What is the currency of Moldova?

The currency of Moldova is the Moldovan leu.

The leu is issued by the National Bank of Moldova and has the ISO code MDL. Its plural is lei, and it is divided into 100 bani. The name means “lion,” a monetary term connected to the history of lion-decorated Dutch thaler coins that circulated across parts of Eastern Europe and influenced the names of the Moldovan leu, Romanian leu, and Bulgarian lev.

Moldova introduced its national currency on 29 November 1993, after independence and the breakdown of the Soviet monetary system. It replaced the temporary cupon and the Russian ruble at a rate of 1,000 cupon units to 1 leu. Moldovan banknotes traditionally feature Ștefan cel Mare, or Stephen the Great, who ruled Moldavia from 1457 to 1504.

The Romanian leu is a frequent source of confusion because of the shared name and historical connections between Moldova and Romania. Another important exception is Transnistria, Moldova’s breakaway region, where the locally issued Transnistrian ruble is used instead.