What is the currency of Morocco?

The currency of Morocco is the Moroccan dirham. It is Morocco’s official monetary unit, issued by Bank Al-Maghrib, the country’s central bank. One dirham is divided into 100 santimat, the Moroccan equivalent of fractional currency.

The word dirham has ancient roots: it derives from the Greek drachma. Morocco used silver coins called dirhams as early as the Idrisid dynasty, from the 8th to the 10th centuries. Before modern coinage, the country also used copper falus, gold benduqi, and the Moroccan rial.

The modern dirham was reintroduced on 16 October 1960, replacing the Moroccan franc as the principal currency. The franc continued to circulate for a time, with 1 dirham equal to 100 francs. In 1974, the santim replaced the franc as the dirham’s subdivision.

Travellers may hear prices described in rials or old francs in Moroccan Arabic, especially among older speakers. These are informal or historical counting conventions, not separate official currencies. The Egyptian pound, Tunisian dinar, and Algerian dinar belong to neighbouring countries.