A chain for a continuously variable transmission, said transmission comprising two pulleys (12, 14) each having opposing conical surfaces (24, 26; 34, 36) with distance therebetween being variable, wherein in use the chain is wrapped around the pulleys (12, 14), and wherein: the chain is formed by coupling chain elements, each chain element including a link unit in which a plurality of links each having an opening and placed to extend in a circumferential direction of the chain are arranged in a width direction of the chain and two pins (42a, 42b) which extend through the opening of the respective links at both ends of the link, both ends of at least one pin (42a, 42b) coming into contact with the conical surfaces (24, 26; 34, 36), in which the chain elements are coupled such that the pin (42a, 42b) of one of two chain elements (44-1, 44-2) that are adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction of the chain passes through the opening of the link of the other chain element (44-1, 44-2); one element module is formed for every three consecutive chain elements, arrangement patterns in respective element modules being the same; in the element module, every three links from the right end and the left end of the chain form a width-direction unit, and the three links in one width-direction unit are included in respectively different link units, the links in the first row and the sixth row from the right end and the left end of the chain are included in the same link unit; the links in the second row and the fifth row are included in the same link unit; and the links in the ninth row and the tenth row are included in the same link unit other than the link unit in which the links in the second row and the fifth row are included, characterized in that the numbers of the links in three links units (46-1, 46-2, 46-3) included in each element module are 9, 8, and 8, respectively. the chain is formed by coupling chain elements, each chain element including a link unit in which a plurality of links each having an opening and placed to extend in a circumferential direction of the chain are arranged in a width direction of the chain and two pins (42a, 42b) which extend through the opening of the respective links at both ends of the link, both ends of at least one pin (42a, 42b) coming into contact with the conical surfaces (24, 26; 34, 36), in which the chain elements are coupled such that the pin (42a, 42b) of one of two chain elements (44-1, 44-2) that are adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction of the chain passes through the opening of the link of the other chain element (44-1, 44-2); one element module is formed for every three consecutive chain elements, arrangement patterns in respective element modules being the same; in the element module, every three links from the right end and the left end of the chain form a width-direction unit, and the three links in one width-direction unit are included in respectively different link units, the links in the first row and the sixth row from the right end and the left end of the chain are included in the same link unit; the links in the second row and the fifth row are included in the same link unit; and the links in the ninth row and the tenth row are included in the same link unit other than the link unit in which the links in the second row and the fifth row are included, characterized in that the numbers of the links in three links units (46-1, 46-2, 46-3) included in each element module are 9, 8, and 8, respectively.