10 Weakest Currencies of Europe in 2025 

Discover the 10 weakest European currencies in 2025, why they’re weak, what’s driving depreciation, and what it means for travel, business and investors. Expert-backed overview with current context and actionable takeaways.

Weakness in a national currency can be measured in several ways — absolute nominal value against a major reserve currency (USD or EUR), recent depreciation, inflation-adjusted purchasing power, and structural economic or political vulnerabilities. Below we rank and explain the 10 weakest currencies of Europe in 2025, using recent market data and macro drivers. This guide is written for travellers, exporters/importers, investors and content creators who need clear, usable explanations and SEO-ready sections for easy indexing.

How this ranking was made: this list draws on recent exchange-rate snapshots and market commentary from late 2025, ranking currencies primarily by low nominal value and vulnerability indicators (inflation, political risk, external imbalances).

The 10 weakest European currencies (2025)

1. Hungarian forint (HUF)

2. Serbian dinar (RSD)

3. Albanian lek (ALL)

4. North Macedonian denar (MKD)

5. Ukrainian hryvnia (UAH)

6. Turkish lira (TRY)

7. Moldovan leu (MDL)

8. Icelandic króna (ISK)

9. Belarusian ruble (BYN)

10. Romanian leu (RON)

(Notes: this ordering follows recent market-roundups and low nominal unit values measured against the USD/EUR while factoring in economic fragility.)

1. Hungarian forint (HUF) — surprising at the top

Hungary’s forint has faced persistent pressure in 2025 as a result of political uncertainty, monetary policy divergence with the ECB and local inflation dynamics. Even though Hungary is an EU member, the forint remains a national currency (not in the eurozone) and thus exposed to shifts in market sentiment and interest-rate differentials. The forint’s low nominal unit value and bouts of volatility have pushed it to the top of several “weakest” lists in late 2025.

Why it matters: a weak HUF raises import costs, squeezes household purchasing power, and complicates borrowing for FX-denominated debt.

2. Serbian dinar (RSD)

Serbia’s dinar is relatively low in nominal value and sensitive to geopolitical and trade flows in the Balkans. Serbia’s external financing needs and regulatory shifts have made the dinar vulnerable to sharp moves during periods of regional stress. Structural factors — moderate inflation, limited FX reserves relative to demand spikes — help explain the dinar’s placement on this list.

3. Albanian lek (ALL)

The lek remains low in nominal terms versus the euro and dollar. Albania’s smaller, open economy is more exposed to tourism flows and remittances — both of which are sensitive to global cycles. Any negative shock to tourism or remittance channels quickly shows up as currency weakness.

4. North Macedonian denar (MKD)

The denar’s low unit value reflects a small economy with close trade ties to the eurozone and regional capital flows. In 2025, frequent exchange-rate adjustments and limited monetary-market depth make MKD more volatile compared with larger European currencies.

5. Ukrainian hryvnia (UAH)

Ukraine’s hryvnia remains under pressure because of the country’s ongoing reconstruction needs, fiscal financing demands, and the monetary implications of a prolonged national crisis. While macro-support (donor aid, concessional financing) has helped stabilize some periods, the hryvnia’s value is still low in nominal terms and subject to volatility. For this reason it appears among Europe’s weaker currencies in 2025.

6. Turkish lira (TRY) — weakness amplified by politics and volatility

The Turkish lira has been one of the most watched and volatile European currencies in recent years. Political developments and policy uncertainty repeatedly affect investor confidence, and large moves in the lira have occurred when markets reassess central bank independence or monetary policy direction. The European Central Bank’s data show very large EUR/TRY figures in late 2025, reflecting a low unit value per euro. Market reports from 2025 also document sharp lira drops tied to political events and investor reaction.

Takeaway: when a currency weakens sharply like TRY, inflation often rises and imported costs become a pricing shock for households and businesses.

7. Moldovan leu (MDL)

Moldova’s leu is vulnerable because it is a small currency with a narrow economic base and dependence on energy and cross-border trade. Low nominal unit value combined with limited FX depth makes MDL rank among weaker European currencies. Political and fiscal vulnerabilities in 2025 amplified market sensitivity to any bad news.

8. Icelandic króna (ISK)

Although Iceland is a high-income economy, the króna is low when measured per unit and has historically shown sizeable swings against the euro and dollar due to the country’s reliance on tourism and commodity cycles (fish, aluminium). After the 2008 crisis, policy frameworks stabilized ISK but its small market remains exposed to global risk appetite shifts. In lists of weakest European currencies (by nominal unit) ISK appears because a single króna represents a small fraction of a euro or dollar.

9. Belarusian ruble (BYN)

Belarus’s ruble is structurally weaker due to economic isolation, sanctions-related pressures and constrained access to international capital markets. These factors constrain external balances and put downward pressure on the currency’s external value.

10. Romanian leu (RON)

The Romanian leu sits at the lower end of European currency values in nominal terms. In 2025, Romania’s growth story continues, but the leu’s nominal unit size and episodes of market sensitivity prevent it from ranking among the “stronger” European currencies.

What drives currency weakness? 

1. High inflation — if domestic inflation is higher than trading partners’, the currency tends to depreciate to restore competitiveness.

2. Monetary policy divergence — interest-rate gaps between central banks (e.g., ECB vs national central bank) drive capital flows.

3. Political risk — elections, policy uncertainty and geopolitics trigger sudden outflows.

4. External imbalances — large current-account deficits or low FX reserves reduce buffer capacity.

5. Small market size — smaller FX markets are more volatile because a modest trade shock moves prices more.

Practical implications for travellers and businesses

• Travellers: weak local currency often means your foreign currency stretches further when visiting — but beware higher local inflation and price volatility for goods and services.

• Exporters: a weaker local currency can make exports more competitive abroad (if inputs are domestically sourced) but raises costs for imported production inputs.

• Importers & businesses with FX debt: currency weakness increases the local-currency cost of imports and foreign-currency liabilities; hedging or local-currency financing becomes critical.

• Investors: currency weakness can create opportunities (cheap local assets) but also substantial FX risk — diversification and hedging are key.

How to follow currency strength in 2025

For live and credible exchange-rate data, prefer central-bank references (ECB euro reference rates for Europe) and reputable market outlets (Reuters, XE, Wise). For example, ECB’s euro reference rates provide daily EUR exchange levels, useful when comparing single-unit values such as EUR/TRY or EUR/HUF.

Read the signals, not just the nominal

A low nominal unit value (e.g., many units of currency per euro) does not automatically equal economic failure — it’s a signal. Some countries with low unit values manage stable growth; others suffer chronic instability. The 2025 list above highlights currencies that, because of nominal value and economic vulnerabilities, looked weaker relative to peers in late 2025. For live rates and policy changes, check central bank releases and market news regularly.

FAQ 

Q: Is a “weak” currency always bad?
A: Not necessarily — a weaker currency can boost export competitiveness but hurts consumers through higher import prices and inflation.

Q: Will these currencies strengthen in 2026?
A: Currency paths depend on policy, inflation and external conditions. Monitoring central-bank moves and political developments is essential; there are no guarantees.

Q: How should businesses hedge?
A: Common tools include forward contracts, FX options and invoicing in stable currencies (USD/EUR) where possible. Consult a financial advisor for tailored strategies.