Currencies Losing Value Against the Dollar (2021-2026)
A neutral data reference showing how selected currencies moved against the US dollar over five years, with approximate exchange rates and the value each lost.
Window
2021 to 2026
Largest move shown
Argentine peso
Measure
Value lost vs USD
Source
Exchange-rate records
Reading this page
This is a data reference, not commentary. It shows how a set of currencies moved against the US dollar over roughly five years, from 2021 to 2026, using approximate market exchange rates from public records.
A few notes on method. The figures are approximate annual or period rates, rounded for readability, and several of these currencies are volatile, so a rate can differ from the one your bank or app shows on any given day. The “value lost” column measures how much purchasing power the local currency lost against the dollar, calculated as one minus the ratio of the earlier rate to the later rate. Where a five-year figure could not be verified cleanly, that currency is left off rather than estimated.
The framing here is factual. A currency that weakened bought fewer dollars at the end of the window than at the start. That is a measurement, not a judgment about any country or its policies.
How selected currencies moved, 2021 to 2026
The table below shows approximate exchange rates, expressed as units of local currency per US dollar, near 2021 and near mid-2026, with the share of value the local currency lost against the dollar.
| Currency | Approx. per USD (2021) | Approx. per USD (2026) | Value lost vs USD | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argentine peso (ARS) | ~95 | ~1,446 | ~93% | Market exchange-rate records |
| Turkish lira (TRY) | ~8.6 | ~46.3 | ~81% | Market exchange-rate records |
| Egyptian pound (EGP) | ~15.7 | ~52 | ~70% | Market exchange-rate records |
| Nigerian naira (NGN) | ~403 | ~1,377 | ~71% | Market exchange-rate records |
| Pakistani rupee (PKR) | ~163 | ~280 | ~42% | Market exchange-rate records |
| Indian rupee (INR) | ~74 | ~95 | ~22% | Market exchange-rate records |
The range is wide. At one end, the Indian rupee weakened modestly. At the other, the Argentine peso lost the large majority of its dollar value over the window. Several currencies in the middle, including the Turkish lira, Egyptian pound, and Nigerian naira, lost most of their value against the dollar over the same five years.
What the percentages mean in practice
The “value lost” figure is easiest to understand through savings. Suppose someone held the equivalent of $1,000 in local currency at the 2021 rate and simply kept that local-currency amount. If their currency lost 70% of its value against the dollar, that same pile of local currency would be worth roughly $300 in dollar terms at the 2026 rate, before accounting for any local interest.
| Value lost vs USD | $1,000 in 2021 worth (in USD, 2026) |
|---|---|
| ~22% | ~$780 |
| ~42% | ~$580 |
| ~70% | ~$300 |
| ~81% | ~$190 |
| ~93% | ~$70 |
This is a simplified illustration. It ignores local interest rates, which can offset some of the loss, and it does not account for inflation in dollar terms. It does show why people in fast-weakening currencies often look for ways to hold dollar value.
Why directional context matters
A few honest caveats keep this fair.
These currencies are not all the same story. Some weakened gradually, some moved in sharp steps tied to specific policy changes, and a few have recovered some ground in particular years before weakening again. A five-year snapshot flattens that texture. Anyone using these figures for analysis should look at the full path, not only the endpoints.
Local interest rates also matter. In several of these economies, local-currency savings paid high nominal interest over the period, which partly offsets the loss shown here. The table measures the exchange-rate move alone, not total return.
And exchange rates can move in either direction. This page records what happened in one window. It is not a forecast, and it should not be read as one.
Why people hold dollars when a currency weakens
When a local currency loses value against the dollar, holding part of savings in dollars can preserve purchasing power that local-currency holdings lose. That is the simple logic behind dollar saving in many of these economies, and it shows up in the official data on dollar deposits and foreign-exchange demand.
This is a tradeoff, not a free win. Holding dollars carries its own risks, and people still need local currency for everyday spending, rent, and bills. The practical question for most households is not all-or-nothing, it is how much to hold in dollars and when.
For the mechanics of currency devaluation, see what is currency devaluation. For a country-specific view, see how to save in dollars from Argentina. For the official datasets behind exchange and reserve figures, see official sources on dollar access.
Where a dollar wallet fits
A digital dollar wallet gives people a phone-based way to hold dollar value without a US bank account. That is relevant in exactly the places shown above, where local-currency savings lost value against the dollar over time.
Arca is one such wallet. It lets people hold and send digital dollars, and Arca-to-Arca dollar sends have no network fee. It does not promise returns, eliminate country risk, or remove the need for local currency to spend. Converting between dollars and local currency carries fees that vary by route, which is worth understanding through what is an exchange rate markup.
How to cite this page
A suggested citation:
Arca Research, “Currencies Losing Value Against the Dollar (2021-2026),” accessed 2026-06-12, https://arcawallet.app/research/currencies-losing-value-against-the-dollar/. Exchange-rate figures are approximate values drawn from public market exchange-rate records and World Bank official exchange-rate data, rounded for readability.
Sources
Hold part of your savings in dollars.
Arca gives people a simple way to hold dollar value from a phone.
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