What currency does the former Soviet republic of Belarus use?

Belarus uses the rouble, officially called the Belarusian ruble or Belarusian rouble. The currency is divided into 100 kopecks and has the ISO code BYN.

Belarus introduced its own national currency after the Soviet Union dissolved. The first Belarusian ruble appeared in 1992, while it became the country’s official currency in 1994, replacing the Russian ruble. The name was retained because the ruble had long been used in the region, including during the Russian Empire and Soviet periods.

A common mix-up is confusing Belarus’s currency with Russia’s ruble. They share the same historical name but are separate currencies issued by different central banks. Belarus also redenominated its currency in 2000 and again in 2016, removing zeros from the face values. The modern ruble is issued by the National Bank of the Republic of Belarus.