Moroccan dirham

The Moroccan dirham (Arabic: درهم; code: MAD) is Morocco’s official currency. The Bank Al-Maghrib in Rabat issues it. One dirham equals 100 santimat (singular: santim; Arabic: سنتيم). As of 2025, the dirham is not fully convertible on global financial markets. Therefore, Morocco’s currency system still limits full economic integration into the global market. Currencies to Moroccan dirham (April 2026): 1 US Dollar = 9.25 MAD 1 Euro = 10.83 MAD 1 British Pound = 12.48 MAD 1 Canadian Dollar = 6.76 MAD 1 Australian Dollar = 6.60 MAD 1 Swiss Franc = 11.78 MAD 1 Japanese Yen = 0.058 MAD 1 Chinese Yuan = 1.35 MAD 1 Russian Ruble = 0.12 MAD 1 Indian Rupee = 0.098 MAD 1 Singapore Dollar = 7.25 MAD 1 Malaysian Ringgit = 2.33 MAD History Before 1882, Morocco used copper (falus), silver (dirham), and gold (benduqi) coins. Then, in 1882, the dirham became a subdivision of the Moroccan rial. At that time, 500 mazunas equaled 10 dirham, and 10 dirham equaled 1 rial. Later, in 1912, most of Morocco became a French protectorate. As a result, the country adopted the Moroccan franc. However, on 16 October 1960, Morocco reintroduced the dirham. It replaced the franc as the main currency. Meanwhile, the franc continued to circulate until 1974, with 1 dirham equal to 100 francs. After that, the centime replaced the franc. Coins In 1960, Morocco introduced silver 1 dirham coins. Then, in 1965, nickel 1 dirham and silver 5 dirham coins followed. In 1974, the country introduced the santim and a new set of coins. These included 1, 5, 10, 20, and 50 santimat, along with 1 and 5 dirham coins. The 1 santim coin used aluminum. In contrast, the 5 to 20 santimat coins used brass. Meanwhile, the higher denominations used cupro-nickel. In 1980, Morocco added new cupro-nickel 5 dirham coins. Then, in 1987, it changed them to bi-metal coins. These coins show two dates: one in the Gregorian calendar (1987) and one in the Islamic calendar (1407). The 1 santim coin stopped in 1987 when new designs appeared. At the same time, a 1/2 dirham coin replaced the 50 santimat without changing size or material. Later, Morocco introduced a bi-metal 10 dirham coin in 1995. In 2002, it added a cupro-nickel 2 dirham coin. More recently, in 2012, a new coin series appeared. Notably, the 5 and 10 dirham coins included a latent image as a security feature. Banknotes At first, Morocco created dirham banknotes by overprinting older franc notes. These included 50 dirhams (over 5,000 francs) and 100 dirhams (over 10,000 francs). Then, in 1965, the country issued new 5, 10, and 50 dirham notes. Later, in mid-October 2009, Bank Al-Maghrib issued four million 50-dirham notes. These marked the bank’s 50th anniversary. On August 15, 2013, the bank announced a new series of banknotes. These notes feature Mohammed VI and the royal crown. In addition, each note shows a Moroccan door on the left. This design highlights the country’s architectural heritage and symbolizes openness. In 2019, the bank issued a 20-dirham note. It marked the 20th anniversary of Mohammed VI becoming king. Finally, Morocco released a new series of banknotes between 2023 and 2024.The post Moroccan dirham first appeared on All PYRENEES.