Surprising Country With The World’s Best Currency Right Now

Despite the significant economic instability stemming from Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, the Russian ruble has surprisingly emerged as the world’s best-performing currency. According to Bloomberg data as of April 16, 2025, the ruble has surged by an impressive 38% against the US dollar since the beginning of the year. This remarkable growth coincides with a notable decline in confidence in the American currency, a trend exacerbated by global trade disputes initiated by the former US leader.

The returns on investments in the ruble have significantly outpaced those of the next strongest currencies, the Swedish krona and the Swiss franc, which have appreciated by 13% and 11% respectively. Even the British pound has seen gains of nearly 6% during the same period.

Interestingly, the ruble’s performance has even surpassed traditional safe-haven assets like gold and silver, which typically attract investors during times of economic uncertainty. Gold has risen by 23%, while silver has increased by 12%.

Several factors have contributed to the unexpected strength of the Russian currency. Russia’s central bank has implemented high interest rates, currently at 21%, in an effort to control inflation and support the nation’s wartime economy. Furthermore, the Kremlin has imposed strict capital controls, preventing foreign companies from withdrawing assets from Russia and requiring them to hold funds in special accounts.

This development occurs against a backdrop of widespread economic anxiety fueled by tariffs imposed by the former US administration, often referred to as “Liberation Day tariffs.” These significant levies on imports from numerous countries have raised concerns about global economic stability.

Financial leaders have voiced their concerns about these tariffs. Jamie Dimon, CEO of JP Morgan, suggested a recession was a “likely outcome,” while BlackRock’s Larry Fink indicated the American economy might already be contracting. Morgan Stanley had previously predicted a continued decline in the US dollar against the Euro, which has already gained over 9% against the dollar since the start of the year.

Despite these concerns, some on Wall Street have downplayed the severity of the dollar’s recent struggles. Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser stated her belief that the US would remain the world’s leading economy and the dollar would retain its status as the reserve currency once current trade imbalances and structural shifts are resolved.

In contrast, the London stock market experienced a fourth consecutive day of gains, and the pound strengthened following remarks from a close advisor to the former US President suggesting a high probability of a “great” UK-US trade agreement. This positive news boosted the FTSE 100 by 1.4%, or 114.78 points, to close at 8249.12. This brought the index’s gains since the previous Thursday morning to over 7%, although it remains down over 4% for the month due to ongoing fears that protectionist policies could trigger a global recession. The pound also saw a significant rise against the dollar, reaching $1.3252, a level not seen since early October prior to the UK’s recent budget announcement.