1949 origin
Foundation
The New Taiwan dollar replaced the old Taiwan dollar in 1949 at 40,000 to 1, stabilising prices after the Chinese Civil War retreat.
Milestones in order. This is history, not a weekly activity grid.
- NT$ reform
- Export era
- CBC modern
- Liberalisation
- Managed float
- Asian crisis
- Tech cycle
- GFC
- Pandemic
- USD strength
Darker cells mean a higher score for this topic on that metric.
Reserve weight16
Global reach30
Stability80
Cash culture40
Design icon74
Policy autonomy72
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Last reviewed Sources & creditsMedia creditsMethodology
Quick answers
What is the New Taiwan dollar?
New Taiwan dollar (TWD) is issued or defined under Central Bank of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Taiwan's currency since the late-1940s reform that ended hyperinflation on the island.
Who issues New Taiwan dollar?
CBC Taiwan sets monetary policy and oversees the unit; physical production involves Central Engraving and Printing.
Is this a live exchange rate?
No. Tool-Lifes /money is a static educational atlas. It explains regimes, history and design without live tickers.
Why does New Taiwan dollar matter globally?
Global importance comes from trade invoicing, reserve holdings, financial contracts and migrant remittances — measured here as relative scores, not prices.
What does the reserve-weight score mean?
It ranks how heavily central banks and global finance rely on this unit compared with others in the atlas — an editorial 0–100 score.
Where can I see banknotes?
The Design chapter covers major note and coin types; images come from Wikimedia Commons when a free licence is available.
New Taiwan dollar did not appear fully formed. The New Taiwan dollar replaced the old Taiwan dollar in 1949 at 40,000 to 1, stabilising prices after the Chinese Civil War retreat.
Later reforms — decimalisation, central-bank charters, pegs and floats — matter as much as the founding date for how the unit behaves now.
Where it began
1949Taipei
The New Taiwan dollar replaced the old Taiwan dollar in 1949 at 40,000 to 1, stabilising prices after the Chinese Civil War retreat.
Timeline
1949NT$ reform
40,000:1 replacement ends chaos.
1960sExport era
Managed FX supports industry.
1979CBC modern
Central bank framework updates.
1987Liberalisation
Gradual FX opening.
1989Managed float
More flexible rate regime.
1997Asian crisis
TWD adjusts but avoids collapse.
2000sTech cycle
Electronics exports drive FX flows.
2008GFC
Global shock hits trade.
2020Pandemic
Strong tech demand supports TWD.
2022USD strength
TWD weakens with global dollar.
The eras
Classical period
Establishment
New Taiwan dollar became embedded in trade, tax and daily prices in its core territory.
Twentieth century
Modernisation
Central banking, note series and FX regimes modernised how the unit worked.
Late century shocks
Stress & reform
Crises and reforms redefined convertibility, pegs or floats.
Today
Digital era
Cards, instant payments and CBDC debates reshape how balances move.
Major reforms
Founding statute
1949Legal creation or major restatement of New Taiwan dollar as a unit of account.
Modern central bank framework
20th c.CBC Taiwan (or its predecessor) took primary responsibility for note issue and monetary stability.
FX regime shift
late 20th c.Peg, basket or float arrangements were redefined as capital flows and inflation targets evolved.
Understanding New Taiwan dollar starts with its legal birth and the crises that forced redesigns of convertibility and trust.
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