Politis

Bulgaria Joins the Eurozone as 21st Member

Published January 2, 2026, 09:20
Bulgaria Joins the Eurozone as 21st Member

Bulgaria officially adopted the euro on January 1st, 2026, becoming the 21st member of the Eurozone. This comes exactly 19 years after the country's accession to the European Union. Until the end of January, the lev will remain a legal tender alongside the euro, and from February 1st, the euro will be the sole official currency. Throughout January, people will be able to make cash payments in stores using both levs and euros, while retailers will be obliged to give change exclusively in one of the two currencies – euro, or, in case of temporary unavailability, in levs. Retailers are free to decide whether to accept mixed payments in two currencies in a single transaction, but this decision must be clearly displayed in a visible place in the store. Following the completion of technical adjustments, scheduled to continue until 1:00 a.m., cash withdrawals from ATMs will be available only in euros. Throughout 2026, citizens will be able to exchange levs for euros at commercial banks across the country, without charges or commissions until mid-year. After this date, banks may apply conversion fees. In 2026, citizens will also be able to exchange levs at Bulgarian Post branches, while the National Bank of Bulgaria will exchange levs for euros free of charge. The adoption of the euro is a significant step towards Bulgaria's economic integration into the European Union and is expected to have positive effects on the country's economy and trade.