The West African CFA franc (XOF) is the shared currency of eight independent states in West Africa. The countries that use the CFA franc are: Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo. The CFA franc was introduced in 1945 by the French colonial authorities in then-French West Africa. The name "franc" comes from the French word for "free", which was used to refer to money not controlled by a particular government.The value of the CFA franc is pegged to the euro at a rate of 1 EUR = 655.957 XOF. This peg has been in place since 1999 when it replaced an earlier peg to the French Franc (1 EUR = 657 FCFA). In addition to being used as legal tender in its member countries, the CFCA franc is also traded on international currency markets.The main advantage of having a shared currency like the XOF is that it promotes trade and economic cooperation between member states. It also provides stability and certainty for businesses operating within or across borders within West Africa.