Euro symbol

The euro symbol € is the youngest of the great currency marks — drawn in the 1990s for a currency that did not yet circulate, an E crossed by two bars for stability. As the euro currency symbol of twenty countries it now prices everything from espresso to aircraft. Copy it here, in both of its written styles.

Copy the euro sign

Euro amounts ready to copy

Before or after the number?

StyleFormWhere it is standard
Before€50English-language writing, Ireland, international finance and most software defaults
After50 €Germany, France, Spain, Italy and much of continental Europe in their own languages (with a space)
CodeEUR 50Invoices, banking and anywhere ambiguity must die — ISO code EUR, number 978

Neither order is wrong — they are national habits of the same currency, and a German menu’s “12,50 €” and a Dublin café’s “€12.50” also disagree about the decimal separator (comma there, point here). The sign itself was presented in 1996: based on the Greek epsilon, a nod to Europe’s cradle, with the twin bars certifying stability. The money followed in 1999 on screens and in 2002 in pockets.

How to type it

PlatformMethod
WindowsAlt + 0128; on many European keyboards Ctrl + Alt + E (or Ctrl + Alt + 4); Word: 20AC then Alt + X
MacOption + Shift + 2 on a US layout; varies by language layout
HTMLThe “euro” entity (ampersand + euro;) or code 8364
US keyboard, no luckCopy it from this page — € is one character and pastes everywhere

Explore more

The whole currency family gathers on the currency symbols hub, the Atlantic partner is the dollar symbol page, and its senior European relative is the pound symbol.

Frequently asked questions

Does € go before or after the amount?

Both are correct — by audience. English-language and Irish usage puts €50; German, French, Spanish and Italian texts usually write 50 €. Match the language of your document, not a global rule.

What does the € design mean?

An E for Europe, drawn from the Greek epsilon, crossed by two parallel lines that stand for stability. It was chosen from a design competition and unveiled in 1996, before the currency launched.

How many countries use the euro?

Twenty EU member states form the eurozone (Croatia was the latest to join, in 2023), and several microstates use it by agreement — one symbol, one of the world’s two biggest currencies.

Why is there no € on my keyboard?

US keyboards predate the euro’s everyday need for it and never standardized a key; European layouts carry it (often Ctrl+Alt+E). Alt + 0128 on Windows or a copy from here covers the gap.

Is EUR the same as €?

Same currency, different clothing: € is the symbol for prices and prose; EUR is the ISO code for banking, invoices and exchange listings where symbols could be misread.