Highest euro to pound rate ever
The Euro hit an all-time high of £0.9804 against the Pound on 30th December 2008.
It happened in the middle of the global financial crisis. The Euro almost got to 1-for-1 with the Pound at that time.
Lowest euro to pound rate ever
The Euro crashed to an all-time low of £0.5708 against the Pound on 3rd May 2000.
It was only five months after the Euro’s launch, and many investors were still doubtful whether it would last as a currency.
Back then, 1 Pound would have bought you 1 and ¾ Euros. Great for Brits abroad.
Average euro to pound rate
The Euro to Pound rate has averaged £0.7635 over its full 20-year history.
However, it has been a lot stronger in its second decade than its first.
It the last 10 years, the Euro has averaged £0.8373 against the Pound. That’s around 10% higher than the decade before.
Brexit effect on the EUR to GBP rate
Following the Brexit referendum result, the Euro shot up against the Pound.
It was more a case of Pound weakness than Euro strength.
In the 30 days following the Brexit referendum, the Euro gained 10% against the Pound – including a 6% rise on the day of the result.
Brexit has damaged the Pound because it has created uncertainty for trade, travel, immigration, the legal system etc. Those issues are still being resolved, so the ‘Brexit discount’ remains.
Beware of ‘false’ Euro to Pound rates
It’s easy to get a Euro to Pound rate off the internet these days.
Google will give you a rate in a flash.
And there’s a whole bunch of free FX websites, like XE, DailyFX and Oanda, that also provide exchange rates on a live basis.
But there’s something most people don’t know about…
The Euro to Pound rates shown online are not rates that customers can actually get in the real world.
What you are seeing is something called “interbank rates”.
As the name suggests, an interbank rate is a wholesale rate for trades between banks.
There’s no central exchange in currency markets. Instead, the way it works is the banks’ balance their books with each other via an electronic network, and this generates interbank rates.
Interbank rates are not customer rates.
Even large corporations don’t transact at interbank rates.
The websites that publish interbank rates usually have a disclaimer which discloses that the rates shown are not available to customers.
Some websites are more forthcoming than others.
XE.com, for example, is one of the more upfront stating in their disclaimer “Consumer clients or small to medium-sized businesses cannot access these rates.” Look hard, and you’ll find it.
Unfortunately, a lot of websites just hide behind the generic “for information purposes only”.
Why does this matter?
It matters because when you go to convert your Euros to Pounds, you may be using a false rate.
Your transfer may cost you a lot more Euros than you thought, or the person receiving the Pounds could end up with a lot less than expected.
In other words, someone could get seriously short-changed.
If you need to convert Euros to Pounds, I would suggest requesting a quote from a bank or currency broker.
At least that way you will get a genuine rate and can budget effectively.
To find out our latest Euro to Pound rate, you can get a quick quote below.
Euro to GBP chart – full 20-year history
What moves the Euro to Pound rate?
Most of the time, the Euro to Pound rate is being driven by the relative economic performance of the EU and the UK.
There’s a whole bunch of dull economic data that goes into the rate.
The usual suspects: inflation, interest rates, economic growth, unemployment and international trade – to name just a few.
However, every now and then there is a big event.
Recent examples include the Global Financial Crisis, Brexit and Coronavirus.
Looking further back, other major events have included wars, natural disasters and political scandals.
While big events are hard to predict, they have a substantial impact on currency markets and override the daily data.
Often these events affect both the Euro and the Pound but to different degrees.
Take Brexit, for example.
It hit the Pound harder than the Euro even though both the UK and the EU will suffer economically from a ‘hard’ exit.
As Brexit will cause a more profound change (to laws, trade & travel) to the UK than the EU, there is a higher potential risk for the UK, and therefore the Pound has been impacted more.
The Global Financial Crisis impacted the Euro to Pound rate in two phases.
In the initial phase around 2007/8, the UK’s banking system was incredibly fragile – RBS, Lloyds and Northern Rock all needed government bailouts.
As a result, the Pound was hit harder than the Euro.
But a few years later, in 2011/12, the PIIGS debt crisis (an acronym for Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Greece, and Spain) kicked off, and it was the Euros turn to get smashed.
More recently, Coronavirus had a significant effect on the Euro to GBP rate. The way it moved surprised some people.
Italy and Spain became the epicentre of the virus in February/ March 2020. The UK was relatively untouched at that point. So you would think the Euro would be worse off, right?
However, during that period, from mid-Feb to mid-March, the Euro actually shot up over 13% against the Pound – a massive rise.
Investors were shifting out of risky assets and into safer assets – a so-called ‘flight to safety’.
In the currency markets, you tend to have the ‘Big Three’ for safety – the US Dollar, the Japanese Yen and the Swiss Franc.
The Big Three typically rise in times of trouble due to their perceived safety.
The Euro isn’t quite in that camp yet – perhaps because it is only 20 years old, but it’s knocking on the door.
When you combine the countries that use the Euro, it is the 2nd biggest economy in the world. That adds a lot of credibility to the currency.
As such, the Euro is perceived as safer than the Pound – which explains its outperformance when Coronavirus began to spread.
That might bruise the ego of the British, who have a proud history (and a currency that’s been around for over 800 years), but it is the perception of global investors in today’s world.
It is something to be aware of in the future.
When a global event comes along; if you see the Pound collapse against the Euro, it may just be a consequence of a ‘flight to safety’. Nothing more.
For those holding Euros, it can be a great time to move money back to the UK and a time to sit it out for those converting Pounds.
Can you rely on Euro to Pound forecasts? (Answer: No)
I don’t trust exchange rate forecasts.
Not one bit.
That might sound a little odd from a guy who works in the foreign exchange industry.
But for the sake of full disclosure: I don’t believe in the tooth fairy or the easter bunny either. And I’m having serious doubts about Father Christmas.
I understand why forecasts and forecasters exist.
According to Google, 1,300 people search for a EUR to GBP forecast every month.
If you are planning to transfer money, it’s only natural to want to know whether the rate will get better or worse in the future.
But the answers you find online are normally self-promoting nonsense.
Most forecasters are just extrapolating current rates and trends.
They have no idea what the economic data will be like over the coming weeks and months.
Even if they had all the economic numbers laid out in front of them, it would be hard to know how that would impact the rate.
And what if some major event unfolds? Do you think they will anticipate that? Is that in their forecast? Of course not.
No one has a crystal ball.
Yes, you can make an educated guess. But that’s not the same as an accurate, reliable forecast.
Let’s face it, if someone could predict the future, the last thing they would do is write about it online.
They would be trading foreign exchange and making billions.
My point is it’s perfectly understandable that people want to know what the Euro to Pound rate will do next, but it doesn’t mean a forecast is going to help you.
I wouldn’t rely on any financial clairvoyant – even if they use fancy technical terms like Fibonacci Retracements, Elliot Waves or MACD (no, it’s not a burger).
I prefer the simple mantra: Trade what you see.
Getting the best Euro to Pound rate
OK, so I’m no fan of forecasts.
And the more someone can see into the future, the more sceptical I become.
But I’m not suggesting you bury your head in the sand.
As currency brokers, we watch rates very closely.
That’s a key part of what we do.
We want to help our clients get the best rates possible.
Peaks and troughs, trends and trading ranges, are frequently observable events.
Price patterns are always developing.
While some of the moves can be explained by the news, a lot of the time, the fluctuations are just the result of investor speculation – buying and selling to make a profit. That creates a natural ebb and flow in exchange rates.
People think foreign exchange is all about international trade and overseas travel. But speculation accounts for more than 80% of all trades.
You need to stay alert to opportunities and risks.
When it comes to converting your Euros to Pounds, even tiny movements in the rate can have a significant impact on the money you receive.
As an example, saying you’re selling a property in Spain or France.
If the proceeds from the sale came to €120,000, just by achieving a 1% improvement in the Euro to Pound rate, it would mean gaining an extra £1,000.
Moves of that size happen almost daily.
Over the course over a few weeks, you can see swings of 3%, 4% or even 5%.
It is not realistic for most people to watch the screens all day. Most customers I speak to have neither the time nor the inclination.
It’s why you might find it useful to speak to a currency broker who is keeping an eye on rates throughout the day.
They may spot opportunities you don’t.
You may miss a good opportunity if you only check the Euro to Pound rate a few times a week.
Alternatively, you could discuss your situation with a currency broker. Perhaps you are looking for a certain rate or have a specific timeframe to work within.
A currency broker can work with you to optimise the exchange rate you achieve.
I should point out that not everyone offers this kind of pro-active service.
Banks certainly won’t.
They will offer you their prevailing rate, and that’s it. Take it or leave it.
There are also a number of online-only operators, such as PayPal, Transferwise, FairFX and Revolut, who will give you access to an online platform and leave you to do the rest.
It depends what you’re looking to do.
If you are an online merchant doing lots of small, frequent payments or someone sending a set amount of money to overseas relatives every month, an online platform might be preferable.
If you are sending a larger amount (where costs and timing are more important), then a currency broker may be a better option.
Who are we?
Key Currency is a leading UK currency broker.
As an independent currency specialist, we have lower overheads than the banks, enabling us to pass on the savings to our customers.
And unlike banks and online-only operators, we don’t add any sneaky fees or make you do everything yourself.
All our customers have access to an account manager – yes, a person.
I think it makes a real difference.
Your account manager can offer you guidance on rates, assist you with the payment details of your transfer (to avoid any mistakes) and answer any questions you may have.
The point of having an account manager is to help save you money and make the whole process a lot smoother and less stressful.
We have attained a 5-Star “excellent” rating on the customer review website Trustpilot, the highest rating available.
As a company, we are open and transparent. The names and faces of all our people on our website. We don’t hide behind a logo or app.
We’re committed to providing a service of the highest integrity and safety.
Key Currency is an FCA regulated Authorised Payment Institution (No. 753989), and as such, all money transfers are conducted through safeguarded client accounts.
If you would like to compare our Euro to GBP rates to your bank or existing provider, please request a quote below.