What € means, its 1996 design story, and how to type it — click to copy.
Click to copy · U+20AC
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Character | € |
| Unicode code point | U+20AC |
| Unicode name | EURO SIGN |
| Unicode block | Currency Symbols |
| Category | Currency symbol |
Unlike most currency symbols, which evolved gradually over centuries of handwriting, the euro sign was deliberately designed to order. In 1996, ahead of the currency's 1999 introduction, a small internal team at the European Commission narrowed roughly 30 candidate designs down to two finalists and picked the version now in use — commonly credited to Belgian graphic designer Alain Billiet, though the Commission didn't publicize a single named author for years.
The design references the Greek letter epsilon (Ɛ), a nod to Greece as the historical cradle of European civilization, crossed with two parallel horizontal lines. Those lines echo the double-bar style already used by other stable currency symbols of the era, deliberately chosen to signal steadiness and trust in the new shared currency.
| Platform | Works? |
|---|---|
| Instagram bio / caption | Yes |
| Discord | Yes |
| TikTok display name | Yes |
| Yes | |
| Roblox / PlayStation / Xbox username | No — alphanumeric only |
| Method | Input |
|---|---|
| Windows Alt code | Alt+0128 (or Ctrl+Alt+E on many European layouts) |
| Mac | Option+Shift+2 |
| HTML entity | € or € |
| CSS content | content: "\20AC" |
€ is one of dozens of world currency symbols in the full currency symbols library.
Browse Currency Symbols →It was designed in 1996 by a small internal team at the European Commission, chosen from around 30 concepts. Belgian graphic designer Alain Billiet is widely credited as the lead designer, though the Commission kept the exact authorship low-profile for years.
The shape is based on the Greek letter epsilon (Ɛ), referencing Greece as the birthplace of European civilization, with two parallel horizontal lines added across it — a stability cue borrowed from the double-bar style already used on currency symbols like ¥.
On Windows, hold Alt and type 0128 on the numeric keypad (Alt+0128), or use Ctrl+Alt+E on many European keyboard layouts. On Mac, press Option+Shift+2. In HTML, use the entity € or €.