USD as a reserve currency: how Fed decisions change the AUD/USD pair
The US dollar makes up the bulk of global reserves and is the main unit of account for oil, metals, and grain. This creates constant baseline demand for USD regardless of the American economy. The key driver of dollar movement is the Fed rate: when the Federal Reserve raises rates, the yield on American bonds rises, global investors shift to USD, and the dollar strengthens against most currencies, including against AUD. Rate cuts have the opposite effect. For the AUD/USD pair, this means that during periods of tight monetary policy from the Fed, even rising commodity prices may not compensate for the pressure on the Australian dollar from a strong USD.
What costs more: the Australian dollar or the American dollar
The question of "what costs more" as applied to two currencies means the exchange rate of the pair. Historically, AUD and USD traded near parity in 2010-2013, when the commodity supercycle supported the Australian economy. After the end of the iron ore price boom, AUD has consistently traded below USD: the typical range in recent years is 0.60-0.75 USD per 1 AUD. That is, 1 Australian dollar usually gives less than one American dollar. See the specific value in the calculator above; the rate is updated in real time.
Exchanging Australian dollars for American dollars through ATM24: when you need it
AUD/USD is one of the most traded pairs on the global Forex market, so for small amounts it is available at most banks and exchange offices outside Russia. From Russia the picture is different: AUD has low liquidity in the country, and exchange to USD often goes through the ruble as an intermediate step with double conversion. For non-trivial situations - exchanging a large amount, an international transfer, an urgent rate fixation - it is more convenient to work through ATM24: requests are submitted via WhatsApp or Telegram, terms are agreed for the specific size and route. The rate is agreed before payment.
