What currency did Kyrgyzstan introduce on 10 May 1993?

Kyrgyzstan introduced the Kyrgyzstani som on 10 May 1993 as its national currency.

The som replaced the Soviet ruble after Kyrgyzstan became independent. The first banknotes were issued in May 1993, and coins followed later, helping establish a separate monetary system for the newly independent state.

The word “som” means “pure” in several Turkic languages and had already been used in discussions about a regional currency. The som is subdivided into 100 tyiyn, although tyiyn coins are rarely used in everyday transactions.

The Kyrgyzstani som is often confused with the Uzbekistani soʻm and the Tajikistani somoni. Those currencies have related-sounding names because the countries share Central Asian linguistic and historical connections, but they are separate national currencies.