How Many Times Has EUR/USD Traded Below Parity Since the Euro Launched?
Direct answer
EUR/USD and parity
Yes, twice. In the Federal Reserve's daily noon rates, EUR/USD first closed below 1.00 on January 27, 2000 and stayed mostly below parity until December 2002, reaching a record low of 0.8270 on October 25, 2000. It went below parity again on August 22, 2022 and, after several crossings, last closed below 1.00 on November 7, 2022, with a low of 0.9616 on September 27, 2022. In total it closed below parity on 747 trading days. On November 6, 2026 it stood at about 1.115.
- Euro launched in January 1999 at about $1.18 (first Fed rate 1.1812)
- Below parity 2000–2002, low 0.8270 on Oct 25, 2000
- Below parity Aug–Nov 2022, low 0.9616 on Sep 27, 2022
- 747 trading days below 1.00 in total
- about 1.115 on Nov 6, 2026
"Parity" means one euro buys exactly one US dollar. Whenever the dollar strengthens, forecasts of the euro falling "below parity" appear. It has happened before, and the data show exactly when.
What people on X are asking
In October 2025 a broker's account asked whether EUR/USD would be back to parity by the end of 2025. In January 2025 an economist's post said his team expected USD strength to take EUR/USD back below parity in the first half of that year, and another user replied simply EUR/USD going below parity?. It did not happen: the euro rose in 2025. But the question "has it ever?" has a clear answer.
The fact-checked answer
UXS chart
EUR/USD since the euro's launch (US dollars per euro)
EUR/USD: latest
1.1154
November 6, 2026
Highest in chart period
1.6010
April 22, 2008
Lowest in chart period
0.8270
October 25, 2000
Change over 1 year
-3.3%
vs November 6, 2025
Year by year: EUR/USD
Computed by UXS from the same data as the chart. Tap a column header to sort. * = year to date (latest data November 6, 2026).
| 2026* | 1.1154 | -5.0% | 1.1980 | 1.1123 |
| 2025 | 1.1736 | +13.4% | 1.1848 | 1.0209 |
| 2024 | 1.0351 | -6.4% | 1.1184 | 1.0351 |
| 2023 | 1.1062 | +3.4% | 1.1237 | 1.0453 |
| 2022 | 1.0698 | -5.5% | 1.1487 | 0.9616 |
| 2021 | 1.1318 | -7.5% | 1.2295 | 1.1196 |
| 2020 | 1.2230 | +8.9% | 1.2280 | 1.0682 |
| 2019 | 1.1227 | -2.0% | 1.1524 | 1.0905 |
| 2018 | 1.1456 | -4.7% | 1.2488 | 1.1281 |
| 2017 | 1.2022 | +13.9% | 1.2041 | 1.0416 |
| 2016 | 1.0552 | -2.8% | 1.1516 | 1.0375 |
| 2015 | 1.0859 | -10.3% | 1.2015 | 1.0524 |
| 2014 | 1.2101 | -12.2% | 1.3927 | 1.2101 |
| 2013 | 1.3779 | +4.5% | 1.3816 | 1.2774 |
| 2012 | 1.3186 | +1.6% | 1.3463 | 1.2062 |
| 2011 | 1.2973 | -2.2% | 1.4875 | 1.2926 |
| 2010 | 1.3269 | -7.4% | 1.4536 | 1.1959 |
| 2009 | 1.4332 | +3.0% | 1.5100 | 1.2547 |
| 2008 | 1.3919 | -4.7% | 1.6010 | 1.2446 |
| 2007 | 1.4603 | +10.7% | 1.4862 | 1.2904 |
| 2006 | 1.3197 | +11.4% | 1.3327 | 1.1860 |
| 2005 | 1.1842 | -12.5% | 1.3476 | 1.1667 |
| 2004 | 1.3538 | +7.5% | 1.3625 | 1.1801 |
| 2003 | 1.2597 | +20.1% | 1.2597 | 1.0361 |
| 2002 | 1.0485 | +17.8% | 1.0485 | 0.8594 |
| 2001 | 0.8901 | -5.2% | 0.9535 | 0.8370 |
| 2000 | 0.9388 | -6.8% | 1.0335 | 0.8270 |
| 1999 | 1.0070 | – | 1.1812 | 1.0016 |
Episode 1: 2000–2002. The euro began trading in January 1999; the first Federal Reserve rate was 1.1812. It weakened steadily as US growth and interest rates outpaced Europe's during the dot-com boom. EUR/USD first closed below 1.00 on January 27, 2000 and reached its lowest Fed reading of 0.8270 on October 25, 2000. It stayed below parity for all of 2001, rose briefly above 1.00 in July 2002, and last closed below it on December 5, 2002. After that the euro climbed for years, peaking at 1.6010 on April 22, 2008.
Episode 2: 2022. Russia's invasion of Ukraine sent European gas prices soaring, the European Central Bank lagged the Fed in raising rates, and the dollar surged. EUR/USD first closed below 1.00 on August 22, 2022, crossed back and forth several times, hit 0.9616 on September 27, and closed below parity for the last time on November 7, 2022. It ended 2022 near 1.07.
Every EUR/USD episode below parity (Federal Reserve daily rates)
Computed by UXS from FRED DEXUSEU: 233 days in 2000, 250 in 2001, 219 in 2002 and 45 in 2022. Trading platforms may show slightly different dates because they use other price sources and times. Tap a column header to sort.
| 2000–2002 | Jan 27, 2000 | Dec 5, 2002 | 0.8270 (Oct 25, 2000) | 702 |
| 2022 | Aug 22, 2022 | Nov 7, 2022 | 0.9616 (Sep 27, 2022) | 45 |
| Total | 747 |
Why parity matters. Economically, 1.00 is just a number. Psychologically, it is a big round level where options are clustered and headlines are written, so the market often pauses or swings around it. What actually drives EUR/USD toward or away from parity is the same as at any level: interest-rate expectations at the ECB and the Fed, growth and energy prices in Europe, and global demand for dollars. See what moves the dollar index.
Where it stands now. EUR/USD ended 2024 at about 1.035, rose to about 1.174 by the end of 2025, and traded between about 1.112 and 1.198 in 2026, finishing at about 1.115 on November 6. A return to parity would require a fall of roughly 10%. That has happened within a year before, for example from about 1.15 in early 2022 to below 1.00 by August, so it is possible, but forecasts made in early 2025 that it was imminent proved wrong.
Quick poll
Where do you think EUR/USD will be in a year?
What each answer means
- Below parity (under 1.00): Requires a roughly 10% fall; it has happened twice since 1999.
- 1.00 to 1.10: Would mean a stronger dollar than now.
- 1.10 to 1.20: Roughly the 2025–26 range.
- Above 1.20: Would need a much weaker dollar; the record is 1.6010 in 2008.
- I don't forecast currencies: A sensible stance: short-term FX forecasts are often wrong.
Your answer is stored only in this browser (localStorage). UXS does not collect, count or publish votes, so no totals are shown.
Decision helper
| If you hear… | Check |
|---|---|
| "Parity is coming" | ECB vs Fed rate expectations and European energy prices |
| "The euro has never been below 1" | It has: 747 trading days |
| "Parity is a floor" | It is not; the record low is 0.8270 |
| "Trade the parity break" | Spreads and volatility near round levels; what is the spread |
Common mistakes
- Treating round numbers as support or resistance with certainty.
- Assuming the euro cannot fall below 1.00 again.
- Comparing intraday lows from one platform with official daily rates.
- Over-leveraging a long-term forecast; see how much leverage to use.
FAQ
Has the euro ever been below the dollar?
Yes: from 2000 to 2002 and from August to November 2022.
What is the lowest EUR/USD has been?
0.8270 on October 25, 2000 in Federal Reserve daily rates.
When did EUR/USD last go below parity?
It last closed below 1.00 on November 7, 2022 in Fed data.
What was the highest EUR/USD rate?
1.6010 on April 22, 2008.
What caused parity in 2022?
The energy shock in Europe, faster Fed rate hikes and strong global demand for dollars.
What does parity mean?
One euro equals one US dollar.
Sources
- Federal Reserve: Foreign exchange rates (H.10)
- ECB: Euro foreign exchange reference rates
- BIS press release: Global FX trading hits $9.6 trillion per day in April 2025
- CFTC: Foreign currency (forex) fraud advisory
Facts checked November 10, 2026. X posts are cited as evidence of the question, not of the answer.