Which central bank is responsible for issuing the US dollar?

The Federal Reserve is the central banking system responsible for issuing US dollar Federal Reserve notes.

The Federal Reserve, commonly called the Fed, was created by the Federal Reserve Act of 1913. Its twelve regional Federal Reserve Banks distribute Federal Reserve notes, the paper currency used in the United States, while the Board of Governors oversees the system. The notes are obligations of the United States and are legal tender for debts.

The answer can be confusing because the US Treasury also has important currency responsibilities. The Bureau of Engraving and Printing produces paper notes, but the Federal Reserve orders them and puts them into circulation. The Treasury’s Bureau of the Mint produces coins; the Fed distributes those coins through the banking system. Thus, “issuing the dollar” in a central-bank context points to the Federal Reserve, not the Treasury Department.

The Fed also conducts monetary policy, including setting the target range for the federal funds rate and managing the money supply through tools such as open-market operations.