Bulgaria’s central bank: 67% of leva cash out of circulation
As of January 23, about 67 per cent of leva banknotes and coins is out of circulation, central Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) said in a report on its website.
Following Bulgaria having adopted the euro as its currency on January 1 2026, the temporary transition period in which euro and leva are both legal tender ends on January 31.
The January 23 figure is up from 58 per cent a week earlier.
BNB said that the pace of withdrawal of leva is in line with forecasts, with expectations that by mid-2026, “around and over” 90 per cent of the value of Bulgarian banknotes that were in circulation at the beginning of 2025 will be exchanged for euro, and with regard to Bulgarian circulation coins, this percentage is expected to be around and over 60 per cent.
The supply of euro banknotes and coins to banks is being carried out in accordance with the approved schedules and procedures, BNB said.
Currently, euro banknotes and coins worth a total of more than 5.3 billion have been put into circulation, which ensures the normal functioning of the payment system and the servicing of the needs of the economy and the population, the central bank said
BNB is exchanging free of charge, in unlimited quantities and with no time limit, leva banknotes and coins for euro at the official exchange rate.
(Archive photo: Interior Ministry)
