Central Bank of Myanmar

The Central Bank of Myanmar (ဗဟိုဘဏ် မြန်မာနိုင်ငံ) operates as the central monetary authority within a system marked by intervention, notably defined by numerological denominations and abrupt demonetization episodes.

Quick Facts

Country: Myanmar

Currency: Myanmar kyat

Local name: ဗဟိုဘဏ် မြန်မာနိုင်ငံ

Institutional Identity

The bank operates as Myanmar’s central monetary authority, managing currency issuance and monetary policy within a historically state-controlled system shaped by isolation, strict regulation and limited convertibility.

Historical Evolution

Originally established in 1948 and restructured in 1990, the institution oversaw major demonetizations in 1964, 1985 and 1987, when entire note series were cancelled without compensation; under Ne Win, denominations such as 45 and 90 kyat were introduced based on numerological beliefs, while in 2020 the portrait of General Aung San was reintroduced after decades of absence.

Design Philosophy

Myanmar banknotes are defined by the prominent chinthe guardian symbolizing spiritual protection, alongside elephants, Buddhist architecture and dense ornamental compositions; earlier series avoided political portraiture, while modern issues mark a return to national figures within refined layouts.

For collectors

For collectors, the Central Bank of Myanmar offers a highly unusual collecting field shaped by abrupt demonetizations, numerological issues such as 45 and 90 kyat, the long “lion and elephant” non-portrait era and the modern reappearance of Aung San, creating clear historical segmentation and strong rarity patterns.

Explore Banknotes Issued by Central Bank of Myanmar