NBM Exchange Rates

What is the official NBM exchange rate?

The official exchange rate of the National Bank of Moldova (NBM) is the reference rate used for all official financial transactions in the Republic of Moldova. The NBM sets the official rate daily, on each business day, based on quotations from the interbank foreign exchange market.

The NBM rate serves as a benchmark for commercial banks, insurance companies, financial institutions, and government bodies when conducting foreign exchange operations. It is important to note that the NBM rate is not necessarily the rate at which you can buy or sell currency at a bank — commercial banks set their own buy and sell rates, which differ from the official rate.

How does the NBM set exchange rates?

The National Bank of Moldova calculates the official rate of the Moldovan leu (MDL) against foreign currencies using a transparent methodology:

• Data collection — The NBM gathers information about foreign exchange transactions on Moldova's interbank market from the previous day.
• Weighted average calculation — The official rate is based on the weighted average of interbank transactions, accounting for traded volumes.
• Publication — The official rate is published on each business day, typically before 1:00 PM (Chisinau time), on the official NBM website (bnm.md).
• Validity — The published rate is valid for the entire following business day.

The NBM sets official rates for over 40 currencies, including major international currencies (EUR, USD, GBP) and currencies of Moldova's neighboring and trading partner countries (RON, UAH, RUB, TRY, PLN).

Difference between the NBM rate and commercial bank rates

The official NBM rate is a reference rate. Commercial banks in Moldova (MAIB, Victoriabank, Moldindconbank, OTP Bank, and others) set their own buy (bid) and sell (ask) rates, which differ from the NBM rate:

• A bank's buy rate is usually lower than the NBM rate — the bank buys currency from you at a lower price.
• A bank's sell rate is usually higher than the NBM rate — the bank sells currency at a higher price.
• The spread (difference between buy and sell rates) represents the bank's profit margin and varies from bank to bank.

Data source and methodology

All data on this page is sourced directly from the **National Bank of Moldova** via the official XML API available at bnm.md. Data is updated daily on business days and reflects the official rate for each currency.

The Moldovan leu (MDL) is the official currency of the Republic of Moldova, introduced in 1993. Its ISO 4217 code is MDL.