The Bundesbank’s exchange rate statistics represent a collection of current and historical exchange rates for the euro and the US dollar in 192 countries. The Bundesbank provides additional data on topics such as exchange rate arrangements and monetary history for all of these countries.

Foreign exchange rates apply to credit balances or claims in the form of book money or securities that are denominated in foreign currency, while foreign coins and banknotes are exchanged at cash rates. Exchange rates include, but are not limited to, foreign exchange rates and cash rates.

The foreign exchange rate is the rate of exchange between two currencies. In a system of flexible exchange rates, it is determined by balancing supply and demand in the relevant markets. It can be quoted either directly or indirectly. Indirect quotation states how many units of foreign currency can be obtained for one unit of local currency, e.g. in the euro area EUR 1 = USD 1.0843. Direct quotation states how much one unit of foreign currency costs in local currency. In Japan, for example, the local currency is quoted directly, i.e. USD 1 = JPY 108.50.

Statistics include numerous time series

The Bundesbank’s exchange rate statistics include, inter alia, numerous time series with exchange rates for the euro and the US dollar in 192 countries, the European Central Bank’s euro foreign exchange reference rates (from 1999) and the historical Deutsche Mark exchange rates of the Frankfurt exchange for the period from 1953 to the end of 1998.

The exchange rate statistics also contain extensive information on a country’s currency or currencies. These metadata comprise, inter alia, historical currency reforms and exchange rate regimes, currency sub-units and currency circulation.

Other time series involving exchange rates are:

• the values of the special drawing right (as of 1974);
• the Bundesbank’s in-house exchange rates; and 
• the Bundesbank’s cheque collection rates.