Egypt uses the pound for its currency (denoted as L.E); Egyptian pounds are divided into 100 piastres. Notes are in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 pounds and 5, 10, 25, and 50 piastres. Coins are 5 and 10 piastres.

Egypt's ports of entry offer money-changing facilities where some even have credit card machines. Changing money in Sinai is just as easy as that on the mainland of Egypt. Some international banks are available in Sinai such as Thomas Cook in Sharm El-Sheikh. Many of Sinai's major hotels offer money-exchanging facilities yet the rates are slightly jacked up.

Travelers' cheques can easily be changed in all main towns and cities. Visa, and American Express cheques are widely accepted. Although, this form of tender will only be accepted by major banks and these are constrained to within the official rate of exchange set by the Egyptian government, while private brokers, licensed by the government, will often refuse them quite whimsically. Smaller independent brokers are both very safe and offer the most appealing returns.

Credit cards are useful to use at bank machines to draw cash with. However, not all facilities accept cards as a method of payment and insist on getting paid in cash. Credit cards are readily recognized at large hotels, resorts and diving facilities and are best used for larger purchases such as hotel bills and diving reservations and courses.

Hard cash currency is in high demand in Egypt, and as such there exists a traders black market. But this is not only illegal but entails excessive risk disproportionate to the return, especially for visitors. Residents may be more cavalier, although the risks remain the same.