The Democratic Republic of the Congo introduced the Congolese franc in 1998 to replace the zaire. The change followed the fall of Mobutu Sese Seko’s government and formed part of a broader effort to restore national institutions and monetary credibility.
The new franc was introduced at a rate of 1 Congolese franc for 100,000,000 old zaire. That dramatic conversion reflected the severe inflation and currency instability experienced during the zaire period. The Central Bank of the Congo issues the currency.
The Congolese franc is distinct from the CFA francs used by several West and Central African countries. Despite the shared word franc, those currencies belong to different monetary arrangements. The modern Congolese franc is divided nominally into 100 centimes, although centime coins are not commonly used.