<p>XBC is used by a POS coin called bitcoinplus.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-01-21T16:45:51.917Z
XBT [was used](http://www.coindesk.com/bitcoin-gaining-market-based-legitimacy-xbt/) before [BitcoinPlus's first block](http://explorer.mindfox.net/block/27565c324c063d161cc9245793000391d0f58384ff3bc0a9b530315455a231b0). I don't think that's it.
Nick ODell
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-27T09:58:05.217Z
Yeah, I'm pretty sure most haven't even heard of this altcoin.
Priidu Neemre
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-01-21T14:07:24.993Z
2015-01-21T14:07:24.993Z
Jacob
<p>XBT is used because the ISO 4217 (the standard for currency codes) alphabetic code XBC is already in use.  It stands for the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Unit_of_Account_9">European Unit of Account</a>.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.currency-iso.org/en/home/tables/table-a1.html">Here's the Official table of ISO 4217 codes</a></p>

<p>The X indicates it's not a national currency, but rather a supranational currency (like the East Caribbean Dollar, XCD) or something else that isn't quite a currency, like IMF special drawing rights (XDR) or precious metals (XAU is gold, XAG is silver, etc.) for which exchange rates are of interest.</p>

<p>X is used for this because ISO 3166, the standard for country codes, never uses X as the first letter and the currency code is the 2 letter code and usually the first letter of the currency name.  For example, JP is the code for Japan, so the code for the Yen is JPY.  An exception example is the Mexican Peso, code MXN.  MX is the code for Mexico, and the N stands for New Peso.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-01-22T14:47:04.650Z
How is MXN an exception? Many countries have had “new” currencies, that make their ISO 4217 code XXN, with XX being the country code.
Arturo Torres Sánchez
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-01-29T14:20:18.927Z
2014-03-13T19:26:17.727Z
2014-03-13T19:26:17.727Z
Compro01
<p>Some standard requires tickers for currencies to start with an X. So, the usual abbreviation of Bitcoin, BTC, cannot be used in contexts where this standard is applied.</p>

<p>Usually, the unofficial ticker/abbreviation XBT is used in those contexts. Why? Bitcoin consists of two words, bit and coin, it's logical to abbreviate that to BC. For this reason XBC sounds like a much more logical ticker than XBT.</p>

<p>What is the first reference of XBT and is a consideration made before using it that favoured it above XBC?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-01-29T09:36:05.807Z
XBT was proposed as part of [ISO 4217](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_4217), where the 'X' stands for "non-governmental unit".
Murch
<exchanges><currencies>
Who proposed the XBT ticker for Bitcoin and why is it used over the more logical XBC ticker?
Steven Roose
# Who proposed the XBT ticker for Bitcoin and why is it used over the more logical XBC ticker?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-01-29)

Some standard requires tickers for currencies to start with an X. So, the usual abbreviation of Bitcoin, BTC, cannot be used in contexts where this standard is applied.

Usually, the unofficial ticker/abbreviation XBT is used in those contexts. Why? Bitcoin consists of two words, bit and coin, it's logical to abbreviate that to BC. For this reason XBC sounds like a much more logical ticker than XBT.

What is the first reference of XBT and is a consideration made before using it that favoured it above XBC?

**Tags:** exchanges, currencies

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: XBT was proposed as part of [ISO 4217](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_4217), where the 'X' stands for "non-governmental unit".  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_5 on 2014-01-29. Score: 10 | Accepted answer

XBT is used because the ISO 4217 (the standard for currency codes) alphabetic code XBC is already in use. It stands for the [European Unit of Account](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Unit_of_Account_9).

[Here's the Official table of ISO 4217 codes](http://www.currency-iso.org/en/home/tables/table-a1.html)

The X indicates it's not a national currency, but rather a supranational currency (like the East Caribbean Dollar, XCD) or something else that isn't quite a currency, like IMF special drawing rights (XDR) or precious metals (XAU is gold, XAG is silver, etc.) for which exchange rates are of interest.

X is used for this because ISO 3166, the standard for country codes, never uses X as the first letter and the currency code is the 2 letter code and usually the first letter of the currency name. For example, JP is the code for Japan, so the code for the Yen is JPY. An exception example is the Mexican Peso, code MXN. MX is the code for Mexico, and the N stands for New Peso.

> **Comments:**
> **username_6**: How is MXN an exception? Many countries have had “new” currencies, that make their ISO 4217 code XXN, with XX being the country code.  

---

### Answer by username_2 on 2015-01-21. Score: -3

XBC is used by a POS coin called bitcoinplus.

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: XBT [was used](http://www.coindesk.com/bitcoin-gaining-market-based-legitimacy-xbt/) before [BitcoinPlus's first block](http://explorer.mindfox.net/block/27565c324c063d161cc9245793000391d0f58384ff3bc0a9b530315455a231b0). I don't think that's it.  
> **username_4**: Yeah, I'm pretty sure most haven't even heard of this altcoin.  

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