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USD/MWK - Live Chart & Exchange Rate

1 USD = 1,739.21 MWK

Indicative rate, updated 22 hours ago. Not a live dealing rate - confirm with your broker before trading.

USD/MWK Sentiment Gauge

A live technical-analysis reading for USD/MWK, from Strong Sell to Strong Buy, updated automatically by TradingView. Forex has no reliable, freely-published Fear & Greed Index the way stocks or crypto do, so this momentum-based gauge is shown instead.

USD/MWK tracks the US Dollar against the Malawian Kwacha, driven mainly by tobacco export earnings. As a fellow African currency, its moves are a useful comparison point for how the Tanzanian Shilling is performing against similar economies.

Rates shown here are indicative only, sourced periodically rather than streamed live. Confirm the exact rate with your bank or broker before converting funds or opening a trade.

USD/MWK Key Statistics

Latest

1,739.21

1 Oct 2026

Highest since Mar 2024

1,741.28

23 Apr 2025

Lowest since Mar 2024

1,679.46

13 Mar 2024

12-month average

1,734.43

1,727.26 – 1,741.00

30 days: +0.35% 90 days: +0.35% 1 year: +0.17%

Over the past year USD/MWK has risen 0.17%, meaning the USD has strengthened against the MWK. In the last 30 days it has moved up 0.35%. Across the last 12 months it traded between 1,727.26 and 1,741.00. Its highest level in the data window (since March 2024) was 1,741.28 on 23 Apr 2025, and its lowest was 1,679.46 on 13 Mar 2024.

Based on weekly data from 6 Mar 2024 to 1 Oct 2026. Source: weekly rate snapshots (currency-api). A rising rate means the USD is strengthening against the MWK. Past performance does not predict future results.

What Moves USD/MWK

A pair's price is one currency's value measured against another, so the economy behind each side matters.

US Dollar (USD)

United States · Federal Reserve (Fed) · Free float

The US Dollar is the world's dominant reserve and trading currency. It sits on one side of roughly nine in ten forex trades, and most commodities, including gold and oil, are priced in it.

Major contributors to the economy

  • Services and finance
  • Technology
  • Advanced manufacturing
  • Energy (a leading oil and gas producer)
  • Healthcare and pharmaceuticals
  • Agriculture and defence exports

Key factors

  • Federal Reserve interest-rate policy. Rate decisions, projections and speeches by Fed officials set expectations for US interest rates, the single biggest driver of Dollar value.
  • US inflation and jobs data. CPI/PCE inflation and the monthly Non-Farm Payrolls report shift rate expectations and move the Dollar within minutes.
  • Treasury yields. Higher US bond yields relative to other countries attract capital and lift the Dollar.
  • Safe-haven demand. In global stress the Dollar usually rallies as investors seek safety and liquidity.
  • US fiscal and political developments. Government debt levels, budget standoffs, tariffs and trade policy affect confidence in US assets.

Malawian Kwacha (MWK)

Malawi · Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) · Managed

The Malawian Kwacha is the currency of Tanzania's southern neighbour Malawi, a largely agricultural economy that depends on tobacco exports.

Major contributors to the economy

  • Agriculture (tobacco, tea, sugar)
  • Donor aid
  • Remittances
  • Services

Key factors

  • Tobacco export earnings. Tobacco is Malawi's main source of foreign currency.
  • FX shortages and devaluations. The Kwacha has been devalued several times.
  • Donor and IMF support. External financing supports reserves.

How USD and MWK Interact

The US Dollar is a traditional safe haven. In periods of market stress, investors tend to move money into it, which often pushes it higher against the Malawian Kwacha even when local economic data is unchanged.

The Malawian Kwacha is an emerging or frontier-market currency. Compared with a major reserve currency, its market is thinner, so shifts in global risk appetite, Dollar liquidity and capital flows can move it faster and further than fundamentals alone would suggest.

Central-bank policy matters on both sides: the Federal Reserve (Fed) and the Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM). When one of them is expected to keep interest rates higher than the other, that currency usually attracts capital and strengthens; a narrowing gap tends to reverse the move.

Markets to Watch

  • US 10-year Treasury yield USD

    Typically rises with the Dollar

  • Gold USD

    Usually moves inversely to the Dollar

  • S&P 500 / risk sentiment USD

    Risk-off episodes tend to boost the Dollar

  • Tobacco auction prices MWK

    Drive export earnings

Events & Data to Follow

  • USD FOMC meetings (8 per year)
  • USD Non-Farm Payrolls (first Friday of the month)
  • USD CPI and PCE inflation
  • USD Fed chair speeches and meeting minutes
  • MWK RBM MPC meetings
  • MWK Malawi inflation
  • MWK IMF programme reviews

Historical Milestones

  1. 2008 USD

    The global financial crisis triggered a surge in safe-haven Dollar demand.

  2. 2012 MWK

    Malawi devalued the Kwacha by about a third and moved to a floating rate.

  3. 2014-15 USD

    The Fed signalled tighter policy while other central banks eased, driving a powerful Dollar rally.

  4. 2020 USD

    In March 2020 a global "dash for Dollars" sent the currency sharply higher before the Fed flooded markets with liquidity.

  5. 2022 USD

    The fastest Fed hiking cycle in decades pushed the Dollar to a roughly 20-year high, including parity with the Euro.

  6. 2023 MWK

    A further 44% devaluation was carried out to address FX shortages.

Why USD/MWK Matters to Tanzanian Traders

As a fellow African currency, USD/MWK is a useful yardstick for how the Tanzanian Shilling is performing against regional economies. It also matters for cross-border trade across Southern and East Africa.

Compare brokers offering these pairs →

Risks & Trading Hours

  • Surprise policy shifts or data can cause abrupt moves. (USD)
  • Political events such as tariffs or debt-ceiling standoffs can shake the Dollar. (USD)
  • Large devaluations. (MWK)
  • Very limited liquidity. (MWK)

Most active: New York session (and the London-New York overlap) • Lilongwe business hours and the London session

USD/MWK FAQ

What is the current USD/MWK exchange rate?

1 USD is worth about 1,739.21 MWK (indicative, updated 22 hours ago). Always confirm the exact rate with your bank or broker before you convert or trade.

What is the all-time high and low of USD/MWK?

In the data we track (since 6 Mar 2024), USD/MWK peaked at 1,741.28 on 23 Apr 2025 and bottomed at 1,679.46 on 13 Mar 2024.

What moves the USD/MWK exchange rate?

USD/MWK is influenced by the relative strength of the US Dollar and the Malawian Kwacha. Key factors include: Federal Reserve interest-rate policy, US inflation and jobs data, Tobacco export earnings, FX shortages and devaluations. See the sections above for the full list.

When is the best time to trade USD/MWK?

Activity and liquidity are typically highest during: New York session (and the London-New York overlap) • Lilongwe business hours and the London session. Spreads are usually tighter when the relevant markets are open.

Is USD/MWK good for beginners?

USD/MWK can be more volatile or carry wider spreads than the major pairs, so it usually suits experienced traders better. If you are new, start with a demo account and a major pair such as EUR/USD.

This page is educational. Rates, statistics and commentary are indicative and may contain errors or be out of date.

Other Currency Pairs

USD/ZAR USD/NGN USD/KES USD/GHS USD/EGP USD/ZMW All pairs →

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