How to Change Currency in Shopify for a Global Shopping Experience

Over 92% of online shoppers prefer purchasing products in their native currency. Presenting foreign currency symbols at checkout confuses international buyers and leads to lost conversions. Investing in professional custom Shopify development services ensures your store handles geo-IP currency redirection, localized checkout funnels, and tax calculations cleanly.

Shopify allows you to change the transactional currency and the display price format. You can also adjust the currency based on the market.

In this blog, we’ll explain how Shopify experts change the currency for optimal results and share best practices for successful multi-currency eCommerce. Let’s get started.

How to Change the Store Currency in Shopify?

This one is the primary currency in which you set the prices for all your products. By default, transactions are processed in your store currency. Your sales reports and financial data within Shopify are displayed in your store currency.

Here’s how you change the store currency on your Shopify eCommerce website.

Step 1: In your Shopify admin, click on “Settings” in the bottom left corner.

Step 2: Select “General” from the settings menu.

Step 3: In the “Store defaults” section, find “Currency display” and click the “…” button. Then, select “Change store currency.”

Step 4: Choose your desired currency from the list.

Step 5: Click “Save”.

Changing your base store currency after processing orders can distort historical sales reporting. If you rely on automated accounting feeds, syncing financial records with QuickBooks ensures that multi-currency transactions and bank payout reconciliations balance accurately.

How to Change the Display Price Format in Shopify?

The display price format in Shopify refers to how your product prices are presented to customers on your online store. Here’s how you change the format.

Step 1: In your Shopify admin, click on “Settings” in the bottom left corner.   

Step 2: Select “General” from the settings menu.

Step 3: In the “Store details” section, find “Currency” and click the “…” button, then select “Change formatting”.   

Step 4: You’ll see four text boxes:

• HTML with currency: Controls how prices appear on your storefront (e.g., product and collection pages).   
• HTML without currency: Used in contexts where the currency symbol is redundant.
• Email with currency: Controls how prices appear in customer emails (e.g., order confirmations).   
• Email without currency: This is used in emails where the currency symbol is not needed.

Within these text boxes, you’ll use specific codes to replace the {{amount}} (represents the numerical price) and {{amount_no_decimals}} (displays the price without any decimal places).

How to Change the Currency Per Market?

Shopify Markets enables merchants to manage international pricing, localized domains, and duties. Global enterprises leveraging Shopify Plus development services can take this further with expansion stores, bespoke B2B price lists, and dedicated international checkout rules tailored to each target continent.

Step 1: In your Shopify admin, click on “Settings” in the bottom left corner.   

Step 2: Select “Markets”.   

Step 3: Choose the specific market you want to adjust the currency for.

Step 4: Click on “Products and pricing”.   

Step 5: In the “Pricing” section, you’ll find a “Base currency” dropdown menu. Select the desired currency for that market.

If you want customers to see prices in their local currency within that market (especially for multi-country markets), check the option “Show prices to customers in their local currency”.

Step 6: Click “Save”.

If you are trying to create the best multi-currency marketplace, using Shopify Payments is an excellent option. It simplifies the process and often offers better exchange rates.

Best Practices for a Shopify Multi-Currency Store

Operating a Shopify store with multi-currency functionality can significantly boost your international sales. However, it’s crucial to implement it correctly to avoid issues and maximize its benefits. Let’s look at a few best practices:

Use Shopify Payments (Recommended)

While Shopify Payments handles native currency conversion seamlessly, exploring third-party payment providers for Shopify like Stripe, PayPal, or regional processors is necessary if you sell into markets where Shopify Payments is unsupported.

Enable “Show prices to customers in their local currency.”

Within each market in Shopify Markets, ensure this option is enabled. This ensures customers see prices in their local currency, creating a more familiar and comfortable shopping experience.

Choose Between Automatic and Manual Exchange Rates

For most businesses, automatic exchange rates are preferable for ease of use. However, if you have very tight margins or are concerned about rapid currency fluctuations, manual rates might be necessary.

With Shopify, you can opt for automatic updates, which means exchange rates will be updated based on current market values. This is convenient, but it means your prices will fluctuate.

Or you can set the exchange rates yourself. That provides more control but requires regular monitoring and updates to stay accurate. Consider using a currency converter tool to help you.

Consider Pricing Strategies for Different Markets

Don’t just convert prices directly. Consider factors like:

• Local market prices: Research what similar products are selling for in each market.
• Taxes and duties: Factor in any import duties or local taxes that might apply.
• Shipping costs: Currency adjustments must account for cross-border freight and handling fees. Learning how to set up shipping on Shopify allows you to assign specific courier rates and duties directly to international market zones.
• Competitor pricing: Analyze your competitors’ pricing in each market.

Consider adjusting prices slightly (e.g., ending in .99 or .95) to align with local pricing conventions.

Optimize Currency Display Formatting

Ensure currency symbols, decimal separators, and thousands separators are correctly formatted for each market to avoid confusion. Use the appropriate HTML codes in your Shopify admin to customize the display.

Provide Clear Communication

Be transparent about your pricing and currency conversion policies. Consider adding a currency selector to your store, although Shopify often handles this automatically based on location. Include information about currency conversion in your FAQs or shipping policy.

Legal and Tax Considerations

Consult with a tax professional to understand the tax implications of selling in multiple currencies in different countries. Ensure you comply with all local regulations regarding pricing, currency conversion, and sales.

Developing a profitable international pricing structure requires balancing landed cost calculations, import tariffs, and local psychological price rounding. You can opt for our strategic eCommerce consulting services to audit your international margins and design a multi-currency roadmap that drives sustainable global revenue.

Conclusion

Mastering currency management in Shopify is essential for any business looking to expand its global reach and provide a seamless shopping experience for international customers.

For most merchants, leveraging Shopify Payments and its built-in multi-currency features is the most straightforward and efficient approach. You can display prices in customers’ local currencies while receiving payouts in your store’s base currency. It can simplify transactions and minimize the complexities of currency conversion.

FAQs on Changing Currency in Shopify