Official exchange rate in Kenya
Kenya: Official exchange rate was 129.3 LCU per US$, period average in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
129.3 LCU per US$, period average
Change on year
down 4.1%
World rank
61st
of 215 countries
All-time high
139.85 LCU per US$, period average
in 2023
All-time low
7 LCU per US$, period average
in 1973
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Official exchange rate in Kenya, 1960–2025
Source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in LCU per US$, period average.
Analysis
The most recent figure for official exchange rate in Kenya is 129.3 LCU per US$, period average, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 4.1% on the previous year and up 31.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, official exchange rate in Kenya peaked at 139.85 LCU per US$, period average in 2023 and was at its lowest, 7 LCU per US$, period average, in 1973.
Kenya ranks 61st of 215 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Official exchange rate in Kenya, year by year
| Year | LCU per US$, period average | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 7.14 LCU per US$, period average | — |
| 1961 | 7.14 LCU per US$, period average | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 7.14 LCU per US$, period average | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 7.14 LCU per US$, period average | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 7.14 LCU per US$, period average | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 7.14 LCU per US$, period average | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 7.14 LCU per US$, period average | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 7.14 LCU per US$, period average | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 7.14 LCU per US$, period average | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 7.14 LCU per US$, period average | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 7.14 LCU per US$, period average | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 7.14 LCU per US$, period average | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 7.14 LCU per US$, period average | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 7 LCU per US$, period average | -2.0% |
| 1974 | 7.14 LCU per US$, period average | +2.0% |
| 1975 | 7.34 LCU per US$, period average | +2.8% |
| 1976 | 8.37 LCU per US$, period average | +13.9% |
| 1977 | 8.28 LCU per US$, period average | -1.1% |
| 1978 | 7.73 LCU per US$, period average | -6.6% |
| 1979 | 7.48 LCU per US$, period average | -3.3% |
| 1980 | 7.42 LCU per US$, period average | -0.7% |
| 1981 | 9.05 LCU per US$, period average | +21.9% |
| 1982 | 10.92 LCU per US$, period average | +20.7% |
| 1983 | 13.31 LCU per US$, period average | +21.9% |
| 1984 | 14.41 LCU per US$, period average | +8.3% |
| 1985 | 16.43 LCU per US$, period average | +14.0% |
| 1986 | 16.23 LCU per US$, period average | -1.3% |
| 1987 | 16.45 LCU per US$, period average | +1.4% |
| 1988 | 17.75 LCU per US$, period average | +7.9% |
| 1989 | 20.57 LCU per US$, period average | +15.9% |
| 1990 | 22.91 LCU per US$, period average | +11.4% |
| 1991 | 27.51 LCU per US$, period average | +20.0% |
| 1992 | 32.22 LCU per US$, period average | +17.1% |
| 1993 | 58 LCU per US$, period average | +80.0% |
| 1994 | 56.05 LCU per US$, period average | -3.4% |
| 1995 | 51.43 LCU per US$, period average | -8.2% |
| 1996 | 57.11 LCU per US$, period average | +11.1% |
| 1997 | 58.73 LCU per US$, period average | +2.8% |
| 1998 | 60.37 LCU per US$, period average | +2.8% |
| 1999 | 70.33 LCU per US$, period average | +16.5% |
| 2000 | 76.18 LCU per US$, period average | +8.3% |
| 2001 | 78.56 LCU per US$, period average | +3.1% |
| 2002 | 78.75 LCU per US$, period average | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 75.94 LCU per US$, period average | -3.6% |
| 2004 | 79.17 LCU per US$, period average | +4.3% |
| 2005 | 75.55 LCU per US$, period average | -4.6% |
| 2006 | 72.1 LCU per US$, period average | -4.6% |
| 2007 | 67.32 LCU per US$, period average | -6.6% |
| 2008 | 69.18 LCU per US$, period average | +2.8% |
| 2009 | 77.35 LCU per US$, period average | +11.8% |
| 2010 | 79.23 LCU per US$, period average | +2.4% |
| 2011 | 88.81 LCU per US$, period average | +12.1% |
| 2012 | 84.53 LCU per US$, period average | -4.8% |
| 2013 | 86.12 LCU per US$, period average | +1.9% |
| 2014 | 87.92 LCU per US$, period average | +2.1% |
| 2015 | 98.18 LCU per US$, period average | +11.7% |
| 2016 | 101.5 LCU per US$, period average | +3.4% |
| 2017 | 103.41 LCU per US$, period average | +1.9% |
| 2018 | 101.3 LCU per US$, period average | -2.0% |
| 2019 | 101.99 LCU per US$, period average | +0.7% |
| 2020 | 106.45 LCU per US$, period average | +4.4% |
| 2021 | 109.64 LCU per US$, period average | +3.0% |
| 2022 | 117.87 LCU per US$, period average | +7.5% |
| 2023 | 139.85 LCU per US$, period average | +18.6% |
| 2024 | 134.82 LCU per US$, period average | -3.6% |
| 2025 | 129.3 LCU per US$, period average | -4.1% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 129.3 LCU per US$, period average is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 103.16 LCU per US$, period average, 1.3× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 129.3 LCU per US$, period average is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 581.93 LCU per US$, period average, 22% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Official exchange rate in Kenya changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | +80.0% | 32.22 LCU per US$, period average | 58 LCU per US$, period average |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 7.14 LCU per US$, period average | 7.14 LCU per US$, period average | 7.14 LCU per US$, period average | 10 |
| 1970s | 7.48 LCU per US$, period average | 7 LCU per US$, period average | 8.37 LCU per US$, period average | 10 |
| 1980s | 14.25 LCU per US$, period average | 7.42 LCU per US$, period average | 20.57 LCU per US$, period average | 10 |
| 1990s | 49.47 LCU per US$, period average | 22.91 LCU per US$, period average | 70.33 LCU per US$, period average | 10 |
| 2000s | 75.01 LCU per US$, period average | 67.32 LCU per US$, period average | 79.17 LCU per US$, period average | 10 |
| 2010s | 93.3 LCU per US$, period average | 79.23 LCU per US$, period average | 103.41 LCU per US$, period average | 10 |
| 2020s | 122.99 LCU per US$, period average | 106.45 LCU per US$, period average | 139.85 LCU per US$, period average | 6 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
- 58 Nepal 139.12 LCU per US$, period average compare
- 59 Algeria 131.61 LCU per US$, period average compare
- 60 Haiti 130.63 LCU per US$, period average compare
- 62 Iceland 128.44 LCU per US$, period average compare
- 63 Bangladesh 121.92 LCU per US$, period average compare
- 64 Vanuatu 119.17 LCU per US$, period average compare
More financial sector data for Kenya
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.01 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per capita 0.3189 units per person (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per capita 0.2328 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.01 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per capita 0.3189 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, SDR, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is official exchange rate in Kenya?
- Official exchange rate in Kenya was 129.3 LCU per US$, period average in 2025, according to International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest official exchange rate recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 139.85 LCU per US$, period average in 2023.
- What is the lowest official exchange rate recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 7 LCU per US$, period average in 1973.
- How does Kenya rank for official exchange rate?
- Kenya ranks 61st out of 215 countries with data for 2025.
- Is official exchange rate rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 31.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Official exchange rate (LCU per US$, period average). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Official exchange rate refers to the exchange rate determined by national authorities or to the rate determined in the legally sanctioned exchange market. This indicator represents the ratio of Local Currency Units relative to United States dollars.This indicator is derived as an average over the reference period.