The leu (Romanian pronunciation: [lew], plural lei [lej]; sign: L; ISO 4217 code: MDL) is the currency of Moldova.

The Moldovan leu was established on 29 November 1993, following the collapse of the Soviet Union and the creation of the independent Republic of Moldova.

In Transnistria, an unrecognized breakaway state which is internationally recognized as part of Moldova, the Transnistrian ruble is used instead.

[8] In 1997, the NBM announced that it would replace the existing aluminum 50 bani coin with a new one made from brass-plated steel with a new and improved design featuring anti-counterfeit elements such as reeding.

1 ban coins remain legal tender but are rarely used or seen in circulation, effectively leading to "Swedish rounding".

The first two lines of the Miorița (The Little Ewe) ballad appear on the back, printed vertically between the denomination numeral and the vignette of the fortress.

[18] The banknote for 1,000 lei, valued at €51.60 by currency exchange service XE.com on 31 December 2019,[19] continues to use the original design.