cbe

162.8245
USD
159.8319
163.0285
163.8789
,
0
GBP
211.7162
215.9506
214.9603
,
188.0135
EUR
184.9415
188.6403
184.4919
,
0
CHF
194.386
198.2737
197.4176
,
0
SEK
16.591
16.9229
17.0341
,
0
NOK
16.544
16.8748
17.0883
,
0
DKK
24.2787
24.7643
0
,
0
DJF
0.9
0.918
0
,
0
JPY
0.9968
1.0167
0
,
113.7111
CAD
112.4534
114.7025
116.3701
,
43.3563
SAR
42.5708
43.4222
44.273
,
0
AED
43.5189
44.3893
45.3728
,
1.7118
INR
1.6788
1.7123
0
,
0
KES
1.2366
1.2613
0
,
0
AUD
110.8459
113.0629
0
,
0
ZAR
9.9121
10.1104
0
,
0
CNY
23.2479
23.7128
0
,
0
KWD
510.8697
521.0871
0

awash

162.3108
USD
159.936
163.1347
160.6058
,
0
GBP
212.5111
216.7613
212.4061
,
0
EUR
186.6058
190.3379
187.9044
,
0
JPY
1.0193
1.0397
0
,
0
SAR
43.578
44.4496
0
,
0
AED
44.5242
45.4147
0
,
0
CHF
198.0579
202.0191
0
,
0
CNY
0
0
0

abyssinia

164.9359
USD
160.3882
163.596
162.1233
,
0
GBP
213.6582
217.9314
216.2383
,
190.8192
EUR
187.5665
191.3178
189.4376
,
45.6003
AED
44.7082
45.6024
44.7062
,
201.6124
CHF
197.6592
201.6124
0
,
0
SEK
16.5896
16.9214
16.5896
,
17.017
NOK
16.6833
17.017
16.6833
,
0
CAD
113.7028
115.9769
113.7028
,
44.932
SAR
44.053
44.9341
44.051
,
0
CNY
23.5767
24.0482
23.5766

abay

167.2743
USD
163.2118
166.476
162.2392
,
0
GBP
214.2121
218.4963
0
,
0
EUR
185.2456
188.9505
185.2456
,
0
AED
43.3186
44.185
43.3186
,
0
ZAR
9.7905
9.9863
0
,
0
SAR
42.6076
43.4598
0
,
0
JPY
1.0184
1.0388
0
,
0
CHF
197.6008
201.5528
0
,
0
AUD
112.604
114.8561
0
,
0
CNY
23.7087
24.1829
0

zemen

165.0385
USD
159.938
163.1368
161.8136
,
192.5555
EUR
186.9351
190.6738
189.5632
,
0
GBP
212.1537
216.3968
0
,
0
SEK
16.8255
17.162
0
,
0
AED
43.5466
44.4175
0
,
0
CAD
114.0358
116.3165
0
,
0
CHF
196.9956
200.9355
0
,
0
NOK
16.7743
17.1098
0

buna

0
USD
162.957
166.2161
,
0
EUR
187.3035
191.0496
,
0
GBP
215.1015
219.4035
,
0
AED
43.102
43.964
,
0
SAR
42.5057
43.3558
,
0
CAD
102.0001
104.0401
,
0
AUD
111.3649
113.5922
,
0
JPY
0.991
1.0108

nib

164.506
USD
159.2829
162.4686
165.4066
,
222.5129
GBP
213.2479
217.5129
0
,
0
EUR
185.3257
189.0322
0
,
0
CHF
197.1079
201.0501
0
,
0
CAD
112.3055
114.5516
0
,
0
AED
43.3682
44.2356
0
,
0
SAR
42.42
43.2684
0
,
0
ZAR
0
0
0

berhan

0
USD
160.2858
163.4915
,
0
EUR
188.8198
192.5962
,
0
GBP
217.8813
222.2389
,
0
CAD
114.4899
116.7797
,
0
AED
43.6413
44.5141
,
0
CNY
23.7485
24.2235

wegagen

168.3133
USD
159.8072
163.0033
162.4094
,
217.1709
GBP
215.5959
219.9078
0
,
201.4191
EUR
188.2421
192.0069
0
,
0
CHF
197.8095
201.7656
0
,
0
SEK
16.8278
17.1644
0
,
0
CNY
23.6834
24.1571
0
,
0
AED
43.5155
44.3858
0
,
0
JPY
1.0068
1.0269
0

dgb

162.8133
USD
159.6209
162.8133
159.6209
,
0
EUR
183.1121
186.7743
0
,
0
GBP
208.1627
212.326
0
,
0
AED
44.1887
45.0725
0

enat

0
USD
160.0118
163.212
,
0
EUR
184.9166
188.6149
,
0
GBP
211.5005
215.7305
,
0
CAD
112.8003
115.0563
,
0
AED
42.4307
43.2793
,
0
CNY
23.0776
23.5392

ahadu

0
EUR
188.7372
192.5119
0
,
0
CAD
113.5182
115.7886
,
0
SAR
42.5111
43.3614
,
0
AED
43.4569
44.326
,
162.5798
USD
159.5953
162.7872
162.5798
,
0
GBP
211.7623
215.9975
0

addis

163.6673
USD
160.0056
163.2057
162.3194
,
0
EUR
182.9705
186.6299
186.1522
,
0
GBP
214.5035
218.7936
0
,
0
SAR
42.6079
43.4601
224.5035
,
0
CHF
197.8064
201.7625
0
,
0
AED
43.565
44.4363
0
,
0
KWD
0
0
0

dashen

165.3693
USD
159.9377
163.1365
162.2715
,
0
GBP
212.846
217.1029
0
,
47.1173
AED
46.1934
47.1173
46.1934
,
192.2175
EUR
187.2415
190.9863
187.5124
,
0
CHF
204.4831
208.5728
0
,
0
KES
1.2048
1.2289
0
,
0
ZAR
8.6671
8.8404
0
,
0
SEK
14.7635
15.0588
0
,
0
JPY
1.0543
1.0754
0
,
46.1569
SAR
45.2519
,
0
CNY
22.1867

sidama

165.1383
USD
159.9396
163.1384
0
,
0
EUR
184.12
187.8023
0
,
0
GBP
208.4964
212.6663
0
,
0
AED
45.4313
46.3399
0
,
0
CAD
111.6961
113.93
0
,
0
CNY
23.5463
24.0172
0
,
0
AUD
0
,
0
INR
0
,
0
JPY
0
,
0
SAR
0

oromia

163.1289
USD
131.8845
134.5222
163.086
,
222.1492
GBP
173.771
177.2464
0
,
0
EUR
146.1148
149.0371
0
,
0
CHF
159.3385
162.5253
0
,
0
SAR
35.5189
35.562
0
,
0
AED
35.9026
36.6206
0

lion

developmentbank

0
USD
160.1367
163.3395
,
0
GBP
215.496
219.8059
,
0
EUR
184.7978
188.4937
,
0
CHF
198.0419
202.0028
,
0
SEK
16.8801
17.2177
,
0
NOK
16.8144
17.1507
,
0
DKK
24.7208
25.2153
,
0
DJF
0.8969
0.9148
,
0
JPY
1.0165
1.0369
,
0
CAD
113.9601
116.2393
,
0
SAR
42.636
43.4888
,
0
AED
43.5924
44.4643
,
0
INR
1.6834
1.7171
,
0
KES
1.2371
1.2618
,
0
AUD
112.8643
115.1216
,
0
SDR
218.6186
222.991
,
0
ZAR
9.7955
9.9914
,
0
CNY
23.7233
24.1977
,
0
KWD
521.3571
531.7842

coop

163.0325
USD
159.9158
163.1141
162.8833
,
0
GBP
211.4872
215.7169
,
190.074
EUR
186.4071
190.1352
186.3471
,
47.1281
AED
46.204
47.1281
,
45.5816
SAR
44.6878
45.5816
,
0
CNY
20.6172
21.0295

gadaa

164.7828
USD
160.3584
163.5656
160.3584
,
0
GBP
205.8051
209.9212
0
,
0
EUR
184.8039
188.5
0
,
0
CHF
134.1436
136.8265
0
,
0
SAR
33.0073
33.6674
0
,
0
AED
33.7659
34.4412
0

hijra

0
USD
160.1388
163.3416
,
0
EUR
188.18
191.9436
,
0
SAR
45.2522
46.1572
,
0
AED
47.1668
48.1101

amhara

163.1999
USD
159.9999
163.1999
162.6149
,
0
GBP
215.3919
219.6997
222.3919
,
0
EUR
184.6719
188.3653
191.6719
,
0
CAD
114.3101
116.5963
113.895
,
0
AED
43.5658
44.4372
0
,
0
SAR
42.6053
43.4574
0
,
0
JPY
0

tsehay

169.1
USD
159.9971
163.197
158.0001
,
0
GBP
212.091
216.3328
0
,
0
EUR
186.409
190.1372
0
,
0
CAD
112.6947
114.9486
0
,
0
SAR
44.2675
45.1529
0
,
0
AED
44.2675
45.1529
0

tsedey

163.3303
USD
160.1277
163.3303
160.1277
,
0
EUR
181.801
185.437
,
0
GBP
215.5159
219.8262
,
0
AED
42.0602
42.9014

siinqee

0
USD
161.8017
165.0377
,
0
EUR
188.4674
192.2367
,
0
GBP
212.4034
216.6515
,
0
SAR
44.7315
45.6261
,
0
CHF
178.93
182.5086
,
0
AED
46.7295
47.6641

hibret

0
USD
159.951
163.15
,
0
GBP
212.8492
217.1062
,
0
EUR
188.7745
192.55
,
0
AED
43.5502
44.4212
,
0
CAD
113.9009
116.1789
,
0
CNY
23.6814
24.155
,
0
CHF
197.7389
201.6937

gohbetoch

163.2947
USD
160.0928
163.2947
160.0928
,
184.1209
EUR
180.5107
184.1209
180.5107
,
209.8616
GBP
205.7467
209.8616
205.7467
,
43.2801
AED
42.4314
43.2801
42.4314

zamzam

163.3007
USD
160.0987
163.3007
160.0987
,
220.068
GBP
211.73
215.9646
215.7529
,
192.55
EUR
188.7745
192.55
188.7745
,
205.631
CHF
197.84
201.7968
201.599
,
115.846
CAD
112.45
114.699
113.5745
,
45.6777
SAR
44.7821
45.6777
44.7821
,
46.8112
AED
45.8933
46.8112
45.8933

nbe

0
JPY
1.0155
1.0256
0
,
0
KWD
520.816
526.0241
0
,
0
CNY
23.6986
23.9356
0
,
0
ZAR
9.7853
9.8832
0
,
0
XDR
218.3917
220.5756
0
,
0
EUR
184.606
186.452
0
,
0
AED
43.5472
43.9826
0
,
0
SAR
42.5918
43.0177
0
,
0
AUD
112.7472
113.8747
0
,
0
CAD
113.8418
114.9802
0
,
0
USD
159.9705
161.5702
0
,
0
KES
1.2358
1.2728
0
,
0
INR
1.6816
1.6985
0
,
0
DJF
0.8959
0.9228
0
,
0
DKK
24.6952
24.9421
0
,
0
NOK
16.7969
16.9649
0
,
0
SEK
16.8626
17.0312
0
,
0
CHF
197.8364
199.8147
0
,
0
GBP
215.2723
217.425
0

omo

163.5
USD
160.372
163.5794
0
,
0
EUR
182.5675
186.2188
0
,
0
GBP
214.0325
218.3131
0
,
0
CAD
113.8481
116.125
0
,
0
AED
43.6693
44.5427
0
,
0
SAR
42.7231
43.5676
0
,
0
CNY
23.6869
24.1607
0

siket

0
USD
159.825
163.0215
0
,
0
GBP
212.1286
216.3712
0
,
0
EUR
186.2628
189.9881
0
,
0
CHF
193.5052
197.3753
0
,
0
SAR
45.3805
46.2881
0
,
0
AED
46.2133
47.1376
0
,
0
CNY
26.769
27.3044
0
,
0
KWD
490.693
500.5069
0

binance

Foreign Currency in Ethiopia: How to Easily Access a Dollar?

Foreign Currency in Ethiopia Guide.

Do you want to know how to access dollars or foreign currency in Ethiopia without going through black market? without going through the hassle of changing birr to dollar? Or You want to directly use your dollars in home country?

Introduce yourself to the Diaspora account service, which is actively operating in Ethiopia, some of the bank to go to, which provides you this service are Awash bank, Zemen Bank and Dashen Bank, Foreign currency account for diaspora is designed to enable Diasporas access major currencies which are Dollars, Euro or pounds directly from their deposited account. here is a step by step guide to how to open a foreign currency account 

Foreign Currency in Ethiopia and Its Government

The government of Ethiopia’s foreign exchange reserves continue to be in low supply, posing a long-standing barrier for those wishing to source from overseas. Foreign exchange reserves have been depleted as a result of international loan commitments signed to pay previously constructed infrastructure projects.

All international transfers need licenses, and all foreign exchange transactions must be conducted through approved dealers monitored by the NBE. Imports must be financed through Ethiopian bank accounts. The NBE has transferred the majority of foreign exchange transaction functions to commercial banks, but retains the power to authorize substantial foreign exchange allocations. In addition, the NBE forces commercial banks to forfeit 30% of their foreign exchange gains. more detailed information could be found here but they are not properly updated more info

Having an experience of home investments in my home country, I have had challenges with shortage of currency, since my business requires import of chemicals and inputs, we have been having difficulties with the depreciating money, it sucked on the profit we were making that we were in a constant finance distress, few years ago I have been introduced to the Diaspora account, from that time we were able to make our import at a lower cost than we did before. With the soaring inflation and devaluing currency, it would have been hard for us to survive in business. “said Kebede Makalu CEO of INERIT Medical manufacturing 

 

Banks That With good reputation regarding foreign currency in Ethiopia

Awash Bank

Awash Bank

8.9 Rating

15% Loan Interest

Banking and Services for micro finance institutions

School Tution Fee Collection Services

Lucy Women's Saving

Business Banking

Plenty of business banking choices

Bank of Abyssinia

Bank of Abyssinia

8.3 Rating

16% Loan Interest

Ecommerce Payment Gateway

Virtual Banking

Customer Support

E-Commerce

Simplify Customer Experience

Berhan Bank

Berhan Bank

9 Rating

15.5% Loan Interest

Salary Fund Management

Premium Savings Accounts

Online School Pay

Berhan School Pay

Time saving payment method

Diaspora Account is one of the major ways to preserve and store foreign currency in Ethiopia. For that reason banks are trying to acquire the diaspora based customers from aboard.

To benefit from a diaspora account, you need to be or have one of the following for  More detail on how to open diaspora account

  • Non-resident Ethiopian or a Non-resident foreign national of Ethiopian origin
  • An Ethiopian national living and working abroad or in due process of living abroad for work for more than one year and who can produce authenticated documents.
  • Companies owned by the above-mentioned nonresidents and located outside the Ethiopian territory for more than one year.

Once you make sure that you fulfill at least one of the criteria, you can open the account whether you are in Ethiopia or in the country you are residing via post. while applying to the account if you cannot physically appear to the bank, you can use the nearby Ethiopian Embassies, correspondent banks or remittance service providers to prove your identity. To find the full service you can go to the site of the banks we have listed that provide you a diaspora account.

Foreign Currency in Ethiopia

Having a foreign currency account can be a powerful tool to enable you make transactions very easily and in overall increase the efficiency of your business

You can 

  • Make local payment in Birr
  • Transfers to other foreign currency accounts in any of the authorized banks in Ethiopia.
  • Make payment for your imports or other Foreign Service Payments provided the account holder has the required business license to do so.
  • Make transfers abroad
  • Withdraw for travel allowance of your requirements in cash notes or any other instruments upon presentation of valid travel document. 
  • Convert into a Birr account at the prevailing exchange rate.
  • Pay for authorized bank charges, if any, levied by the opening bank
  • Serve as collateral or guarantee for loans or bids.

Following the trend and leveraging the heat of incentives is what help you achieve your dream in whatever business you are in.

The government has recently opened up sectors for diasporas that were once reserved to domestic investors, and the country has been opening up to foreign investment across sectors. Unlike the past, the legal security of ownership for Diasporas will further catalyze engagements in financial services. 

For any Diaspora or anyone who wants foreign currency for business, travel or any reason having a foreign currency account or. Diaspora account is not an option but a basic necessity