Excel has a new currency option. Bitcoin BTC is now available as a Currency symbol or text from the main list but we’ll show how to get it now on any version of Excel.
There are four options available:
- Bitcoin symbol ₿ prefix ₿12.34
- Bitcoin symbol ₿ suffix 12.34 ₿
- Bitcoin code BTC prefix BTC 12.34
- Bitcoin code BTC suffix 12.34 BTC
(if you don’t see the Bitcoin ₿ symbol, it’s because your device/browser is using a font which doesn’t have that character). Here’s an image instead.
The two pairs of choices are in different places on the long symbol list.
This is seen as major recognition of Bitcoin by Microsoft but it’s not a major policy decision. Tracking will have shown more people using Bitcoin and there’s pressure from corporate users to include it. The Office team are merely adding yet another currency symbol to the existing long (hard to manage) list.
Our ebook Real Time Excel has supported Bitcoin and other cyber-currencies for over a year. Real Time Excel show how to get the latest exchange rates for currencies and cyber-currencies directly into Excel with a sample worksheet to get you started quickly.
Microsoft promised Bitcoin symbol support over two years ago. The real question is what took them so long?
Where is it?
This has appeared in the Excel 365 Insiders fast preview for both Windows and Mac.
In Windows go to Format Cells | Currency or Accounting | choose from the pull-down list. The Bitcoin symbol is near the top either as a prefix or suffix.
The two BTC code options are well down the currency symbol list.
Excel for Mac is almost the same except that the Bitcoin symbol and code are much further down the symbol list.
Add Bitcoin to any Excel now
There’s no need to wait or upgrade to Excel 365 to get the Bitcoin symbol.
Format Cells | Custom has various formatting strings including many with currency symbols.
Choose a format type that suits you, then edit it replacing the existing symbol (dollar/pound etc) with the Bitcoin symbol ₿ (copy that symbol or use hex code 20BF ).
Real-Time Excel gets Bitcoin and more
