The rufiyaa is the currency of the Maldives. The rufiyaa is subdivided into 100 laari. The name "rufiyaa" is derived from the Hindi word rupiyaa (रुपया), ultimately from Sanskrit rupya (रूप्य; wrought silver).

In 1945, the People's Majlis (Parliament) passed bill number 2/66 on the "Maldivian Bank Note". Under this law, notes for 1⁄2, 1, 2, 5 and 10 rufiyaa were printed and put into circulation on 5 September 1948. In 1951, 50 and 100 rufiyaa notes were introduced.

The current series of banknotes was issued in 1983 in denominations of 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 rufiyaa. 500 rufiyaa notes were added in 1990, with the 2 rufiyaa replaced by a coin in 1995.

In October 2015, the Maldives Monetary Authority issued a 5,000 rufiyaa banknote in polymer to commemorate the 50th anniversary of independence, and issued a new family of notes in polymer that included a new denomination of 1,000 rufiyaa and the replacement of the 5 rufiyaa banknote with a coin in December 2015.

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