The currency circulated in French Polynesia is 'Compagnie Française du Pacifique', or French Pacific Franc. It is abbreviated as CFP or XPF. One unit of French Pacific Franc is equivalent to 100 centimes.

The exchange rate of French Pacific Franc is fixed in relation to Euro, without any fluctuations. 1 Euro is equivalent to 119.33 Pacific Franc. The banks notes of French Pacific Franc are available in denominations of 500, 1000, 5000 and 10000. Coins are available in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100.

US Dollars and Euros are the most widely accepted foreign currencies in French Polynesia. These foreign currencies are generally accepted at almost all large shops, restaurants and hotels in major cities like Tahiti. However, many small stores and eateries do not accept any other currency, but French Pacific Franc.

Banks are one of the most preferred choices for currency exchange in French Polynesia. The exchange rates offered by banks are relatively better than those in hotels. Banks at the Tahiti Faa'a International Airport also offer currency exchange services; however, the rates are less favourable compared to the city banks.

Currency can also be exchanged at the banks located in Papeete Airport, such as Banque de Polynesie and Socredo Bank. Both the banks have their ATMs outside the airport. Some of the banks located in the cities and towns include Bank of Polynesia, Bank of Tahiti and the Socredo bank.

ATMs, or DABs in French can be found in the major islands of French Polynesia, such as Moorea, Bora Bora and Tahiti. International credit cards like Visa and MasterCard are also widely accepted in these major islands. Tourists can also use travellers’ cheques in currencies like US Dollars and Euros.

Among all the available means of currency exchange, banks are the most preferred option. Banks located within the cities usually offer better rates than those located at airports. However, banks at airports have an added advantage because of their lower flat fee in currency conversion. Thus, banks at airports are more beneficial when exchanging a higher amount. Travellers’ cheques fetch a higher exchange rate compared to cash.

It is mandatory to produce the passport in order to get the currency exchanged at any of the banks in the country. When using a credit card for currency exchange, it is mandatory to inform the credit card company about the services being availed in order to prevent the card from being freezed. Few credit card companies also charge a fee for currency conversion. The exchange rates in the country are highly dependant on the value of Euros.