The euro replaced the lev as Bulgaria's national currency, and the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) became part of the Eurosystem

On January 1, 2026, Bulgaria officially adopted the euro as its national currency and became the 21st member of the eurozone. The lev is automatically replaced by the euro at a fixed exchange rate of 1.95583 levs = 1 euro, and until the end of January, both currencies will be used in parallel in commercial establishments. From February 1, the euro will be the only official currency, and until August 8, 2026, prices will be displayed in both euros and levs, in the same size and font, for the convenience of citizens.

The transition to the euro involves comprehensive preparation of the banking system, ATMs now dispense only euros, and citizens can exchange levs without fees at commercial bank branches and Bulgarian Post offices until the middle of the year. After this period, the exchange of levs for euros will probably be subject to a fee at commercial banks, while the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) will exchange them free of charge and without time limit.

With the adoption of the euro as the official currency of Bulgaria, the BNB joins the Eurosystem and becomes a full member of the Single Supervisory Mechanism of the European Central Bank (ECB), with the governor of the BNB participating in the Governing Council of the ECB.

With the introduction of the single currency, citizens are expected to benefit from price stability, protection of savings, easier access to investment, business competitiveness, and facilitated trade on the domestic and European markets. The government has also set up coordination centers at the national and regional levels to inform the public about security, public order, and monitoring in connection with the transition to the euro.

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