Frequently Asked Questions

The Caribbean guilder is legal tender as of March 31, 2025

The Caribbean-guilder coins are issued in the following denominations: 5 guilders, 1 guilder, 50 cents, 25 cents, 10 cents, 5 cents and 1 cent.

For banknotes, the denominations are 200 guilders, 100 guilders, 50 guilders, 20 guilders and 10 guilders.

The NAf 250-guilder banknote is replaced by the 200 Caribbean-guilder note and the NAf 25-guilder banknote by the 20 Caribbean-guilder note.

 The new banknote denominations are more in line with the general international payment-system practices, such as in the case of the euro and the U.S. dollar.

The currency symbol for the Caribbean guilder is Cg. The official currency code in the payment system is XCG.

Reason for this is that the official ISO currency code of more than one country (which is the case of the Countries of Curaçao and Sint Maarten) always starts with a 'X'.

With the Netherlands-Antillean guilder, NAf was used as the currency symbol. The official currency code for the Netherlands-Antillean guilder is ANG.

For logistical reasons, it is not possible for commercial banks to have all ATMs supplied with Caribbean guilders by March 31, 2025. They will be supplying the ATM's with Caribbean guilder notes gradually in April.

Cash payments in Netherlands-Antillean guilders will be accepted for up to 3 months as of the introduction of the Caribbean guilder on March 31, 2025.

This means that you can make cash payments in NAf until June 30, 2025. You will receive your change (mainly) in Caribbean guilders.

The two currencies will co-circulate for 3 months as of March 31, 2025.

Legal tender, which the Antillean guilder still is until 30 June 2025, may in principle not be refused. However, a shopkeeper may decide for himself/herself how to receive payments. The CBCS cannot oblige a shopkeeper or an institution to accept Antillean guilder banknotes.

On this page you will be able to read more about the security features of the Caribbean guilder banknotes.

The Caribbean guilder banknotes have a number of features that assist blind and partially sighted people to recognize different banknote denominations. The accessibility features that you can find on our banknotes include:
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‍Tactile marks. There are raised lines on the left and right edges of the front side of the banknotes. You can distinguish the denomination by the number of lines.

Large numerals. The designs feature large numerals to clearly show the denomination. The large numerals have raised ink to easily identify the value of the banknotes.

Bright colors. Each banknote has a dominant color.

Raised ink on the front of the banknote, visible on the denomination, the words 'centrale bank van curaçao en sint maarten', the signatures, the text 'wettig betaalmiddel', the date of issue and the sea creature.

The Caribbean guilder is legally pegged to the U.S. dollar at an exchange rate of US$1 = 1.79.

The exchange rate between the Netherlands Antillean guilder and the Caribbean guilder is 1:1. The Netherlands Antillean guilder and the Caribbean guilder are of equal value.

Exchanges can be made at the commercial banks where you hold an account, for up to 12 months after the introduction of the Caribbean guilder.

This means that March 31, 2026, will be the last day to exchange ANG at commercial banks.

However, after these 12 months, your Netherlands-Antillean guilders can still be exchanged at the CBCS for up to 29 years – until March 31, 2055.

Please refer to the exchange procedure on this page for further instructions.

NAf funds on your bank accounts will be automatically conversed to Caribbean guilder without any charge. Consumers may incur costs in the event their commercial banks charge a fee for the conversion or deposit of NAf cash after the date of the introduction. However, these costs are not connected to the introduction of the Caribbean guilder but are part of the administrative fees charged by the commercial banks.

If you don't have an account at a commercial bank, your Netherlands-Antillean guilders can be exchanged at the CBCS for up to 30 years – until March 31, 2055. Please refer to the exchange procedure on this page for further instructions.

For exchanges up to an amount of NAf 2,500, you can walk-in once without an appointment. For amounts higher than NAf 2,500 or if you want to exchange money a second time, it is necessary to make an appointment. Antillean guilders can be changed at the CBCS up to and including March 31, 2055. Read more about the exchange procedure on this page.

It is possible to exchange money for yourself, on behalf of other individuals or on behalf of a company. Please use the following link: https://www.centralbank.cw/exchange-request

As part of the agreement with respect to the constitutional reform of the former Netherlands Antilles, a monetary union has been established between Curaçao and Sint Maarten.

In the “Regeling Gemeenschappelijk Geldstelsel Curaçao en Sint Maarten” that regulates the currency of the monetary union of these two countries, it is stipulated that the Caribbean guilder will replace the current Netherlands-Antillean guilder (NAf.).

One of the principle agreements that were reached by Curaçao and Sint Maarten in connection with the new constitutional status of October 10, 2010, with regard to a common central bank and the relevant legislation, was that there should be a single currency area with a common currency, with a fixed exchange rate to the US dollar. In accordance with the principle agreements, that common currency would be the “Dutch-Caribbean guilder.” However, because the Dutch Caribbean geographically includes the BES islands and Aruba, the name “Caribbean guilder” was chosen in these regulations.

One of the benefits of the new Caribbean guilder is that banknotes and coins – given their sophisticated design and modern, high-quality security features – are secure against counterfeiting, which limits the likelihood of experiencing fraud or loss when using cash.

The coins are minted and delivered by the Royal Canadian Mint while the banknotes are printed and delivered by Crane Currency.

The banknotes are made of a durable quality cotton. As a result, the Caribbean guilder banknotes will last longer, and fewer banknotes will need to be produced.

With less production and fewer banknotes destroyed, sustainable banknotes will contribute to a cleaner environment.

The Centrale Bank van Curaçao en Sint Maarten is the copyright holder.

The CBCS is responsible for the design and for commissioning the printing of the banknotes. The responsibility for designing and minting coins in various denominations also vests with the CBCS.

The design and specifications for the coins are described in article 9 and 10 of the “Regeling Gemeenschappelijk Geldstelsel Curaçao en Sint Maarten.” The materials from which the coins are made as well as the weights, dimensions and quantity of these coins shall be determined by the CBCS.

The production of banknotes and coins is necessary because - as research has shown - many people in Curaçao and Sint Maarten still only use cash for their payments. The economies of these countries are mainly 'cash based', which has to do with, among other things, 'financial inclusion' where not everyone has a bank account. See also the payments statistics on our website.

Furthermore, cash remains important because it is legal tender, can be used as a means of payment at all times and is an ideal backup for digital payments, in case digital banking/payment is not possible due to a power and/or internet failure, for example as a result of a natural disaster.

The cost of designing and producing the Caribbean Guilder is estimated at approximately NAf 15 million. This amount covers the replacement of NAf coins and banknotes currently in circulation and the production of the supply needed for the next four years. The CBCS bears these costs.