OREANDA-NEWS. Starting today, Swedbank expands the range of currencies available in customer transactions, adding nine new currencies, with the Chinese yuan as one of them.The Chinese yuan, alternatively called renminbi, is one of the world’s biggest currencies which has the potential to consolidate its position on global markets in the coming years.Swedbank now offers a total of 25 currencies to customers which is one of the widest offerings among banks in Latvia.

As from today, Swedbank customer can carry out transactions in the Chinese yuan (CNY), the Hong Kong dollar (HKD), the Israeli shekel (ILS), the Indian rupee (INR), the New Zealand dollar (NZD), the Thai baht (THB), the Turkish lira (TRY), the South African rand (ZAR), and United Arab Emirates dirham (AED).

Customers can receive these currencies in their Swedbank multi-currency accounts and make transfers. These currencies can be bought, sold and for some of them there are risk hedging instruments available, such as foreign exchange forward transactions (FX forwards).

This broadens the opportunities for importers and exporters of goods and services to pay in the currency of the seller or the buyer. This is often more beneficial for importers as compared to paying euros or US dollars as the seller does not need to add any mark-up for currency fluctuation risk. Exporters can increase their competitive capacity and avail themselves of the opportunity to participate in tenders of central and local governments of these countries which, for most part, take place in national currencies.