What is the currency of Chile?

The currency of Chile is the Chilean peso, whose ISO 4217 code is CLP. In Chilean Spanish it is called the peso chileno.

The present-day peso was introduced on 29 September 1975, replacing the escudo at a rate of 1 peso for 1,000 escudos. It is issued under the authority of the Central Bank of Chile, and its symbol is usually written as “$”—a mark that can be confusing because many other currencies use it. Prices may therefore be labelled CLP or CLP$ when clarity matters.

Chile has had more than one peso. An earlier Chilean peso circulated from 1817 until 1960, when it was replaced by the escudo. The modern peso returned in 1975 and remains Chile’s legal currency. Centavos were initially used as subdivisions, but they were formally eliminated in 1996 as inflation made them impractical.

Common circulating denominations include coins of 10, 50, 100, and 500 pesos, along with higher-value banknotes. Chilean speakers also use informal terms such as luca for 1,000 pesos. The Chilean peso should not be confused with the Argentine or Uruguayan peso, which are separate national currencies.