The Angolan Kwanza Explained: Rates, Cash, Cards and Tips

Updated October 2026

The Angolan kwanza (AOA, often written Kz) is the only legal tender in Angola, and visitors should plan to pay for almost everything in kwanzas, mostly in cash. The official rate, set in the market and published daily by the Banco Nacional de Angola (BNA), has been very stable at around 913 kwanzas per US dollar through 2026. Foreign cards work in some hotels and ATMs, but not reliably, so bring a mix of cash in US dollars or euros, at least two cards and a plan for exchanging money at a bank or licensed exchange house.

Exchange rates: what to expect in 2026

The BNA publishes reference rates every business day on bna.ao, and Angolan banks quote their own buy and sell rates around that figure. After sharp devaluations in 2018–2020 and again in 2023, the kwanza has held almost flat against the dollar since late 2024. At the end of September 2026, the reference rates were roughly:

These figures are a guide only. Rates change, and the rate you get will be the bank’s selling rate plus any commission. Check the current figure with the BNA or your bank on the day you exchange.

Why the euro and the rand move more

Because the kwanza tracks the dollar closely, other currencies move against it roughly as they move against the dollar. If the euro weakens against the dollar, it also buys fewer kwanzas. South African rand and Portuguese euro holders should look at the cross rate, not just the headline dollar number.

Cash: notes, how much to bring and where to change it

Angola is still a cash economy for visitors. The U.S. State Department notes that many services, including hospitals, expect payment up front, and that international credit cards are rarely accepted outside a few large hotels in Luanda.

Notes you will handle

The notes in everyday use are from the BNA’s 2020 series, in denominations of 200, 500, 1,000, 2,000 and 5,000 kwanzas, alongside coins for small values. The older 2012-series notes in those denominations stopped being accepted in January 2022, so refuse them if anyone tries to pass them to you. Destroying or defacing kwanza notes is illegal.

Bringing foreign currency

• Bring clean, recent US dollar or euro notes. Exchange houses and banks may refuse notes that are torn, marked or very old, and US notes printed before 2013 can be harder to change.
• Larger denominations ($50 and $100, €50 and €100) usually get a better rate than small bills.
• Keep your passport with you: banks and exchange houses must identify you before changing money.

Where to exchange

1. Banks. Branches of BAI, BFA, Banco BIC, Millennium Atlântico, Standard Bank Angola and others change cash for customers and, in many cases, for visitors with a passport. Queues can be long.
2. Licensed exchange houses (casas de câmbio). Faster than banks and found in malls and at Luanda’s airport. The BNA licenses them and has revoked several licenses in recent years, so use one with clear BNA authorization displayed.
3. Hotels. Convenient, but usually the worst rate.

Street changers, known in Luanda as kinguilas, operate outside the legal system. The gap between street and official rates was huge before 2018 but has narrowed a lot, so the risk of counterfeit notes, theft and legal trouble is rarely worth it.

Warning: Under BNA rules (Aviso n.º 6/22), anyone entering Angola with cash worth USD 10,000 or more, in any currency, must declare it to customs. Non-residents can only take out foreign currency up to the amount they declared on arrival, and need the entry declaration to do so for amounts of USD 10,000 or more. Undeclared cash above the limit can be seized. Rules change, so confirm with the BNA or Angolan customs (AGT) before you travel with a large amount.

Cards, ATMs and mobile payments

Angola’s interbank network is Multicaixa, run by EMIS. Almost every ATM and card terminal in the country is labeled Multicaixa, and Angolans pay with Multicaixa debit cards, the Multicaixa Express app and bank transfers. For a visitor, that creates two realities.

ATM tips

• ATMs dispense kwanzas only. The State Department reports that foreign debit cards that do work face low daily and per-transaction limits, so you may need several withdrawals.
• Use ATMs inside bank branches, malls or hotels, during the day.
• Tell your home bank you are traveling and carry a second card from a different network in case one is blocked.
• Choose to be charged in kwanzas, not your home currency, if the machine or terminal asks. The conversion it offers is usually worse.

Practical budgeting tips for visitors

• Pay hotels and flights in advance where you can. Booking and paying from abroad by card reduces the amount of cash you need to carry.
• Keep small notes. Taxi drivers, candongueiro (minibus) drivers and street vendors often cannot change 5,000 Kz notes.
• Separate your cash. Carry a day’s money in your pocket and leave the rest in the hotel safe. Read our guide to staying safe in Luanda.
• Ask for prices in kwanzas. Some businesses that deal with foreigners quote in dollars; agree the kwanza price before you pay.
• Keep receipts from exchanges. They help if you are asked about the source of your cash when leaving.
• Tipping. It is not compulsory. In restaurants, rounding up or leaving around 10% for good service is common in Luanda.

If you are moving to Angola rather than visiting, your money questions are different: you will be paid in kwanzas, and moving funds abroad goes through your bank under BNA rules. See our guides to sending money to and from Angola and the cost of living in Luanda.

Exchanging kwanzas back before you leave

The kwanza is not traded outside Angola, and you will struggle to change it in Lisbon, Johannesburg or anywhere else. Spend or change your remaining kwanzas before you fly. Exchange houses at the airport and banks can sell you dollars or euros, but you may be asked for a passport, a boarding pass and, for larger sums, the exchange receipts that show where the kwanzas came from. Plan to arrive with a small surplus, not a large one.

Frequently asked questions

Can I pay in US dollars in Angola?

Generally no. Prices are set and paid in kwanzas, and businesses are not supposed to accept foreign currency for everyday purchases. Change your money at a bank or licensed exchange house first.

Do Visa cards work in Angola?

Sometimes. Large hotels, some restaurants and supermarkets in Luanda accept Visa and Mastercard, and some ATMs dispense kwanzas against foreign cards. Do not rely on cards as your only means of payment.

What is the kwanza exchange rate today?

Check the BNA website for the day’s reference rate. Through 2026 the rate has stayed close to 913 kwanzas per US dollar, but banks add a margin and rates can change.

How much cash can I bring into Angola?

You can bring more than USD 10,000 or its equivalent, but you must declare it on arrival. Keep the declaration, because non-residents need it to take foreign currency back out.

Can I buy kwanzas before I travel?

Usually not. The kwanza is hard to obtain outside Angola. Bring US dollars or euros and exchange them on arrival.

Sources: Banco Nacional de Angola, BNA Aviso n.º 6/22 (Lex.AO), U.S. State Department: Angola country information, Countryeconomy.com: kwanza exchange rates, Expansão: BNA and the 912 Kz rate, Novo Jornal: 2012-series notes withdrawn.

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