Valutformat

Valutformat is the set of conventions used to display monetary values in text and software. It includes whether a currency is shown as a symbol or a code, the placement of the symbol relative to the amount, the use of spaces, and the choice of decimal and thousands separators. Since money formatting is highly locale-dependent, valutformat is not universal but varies by language, region, and context.

Standards and codes associated with valutformat include ISO 4217, which defines three-letter currency codes (for example USD, EUR, NOK) used in data interchange. Locale data repositories, such as the Unicode CLDR and ICU libraries, provide locale-specific formatting rules that determine how currencies appear in different environments, including symbol usage, spacing, and numeric punctuation.

Common components of valutformat comprise the currency symbol or code, symbol placement (before or after the amount), spacing between symbol and number, decimal separators (dot or comma), thousands separators (comma, period, or space), and negative value representations. For example, en_US formatting yields $1,234.56, while de_DE uses 1.234,56 € and puts the symbol after the amount in some cases.

Implementation and usage often rely on localization frameworks that apply locale-aware patterns to numbers and currencies. Challenges include handling multiple currencies, mixed-format documents, and ensuring consistency across platforms. Proper valutformat improves readability, reduces misinterpretation, and supports internationalization in software and publishing.

See also: currency code, ISO 4217, number formatting, localization, internationalization.