unit serving a trade-oriented agricultural and service economy.
The Central Bank of Uruguay issues peso currency and conducts monetary and foreign-exchange policy within the national financial system.
- UYU is divided into 100 centesimos and identifies the current peso scale introduced in 1993.
- The peso name is shared widely across the Americas, so the UYU code is indispensable for historical and cross-border records.
Context
Why this currency matters
UYU provides the current monetary scale after two twentieth-century currency transitions. Uruguay's close trading relationships with Argentina and Brazil make the peso useful in regional comparisons, while its independent monetary system and code distinguish it from neighboring peso currencies.
Monetary framework
Exchange arrangement
The Central Bank of Uruguay issues peso currency and conducts monetary and foreign-exchange policy within the national financial system.
CurrencyHub shows daily reference rates. Banks, card networks, ATMs and transfer providers may apply different exchange rates, fees or spreads.
History timeline
Key dates for UYU
Central Bank of Uruguay established
The central bank assumed responsibility for Uruguay's monetary and currency system.
Central Bank of Uruguay - institutional historyNuevo peso introduced
The nuevo peso replaced 1,000 old Uruguayan pesos during a currency-scale reform.
Central Bank of Uruguay - institutional historyCurrent peso uruguayo adopted
One current peso replaced 1,000 nuevos pesos and established the UYU scale.
Central Bank of Uruguay - institutional history
Usage and economy
How UYU is used
- Prices, salaries, taxes and settlement throughout Uruguay.
- Southern-cone comparisons involving ARS, BRL, PYG and CLP.
Banknotes and coins
UYU currency units
The Central Bank of Uruguay publishes current peso banknotes and security information.
The Central Bank of Uruguay documents peso circulation coins and denominations.
One Uruguayan Peso unit is recorded with 2 decimal places and uses Centésimo as its minor unit.
Related currencies
Currency relationships
Explore currencies connected through regional use, trade comparisons or monetary relationships.
FAQ
UYU questions
What currency did UYU replace?
The current peso uruguayo replaced the nuevo peso in 1993 at one UYU for 1,000 nuevos pesos.
How is UYU different from ARS?
UYU is Uruguay's national peso and ARS is Argentina's separate currency, with different issuers and values.
Why is UYU relevant to Mercosur trade?
Uruguay trades extensively with Argentina and Brazil, making UYU useful in southern-cone commercial comparisons.
Sources
Data and editorial review
Rate source: Frankfurter
Last reviewed:
Currency identity and cash information is checked against central-bank, government, ISO and official international sources.