Interesting fact: the most expensive currencies in the world are not dollars or euros at all. The Kuwaiti dinar, Bahraini dinar, Omani rial, and Jordanian dinar are the most valuable by face value. Next come the British pound, Swiss franc, euro, and only then the US dollar. It turns out that the wealthy oil-rich countries of the Persian Gulf top this ranking.

But here’s the funny part — the most expensive currencies don’t always provide the most powerful passport. I recently looked at the visa-free travel ranking, and the leaders there are completely different. Singapore, South Korea, Japan — these are the countries whose citizens can travel almost anywhere without a visa. Then Europeans (Germany, France, Spain, Sweden), and the British. Australia, Canada, and the UAE are also in the top.

So it turns out: what is the most expensive currency is one thing, but whose passport is the most powerful is quite another. Kuwait can boast about its dinar, but traveling visa-free is much more convenient with a Japanese or Singaporean passport. An interesting contrast between financial strength and mobility.