foreign exchange

noun

1
: a process of settling accounts or debts between persons residing in different countries
2
: foreign currency or current short-term credit instruments payable in such currency

Example Sentences

Our country has to export more in order to earn more foreign exchange.
Recent Examples on the Web JPMorgan also sees positive impacts from cross-asset factors and intra-asset returns, especially within foreign exchange. Jacob Wolinsky, Forbes, 28 Dec. 2022 Prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, 80% of its daily foreign exchange transactions and half of its international trade were conducted in dollars. Ari Redbord, Forbes, 27 Jan. 2023 Draghi, the former European Central Bank President credited with saving the euro during the continent’s sovereign debt crisis a decade ago, said Russia will internally settle the foreign exchange transaction itself, precluding a need to pay in rubles. Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 1 Apr. 2022 Meanwhile, Pakistan saw its currency crash as foreign exchange reserves dwindled. Jessie Yeung, CNN, 28 Mar. 2023 And while cryptocurrencies like bitcoin have since rebounded somewhat, Revolut CFO Mikko Salovaara said the bank is relying on a range of products—such as payments, and trading in equities and foreign exchange—to drive growth from here. Josh Mitchell, WSJ, 1 Mar. 2023 By the start of March, Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves dwindled to $3 billion—just enough for three weeks of imports. Ananya Bhattacharya, Quartz, 21 Mar. 2023 The island nation of 22 million was rocked by weeks of unrest last year caused by crippling food, fuel and medicine shortages after its foreign exchange reserves plummeted to record lows, with dollars running out to pay for essential imports. Mitchell Mccluskey, CNN, 20 Mar. 2023 Some analysts said Beijing’s apparent move to reassert state control of the economy could frighten investors, said Ken Cheung, chief Asian foreign exchange strategist at Mizuho Bank. Laura He, CNN, 8 Mar. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'foreign exchange.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1623, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of foreign exchange was in 1623

Dictionary Entries Near foreign exchange

Cite this Entry

“Foreign exchange.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foreign%20exchange. Accessed 5 Jun. 2023.

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