VES / ZAR

The Bolívar Soberano is the official currency of Venezuela, introduced in August 2018 to replace the previous Bolívar fuerte at a rate of 1 Bolívar Soberano = 100,000 Bolívar fuerte, as part of a redenomination aimed at curbing hyperinflation. It is issued by the Central Bank of Venezuela and is nominally divided into 100 céntimos, although the sub‑unit is effectively obsolete because of the currency’s very low purchasing power.

The symbol used is Bs.S and the name is expressed in Spanish as Bolívar Soberano. Since its launch the currency has experienced severe devaluation, multiple exchange‑rate regimes and periodic monetary reforms, making it a central focus of economic analysis. Cash transactions remain common, and the authorities regularly issue higher‑denomination banknotes to keep pace with price increases.