The Loti (plural: Maloti) is the currency of the Kingdom of Lesotho. It is subdivided into 100 lisente (sg. sente). It is pegged to the South African rand on a 1:1 basis through the Common Monetary Area, and both are accepted as legal tender within Lesotho. The loti was first issued in 1966, albeit as a non-circulating currency. In 1980, Lesotho issued its first coins denominated in both loti and lisente (dated 1979) to replace the South African rand, but the rand remains legal tender.

Quick Facts ISO 4217, Code ...

Lesotho loti

ISO 4217
Code	LSL (numeric: 426) before 1985: LSM
Subunit	0.01
Unit
Unit	loti
Plural	maloti
Symbol	L‎ or M (pl.)
Denominations
Subunit
1⁄100	sente
Plural
sente	lisente
Banknotes	M10, M20, M50, M100, M200
Coins	1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 lisente, L1, M2, M5
Demographics
User(s)	Lesotho (alongside South African rand)
Issuance
Central bank	Central Bank of Lesotho
Website	www.centralbank.org.ls
Valuation
Inflation	6.8%
Source	Central Bank of Lesotho, August 2006
Method	CPI
Pegged with	South African rand at par

Close

The name derives from the Sesotho loti, "mountain," while sente is from English "cent".^[1][2]

In 1985, the ISO 4217 code was changed from LSM into LSL.

In 1980, coins dated 1979 were introduced in denominations of 1 sente, 2, 5, 10, 25 and 50 lisente and 1 loti. In 1996, 2 and 5 maloti coins were introduced, followed by 20 lisente in 1998.

Coins in circulation are:

• 5 lisente
• 10 lisente
• 20 lisente
• 50 lisente
• 1 loti
• 2 maloti
• 5 maloti

In January 1980, banknotes dated 1979 (the last two digits of the year of issue are the serial number prefix denominator) were introduced in denominations of 2, 5 and 10 maloti.^[3] 20 and 50 maloti notes were added in 1981, followed by 100 and 200 maloti in 1994.

On 1 March 2011, at a celebration marking its 30th anniversary, the Central Bank of Lesotho launched a new series of banknotes dated 2010 aimed at fighting the spread of counterfeits. The notes feature a portrait of the three royal family members: the current king, His Majesty Letsie III, is in the middle, his father King Moshoeshoe II is on the left, and the founder of the Basotho nation, King Moshoeshoe I, on the right.^[4]

In 2021, the Central Bank of Lesotho issued a new series of loti banknotes that are similar to the 2010 series, but the note's size is reduced to incorporate updated security features, including tactile features for those with visual impairments and giving the notes an anti-bacterial and anti-viral varnish to protect the notes from surface soiling and preventing viral disease on the notes.

• Economy of Lesotho