With the Treaty of Accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union, our country has committed to becoming part of the Eurozone once it meets the necessary convergence criteria for membership. Upon joining, the euro will become the country's main currency, replacing the lev. On January 1, 2026, Bulgaria will officially become the 21st member of the Eurozone. What will change and when?
August 8, 2025 – August 8, 2026
Dual pricing of goods and services in levs and euros.
The fixed exchange rate of the Bulgarian National Bank will be used.
1.95583 levs = 1 euro
December 31, 2025, until 11:59 p.m.
Until the end of 2025, the national currency is the Bulgarian lev.
Bank payments, cash payments, ATM withdrawals, and other payment transactions are made in Bulgarian lev.
January 1, 2026, at 12:00 a.m.
The euro becomes the official currency
All payment transactions and ATM withdrawals will be made in euros.
Lev IBANs will automatically become IBANs for euro accounts – you do not need to open a new account.
January 1, 2026 - January 31, 2026
Simultaneous circulation of the lev and the euro
Until January 31, 2026, cash payments can also be made in levs. Merchants are required to give change entirely in euros and to provide verbal information about the value in levs upon request by the consumer. If the merchant is unable to return the entire amount in euros, they are required to return it in full in Bulgarian levs.
February 1, 2026
All payments and payment transactions shall be made only in euros.
January 1, 2026 – June 30, 2026
Exchange of levs into euros
From January 1 to June 30, 2026, all levs will be exchanged for euros at the official exchange rate of the Bulgarian National Bank, free of charge.
What do we need to do?
The good news is that you don't need to do anything special. The money in your accounts will be converted automatically and free of charge on January 1, 2026. Your cards will continue to work. Loans and loan installments will also be converted to euros, with no change in the terms and conditions. If you have savings in Bulgarian levs in cash, it is best to deposit them into your account before January 1, 2026.
The conversion will be carried out at the official exchange rate. Transfers to and from your accounts and all non-cash payments will be made in euros. Withdrawals from accounts or deposits will be in euros. Your IBAN account number will remain unchanged. The agreed interest rate on your deposit remains unchanged.
Your cash in Bulgarian lev
Bulgaria will introduce the euro while maintaining the central exchange rate of 1.95583 levs per euro. During the first six months after January 1, 2026, you can exchange Bulgarian levs for euros free of charge at any bank, as well as at Bulgarian Post offices in towns and villages where there are no bank branches/offices. During the following six (6) months, banks and Bulgarian Post will continue to exchange currency, but will be entitled to charge a fee for this service.
Until the date of introduction of the euro, Tokuda Bank EAD will exchange banknotes and coins from levs to euros according to the bank's current tariff. Convert your lev savings to euros with Tokuda Bank at a fixed exchange rate of 1 EUR = 1.95583 BGN. During the first six months after the introduction of the euro, you will be able to exchange your lev banknotes and coins for euros free of charge.
After the first 6 months from the date of introduction of the euro, the exchange of banknotes and coins from levs to euros at Tokuda Bank will be carried out in accordance with the bank's current tariff.
After 12 months from the introduction of the euro, you will only be able to exchange levs for euros at banks that have decided not to discontinue the exchange service, as well as at the BNB, which will exchange them free of charge, in unlimited quantities and without time restrictions. Damaged banknotes and coins will be exchanged by the BNB in accordance with the procedure set in a regulation.
Banknotes – Tokuda Bank will exchange levs in cash for euros at all of its branches. If the amount you wish to exchange exceeds BGN 30,000 (thirty thousand) (per transaction), you must make a request 3 business days in advance to ensure that the necessary amount of banknotes is available. This rule also applies when depositing Bulgarian levs into an account that automatically converts them into euros.
Coins – Tokuda Bank will exchange coins for euros at all of its offices.
What does joining the Eurozone mean for me and the banking products I use?
The official currency in the Republic of Bulgaria is now the euro, and you can use it to pay in all countries in the Eurozone.
As of the date of introduction of the euro, all your products that were previously denominated in Bulgarian levs will be automatically converted into euros. Cash that you withdraw from ATMs or at a bank branch/office will be in euros.
Accounts and deposits
Your bank accounts and deposits will be converted from levs to euros on the day the euro is introduced.
The conversion will be carried out at the official exchange rate.
It is free of charge for all citizens.
Transfers to and from your accounts and all non-cash payments will be made in euros.
Withdrawals from accounts or deposits will be in euros.
Your IBAN account number will remain unchanged.
The agreed interest rate on your deposit remains unchanged.
Loans and leasing
Your credit and leasing products denominated in Bulgarian levs will be automatically converted on the day the euro is introduced.
If the agreed interest rate on your loan or lease is fixed, it will remain so after the introduction of the euro. The amount of interest will remain the same as it was before the date of introduction of the euro.
If the agreed interest rate on your loan or lease (in BGN) is variable, it will be converted using a method that ensures that the new interest rate on the date of introduction of the euro is not higher than the interest rate you had before the date of introduction of the euro.
The amount of all amounts due after the date of introduction of the euro in BGN, including principal, interest, fees, and the price of additional services, shall be converted into euros at the official BGN/EUR exchange rate.
Insurance and pension insurance
The terms and conditions of your current insurance policies will remain unchanged, and insurance premiums will be payable in euros only after the adoption of the euro.
All new insurance policies will be offered only in euros. All insurance premiums will be paid in euros. Your individual pension fund accounts will be automatically converted into euros on the date of adoption of the euro.
Financial instruments
As of the date of introduction of the euro as the official currency in the Republic of Bulgaria, all financial instruments denominated in Bulgarian levs owned by the bank's customers will be automatically converted from Bulgarian levs to euros at the official exchange rate of the Bulgarian lev to the euro, subject to the rounding rules laid down in the Law on the Introduction of the Euro in the Republic of Bulgaria. No additional action is required on your part.
Frequently asked questions
Will the amount of my protected funds in the bank change?
The Bank Deposit Guarantee Fund guarantees the funds in accounts opened with the Bank by one person, regardless of their number, up to BGN 196,000. After the introduction of the euro in the Republic of Bulgaria, this amount will become EUR 100,000 (one hundred thousand).
How and where can I report inaccuracies?
Inaccuracies should be reported to the Consumer Protection Commission. https://kzp.bg/
What should I do if I notice an error in the conversion of funds from levs to euros?
If you are at a bank, report it immediately on site or contact the customer service center. If you are at a commercial establishment, contact the manager. The Consumer Protection Commission protects your rights in all cases and you can report it at https://kzp.bg/
How will I know that all my funds have been converted correctly?
The official exchange rate is 1.95583 leva for 1 euro. To check if the conversion is correct, divide your funds by the fixed rate or use the online calculator at https://www.evroto.bg/bg/news/270-aktiven-e-onlayn-kalkulator-na-evroto-bg.
This text is based on official information. For more details about the euro and the process of its introduction as the national currency, please visit the specially created website evroto.bg, the questions and answers section on the BNB website (https://bitly.cx/yU55), and the website of the Association of Banks in Bulgaria (https://abanksb.bg/evroto/).