GBP to USD exchange rate
Mid-market GBP/USD — the rate banks trade with each other, before anyone adds a margin. Use it as the benchmark for any quote you are given, including ours.
Converting the other way? USD to GBP rate.
GBP to USD at a glance
Converted at the mid-market rate above. A bank pricing the same amounts would typically build in 3–4%, which is the gap a specialist desk closes.
| British Pound | US Dollar |
|---|---|
| £100.00 | $135.30 |
| £250.00 | $338.25 |
| £500.00 | $676.50 |
| £1,000.00 | $1,353.00 |
| £2,500.00 | $3,382.49 |
| £5,000.00 | $6,764.98 |
| £10,000.00 | $13,529.97 |
| £25,000.00 | $33,824.92 |
| £50,000.00 | $67,649.84 |
| £100,000.00 | $135,299.69 |
What moves the GBP/USD rate
Known in the market as cable, GBP/USD is among the most heavily traded pairs in the world, which means tight pricing and very little excuse for a wide retail spread. It moves on the gap between Bank of England and Federal Reserve policy, so the sharpest swings cluster around the two central banks' meeting dates rather than around UK data alone.
The GBP leg
Sterling trades on Bank of England rate expectations, UK inflation prints and gilt yields, so it tends to move sharply around MPC meetings and CPI releases.
The USD leg
The dollar is the market's default safe haven, so it strengthens on risk-off sentiment as well as on Federal Reserve tightening — two drivers that can pull in the same direction at once.
Delivering USD
Incoming US wires are often reduced by correspondent bank fees deducted in transit; we route to avoid that where the beneficiary bank allows.
GBP/USD questions
What is the GBP/USD exchange rate today?+
The mid-market GBP/USD rate is 1.3530, meaning 1 GBP buys 1.3530 USD. This is the rate banks quote each other, before any margin is added — it is the number to compare any quote against.
Why is the rate I am offered lower than the GBP/USD mid-market rate?+
GBP/USD is one of the most liquid pairs in the market, so the underlying spread a provider pays is tiny. Almost every provider still adds a margin to the mid-market rate instead of charging a visible fee, which means the exchange rate itself is the cost — and on a pair this liquid, a rate 3-4% off mid-market is a pricing decision rather than a cost of trading.
How long does a payment in USD take to arrive?+
Incoming US wires are often reduced by correspondent bank fees deducted in transit; we route to avoid that where the beneficiary bank allows.
Can I fix a GBP/USD rate for a future payment?+
Yes. A forward contract fixes today's rate for settlement up to 24 months ahead, which removes the risk of the rate moving between agreeing a price and paying it. That is common on property purchases and scheduled supplier payments.
Other GBP rates
More on each currency: British Pound · US Dollar · All live rates
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Tell us what you're moving and a specialist will come back with a live rate and next steps — usually within one business hour.