The currency of Paraguay is the Paraguayan guarani (PYG). United States Dollars are also widely accepted. Visitors are advised to use banks or official Bureaux de Change for exchanging money rather than street exchange kiosks because there are many counterfeit notes in circulation. Credit cards are becoming more widely accepted with larger hotels and restaurants accepting MasterCard, Visa, and, in some cases, American Express. There are numerous ATMs in urban centres, which generally take Cirrus, Maestro, and Visa cards, but visitors who use them are advised to be vigilant due to the risk of crime. Banks are open on weekdays only between about 8.45am and 3pm.
