Version 18.0 of the Unicode Standard is now available. The Unicode Standard is the foundation for all digital communications, and this new version supports a wider range of text encoding needs. This major update includes new characters and code charts, updated data files, and updated specifications that define many fundamental aspects of text processing.
This version adds 13,007 new characters, including nine new emoji characters as well as many other characters and symbols, bringing the total number of encoded characters to 172,808.
Among the most anticipated new characters are three new currency symbols:
- U+20C2 RUFIYAA SIGN
- U+20C3 UAE DIRHAM SIGN
- U+20C4 OMANI RIAL SIGN
Each of these symbols was authorized for public use by the respective monetary authority over a year ago, but usage has been hindered by lack of a standardized encoding. With the release of Unicode 18.0, vendors are now able to implement support for these symbols.
The largest set of new characters is for the historical Seal (or “Small Seal”) script. This set of 11,328 ideographic characters has important cultural significance in China, dating back to the Qin Dynasty (around 200 BCE). Another new cultural heritage script from China is Jurchen, used in northeastern China during the Jin Dynasty.
See the delta code charts for details on all the new scripts and characters. For additional details regarding new emoji, see Emoji Recently Added, v18.0
No new algorithms have been introduced in this release, but new data files have been added for Seal and other East Asian scripts, along with a new Unicode Standard Annex documenting these new data files: UAX #60, Data for East Asian Scripts.
Conformance language related to variation selectors has been updated, making clearer which uses of variation selectors are or are not conformant to the Unicode Standard.
Recommendations for implementations were also added to make non-conformant uses of variation selectors visible in text. This is important as research has shown that sequences of invisible variation selector characters can be used to attack modern AI applications.
For complete details on Unicode Version 18.0, see https://www.unicode.org/versions/Unicode18.0.0/.