Convert British Pound to US Dollar
Convert British pounds (GBP) to U.S. dollars (USD) — the major pair traders call 'cable' — using live mid-market rates cross-calculated from the Korea Eximbank base rate against the Korean won (KRW).
🔒 Unit conversions are computed in your browser (exchange rates via public API only).
Why it's called 'cable'
Traders have nicknamed GBP/USD 'cable' since the 19th century, when the exchange rate was relayed between London and New York over the transatlantic telegraph cable laid beneath the ocean. The pound — formally sterling — is one of the world's oldest currencies still in use and, alongside the euro and yen, one of the most heavily traded, which makes cable one of the busiest pairs in the foreign-exchange market. Its price swings on the gap between Bank of England and U.S. Federal Reserve interest rates, on UK inflation and jobs data, and on global risk appetite, so it can change direction several times in a single day.
Reading the number, with examples
The figure shown tells you how many dollars one pound buys. If it reads 1.27, then 1 GBP = 1.27 USD — one pound converts to a dollar and 27 cents. Because the pound is the base currency, a rising number means sterling is strengthening and a falling one means the dollar is; historically the pound has almost always been worth more than a dollar, so this figure sits above 1. At a rate of 1.27, a £120 basket at a UK store comes to 120 × 1.27 = $152.40, while a $1,000 travel budget works out to 1,000 ÷ 1.27 ≈ £787.
Everyday uses and real-world rates
Buying from UK stores like ASOS or Selfridges, budgeting a London trip, wiring tuition billed in pounds, or invoicing a client — there are plenty of reasons to move between pounds and dollars. This converter shows live mid-market rates cross-calculated from the Korea Eximbank base rate against the Korean won (KRW); those update once per business day, published around 11:00 Korea time, and carry over the previous day's figure on weekends and holidays. Banks, exchange booths, and card networks add a spread and fees on top, so the rate you actually get is slightly worse. Convert £500 at 1.27 and you get $635 on paper, but a card may leave you with a little less after charges. Treat the figure here as a baseline and confirm the final cost with your provider.
Frequently asked questions
Is this the same rate my bank or card will actually give me?
No. This tool shows the mid-market rate — the midpoint between the buying and selling prices. Banks, exchange booths, and card issuers add their own spread plus transfer or foreign-transaction fees, so the rate applied when you actually buy or sell pounds is a little less favorable. Airport counters and cash exchange carry the widest spreads of all, so use the figure here as a baseline and confirm the final amount with the rate your provider quotes.
Where does the nickname 'cable' come from?
When the transatlantic submarine telegraph cable was successfully laid in 1866, the pound-dollar exchange rate could be transmitted between London and New York almost in real time — and the pair took its name from that cable. Foreign-exchange traders still call GBP/USD 'cable' today, and sometimes use the word for the pound itself.
How do I convert dollars back to pounds?
Switch the input currency to USD and the output to GBP. The math is: pound amount = dollar amount ÷ the GBP/USD rate. For example, at 1.27, $300 becomes 300 ÷ 1.27 ≈ £236. Just flip the currency order in the converter and it applies the reverse rate automatically.