U.S. Dollar Value Measured 3 Different Ways

Where is the dollar's value headed next?

Three line graphs representing the US Dollar Value Measured Three Different Ways
Photo:

The Balance / Catherine Song

The value of the U.S. dollar is measured in three ways: exchange rates, Treasury notes, and foreign exchange reserves.

While the most common method is through exchange rates, the truth is you need to be familiar with all three in order to make educated guesses about where the dollar might be headed next.

Exchange Rates

The dollar exchange rate compares its value to the currencies of other countries. It allows you to determine how much of a particular currency you can exchange for a dollar. The most popular exchange rate measurement is the U.S. Dollar Index.

These rates change every day because currencies are traded on the foreign exchange ("forex") market. A currency's forex value depends on several factors, including:

  • Central bank interest rates
  • The country's debt levels
  • The strength of the economy

When these factors are strong, so is the value of the currency. Most countries have a flexible exchange rate and allow forex trading to determine the value of their currencies.

The Federal Reserve has many monetary tools that can influence the strength of the dollar. These tools allow the government to regulate exchange rates, albeit indirectly.

The U.S. dollar rate shows the value of the dollar in comparison to other currencies, including the Indian rupee, Japanese yen, Canadian dollar, and British pound. Below, you can track the dollar's value as measured by the euro since 2002.

This chronology explains some of the dollar's changes in value over the years:

  • 2002-07: The dollar fell by 40% as the U.S. debt grew by 60%. In 2002, a euro was worth $0.87 versus $1.46 in December 2007.
  • 2008: The dollar strengthened early in the global financial crisis, thanks to its position as a "safe haven" for many investors, among other factors. By year’s end, the euro was worth $1.35.
  • 2009: The dollar fell by 20% thanks to debt fears. By December, the euro was worth $1.46.
  • 2010: The Greek debt crisis hurt the euro and strengthened the dollar. By year’s end, the euro was only worth $1.32.
  • 2011: The dollar's value against the euro fell by 10%. It later regained ground. As of Dec. 30, 2011, the euro was again worth $1.32.
  • 2012: By the end of 2012, the euro still hovered around $1.32.
  • 2013: The dollar lost value against the euro, as it appeared at first that the European Union was, at last, solving the eurozone crisis. By December, it was worth $1.37.
  • 2014: The euro-to-dollar exchange rate fell to $1.23 thanks to investors fleeing the euro. 
  • 2015: The euro-to-dollar exchange rate fell to a low of $1.12 in March. It later fell to $1.05 after the Paris attacks in November, before ending the year at $1.08.
  • 2016: The euro rose to $1.13 on Feb. 11 as the Dow fell into a stock market correction. It fell further to $1.11 on June 25, just two days after the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union. Traders thought uncertainty surrounding the vote would weaken the European economy. Later on, the markets calmed down after realizing that Brexit would take years. It allowed the euro to rise to $1.12 in August. Not long after, the euro fell to its 2016 low of $1.04 on Dec. 20, 2016. 
  • 2017: By May, the euro had risen to $1.10. Investors left the dollar for the euro amid allegations of connections between President Trump's administration and Russia, along with concerns about the new administration's ability to fulfill its agenda. By the end of the year, the euro had risen to $1.18.
  • 2018: The euro continued its ascent. On Feb. 15, it was $1.25. In April, the euro began weakening after President Trump initiated a trade war. By end of the year, the euro was $1.14.
  • 2019: The euro declined until September when it reached $1.10. It rose briefly in December to $1.11.
  • 2020: The euro strengthened against the dollar throughout the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, reaching $1.22 by December.
  • 2021-22: As the U.S. economy bounced back from the pandemic and interest rates began to rise, the dollar strengthened against the euro, falling below $1.12 by January 2022.

Treasury Notes

Exchange rates are just one factor in the dollar's value, however—the dollar also moves in sync with the demand for Treasury notes. The U.S. Department of the Treasury sells notes for a fixed interest rate and face value, investors bid at a Treasury auction for more or less than the face value, and then they can resell them on a secondary market.

Note

High demand means investors pay more than face value and accept a lower yield, while low demand means investors pay less than face value and receive a higher yield. A high yield means low dollar demand until the yield goes high enough to trigger renewed dollar demand.

Before April 2008, the yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note stayed in a range of 3.34% to 3.91%. That indicated a stable dollar demand as a world currency.

Here are some of the Treasury note events over the past decade-plus that impacted the dollar's value:

  • 2008: The 10-year Treasury note yield dropped from 3.57% to 2.91% between April 2008 and March 2009 as the dollar rose. Remember, a falling yield means a rising demand for Treasuries and dollars.
  • 2009: The dollar fell as the yield rose from a low of 2.23% to a high of 3.85% by the end of the year.
  • 2010: From Jan. 1 to Oct. 10, the dollar strengthened as the yield fell from 3.85% to 2.41%. It then weakened due to inflation fears from the Fed's quantitative easing strategy.
  • 2011: The dollar weakened in early spring but rebounded by the end of the year. The 10-year Treasury note yield was 3.36% in January. It rose to 3.75% in February then plummeted to 1.89% by Dec. 30.
  • 2012: The dollar strengthened significantly, as the yield fell in June to 1.47%, a 200-year low. The dollar weakened toward the end of the year, as the yield rose to 1.78%.
  • 2013: The dollar weakened slightly as the yield on the 10-year Treasury rose from 1.86% in January to 3.04% by the end of the year.
  • 2014: The dollar strengthened through the year, as the yield on the 10-year Treasury fell from 3% in January to 2.17% by year-end.
  • 2015: The dollar strengthened in January, as the 10-year Treasury yield fell from 2.12% in January to 1.68% in February. The dollar weakened for the remainder of the year as the yield rose to 2.28% in May and ended the year at 2.27%.
  • 2016: The dollar strengthened as the yield fell to 1.37% on July 8, 2016. The dollar weakened as the yield rose to 2.45% at year-end.
  • 2017: The dollar weakened as the yield hit a peak of 2.62% on March 13, then grew stronger as the yield fell to 2.05% on Sept. 7. The yield rose to 2.49% on Dec. 20, ending the year at 2.4%.
  • 2018: The dollar continued weakening. By Feb. 15, the yield on the 10-year note was 2.9%. Investors were worried about the return of inflation. The yield remained in this range, rising to 3.09% on May 16 then falling to 2.69% by December.
  • 2019: The dollar weakened as the 10-year yield peaked at 2.79% on Jan. 18. But on March 22, 2019, the yield curve inverted. The 10-year yield fell 2.44%, below the three-month yield of 2.46%. That meant investors were more worried about the U.S. economy in three months than in 10 years, a sign they were concerned about recession. The yield curve recovered, then inverted again in May. On Aug. 12, the 10-year yield hit a three-year low of 1.65%. That was below the one-year note yield of 1.75%. It fell to a low of 1.47% on Sept. 4. Although the dollar was strengthening, it was due to a flight to safety as investors rushed to Treasuries. By the end of the year, it had risen to 1.92%.
  • 2020: The dollar weakened and Treasuries plunged in the spring of 2020, starting the year at 1.88% for the 10-year yield and diving 0.62% by early April. Yields for all types of Treasuries took a steep dive, indicating widespread recession fears, but the shortest-term yields were hit the hardest—suggesting that investors felt that 2020 would be a particularly tough year. The one-month, two-month, and three-month yields dropped all the way from just over 1.5% at the beginning of the year to zero on March 25, before starting to reclaim some value the next month.

Foreign Currency Reserves

The dollar is held by foreign governments in their currency reserves, which is the third factor affecting its value. They wind up stockpiling dollars as they export more than they import and receive dollars in payment. Many of these countries find that it's in their best interest to hold onto dollars because it keeps their currency values lower. Some of the largest holders of U.S. dollars are Japan and China.

Note

As the dollar declines, the value of other countries' reserves also decreases. As a result, they are less willing to hold dollars in reserve. They diversify into other currencies, such as the euro, yen, or even the Chinese yuan. This reduces the demand for the dollar, putting further downward pressure on its value.

As of the third quarter of 2021, foreign governments held $7.1 trillion in U.S. dollar reserves. That's 55% of the total allocated reserves of $12.83 trillion (down from a peak of 66% held in 2015).

At the same time, the percentage of euros held in reserves was just 20%. That's less than the 27% held in 2008. Banks only held 2% of their reserves in Chinese renminbi.

How the Dollar Impacts the U.S. Economy

When the dollar strengthens, it makes American-made goods more expensive and less competitive compared to foreign-produced goods. This reduces U.S. exports and slows economic growth. It also leads to lower oil prices, as oil is transacted in dollars. Whenever the dollar strengthens, oil-producing countries can relax the price of oil because the profit margins in their local currency aren't affected.

For example, the dollar is worth 3.75 Saudi riyals. Let's say a barrel of oil is worth $100, which makes it worth 375 Saudi riyals. If the dollar strengthens by 20% against the euro, the value of the riyal, which is fixed to the dollar, has also risen by 20% against the euro. To purchase French pastries, the Saudis can now pay less than they did before the dollar became stronger. That's why the Saudis didn't need to limit supply as oil prices fell to $30 a barrel in 2015. 

Note

The value of money ultimately equals the total amount of commodities you can purchase with your funds at a given time. When prices for food or gas rise, your money’s value shrinks because a given amount can now buy less than what it used to.

The Value of the Dollar Over Time

The dollar's value can also be compared to what could have been bought in the United States in the past. Today's dollar value is much less than that of the past because of inflation.

The growing U.S. debt weighs on the minds of foreign investors. In the long-term, they may continue—little by little—to move out of dollar-denominated investments. It will happen at a slow pace so that they don't diminish the value of their existing holdings. The best protection for an individual investor is a well-diversified portfolio that includes foreign mutual funds.

Dollar Trends 2002-2011: Decline

From 2002 to 2011, the dollar declined. This was true with all three measures for three principal reasons that built off each other: growing U.S. debt, sequestration, and worldwide diversification.

Growing U.S. Debt

Investors were concerned about the growth of the U.S. debt. Foreign holders of this debt are always uneasy that the Federal Reserve would allow the dollar's value to decline so that U.S. debt repayments would be worth less in their own currency. The Fed's quantitative easing program monetized the debt, thereby allowing an artificial strengthening of the dollar. This was done to keep interest rates low. Once the program ended, investors grew concerned that the dollar could weaken.

Sequestration

The debt put pressure on the president and Congress to either raise taxes or slow down spending. This led to sequestration, which restricted spending and dampened economic growth. Investors were left to chase higher returns in other countries.

Worldwide Diversification

The growing debt and subsequent sequestration led to concern among foreign investors that the dollar wasn't quite as reliable, and that therefore they would need to diversify their portfolios with non-dollar-denominated assets. This added to the downward pressure on the dollar.

Dollar Trends 2011-2016: Strengthening

Between 2011 and 2016, the dollar strengthened. There were six factors that combined to make the dollar become much stronger after years of declines:

  • Investors worried about the Greek debt crisis. It weakened demand for the euro, the world's second choice for a global currency.
  • The European Union struggled to boost economic growth through quantitative easing.
  • In 2015, economic reform slowed China's growth. It pushed investors back into the U.S. dollar.
  • The dollar is a haven during any global crisis. Investors bought U.S. Treasurys to avoid risk as the world recovered unevenly from the 2008 financial crisis and recession.
  • Despite reforms, both China and Japan continued to purchase dollars to control the value of their currencies. It helped them boost exports by making them cheaper.

Dollar Trends 2016-2022: Fluctuations Amid Uncertainty

Recent years have resulted in some instability in the dollar's value as uncertainty increased around the globe with President Trump taking office in 2016 and starting inappropriate trade wars, and then the 2020 recession, spurred by the global COVID19 pandemic.

Between 2016 and 2020, the dollar started to weaken again as the aforementioned global events propping it up faded into the past, and concerns about the impact of the Trump administration's trade war began to weigh on investors. From 2020 into 2022, it strengthened as investors sought safety amid concerns about a looming global recession and COVID19. But, as inflation fears pick up in the U.S., the dollar may stumble.

What Gives the U.S. Dollar Its Value?

At the most basic level, the backing of the U.S. federal government gives the dollar its value. People use the dollar because they have faith that it will be honored by the U.S. government. The exact exchange rate will be determined by market forces in foreign exchanges, the interest rate environment, and any changes to fiscal or monetary policy.

What Is the Value of an 1879 U.S. Silver Dollar?

Coin dollars are worth exactly $1 when they're used as currency. However, some old types of currency have become collectibles. These include silver dollars from the late 1800s and early 1900s. As a currency, a silver dollar is always worth $1, but collectors may be willing to pay much more, depending on factors, such as the rarity and condition of the coin.

Is a Strong Dollar Always Good?

It depends, If you are a company that exports products internationally, a strong dollar can make your goods less competitive (i.e., more expensive) for overseas consumers. A strong dollar can also dissuade foreign tourists from visiting the U.S., where their currency won't go as far. American consumers, on the other hand, can benefit from a strong dollar since imports are relatively less expensive, as is foreign travel.

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Sources
The Balance uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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  7. Council on Foreign Relations. "Did the Dollar's Position as the Leading Reserve Currency Help Hold Treasury Yields Down This Spring?"

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