Overview
- The switch took effect on 1 January 2026 at a fixed conversion rate of 1.95583 lev per euro.
- EU finance ministers backed the move unanimously after a positive European Commission assessment, and the European Parliament approved it by a large majority.
- January will see dual circulation as lev cash is withdrawn, with free exchanges at banks for six months and unlimited exchanges at Bulgarian National Bank cash desks thereafter.
- The Association of Banks of Bulgaria warned of temporary outages for ATMs, card payments, and online banking during the New Year changeover, with services expected to normalize by 2 January.
- Domestic opposition gathered roughly 600,000 signatures for a vote and staged protests; the Constitutional Court found a speaker’s refusal to advance a referendum unlawful and will review parliament’s later rejection in 2026.