The official currency in Benin is the CFA franc (African Financial Community), a currency shared by 14 West and Central African countries, although printed in two different currencies, one for West African countries XOF (including Benin) and one for Central African countries XAF.
The two currencies, although of the same value, are not interchangeable and must be converted into each other.
Their exchange rate to the Euro is fixed, 1€ = 655.957 FCFA, but is unlikely to be changed at more than 650 FCFA, in the various exchange offices readily available in the main towns or banks.
Payments by Visa and Mastercard are only possible in some of the capital’s large international hotels (which also accept payment in Euros), but are completely unreliable and often subject to interruption and disruption, so we recommend that you always carry cash.
Payments in Euro are also not disdained for souvenir purchases, as long as the expenditure is fairly ‘substantial’ and the seller is familiar with the tourist passage.