Bulgaria’s new €2 coin features the Bulgarian saint Paisius of Hilendar on its national side (with “ГОДИНА 2026” for the year). Bulgarian euro coins will showcase national symbols such as the Madara Rider and revered saints, making them the first euro coins to feature Orthodox Christian motifs.
Welcome to 2026, when Bulgaria’s leva gives way to euros! From January 1, 2026, the Bulgarian lev (BGN) will cease to be the official currency, and Bulgaria will join the Eurozone as its 21st member state. The switch was formally approved in mid-2025, locking in a fixed conversion rate of 1 euro = 1.95583 leva. For travelers and foreign residents, this means significant changes below. We break down what to expect, how it benefits you, and practical tips (like what to do with those leftover lev banknotes and coins in your wallet).
What Changes with the Euro Introduction?
New Currency Overnight: At the stroke of midnight on January 1, 2026, the euro becomes Bulgaria’s sole official currency. The change happens in a single night: bank accounts, ATMs, and cash registers all switch to euros by New Year’s Day morning. Don’t worry about your bank deposits or salaries: all lev bank balances will be automatically converted to euros at the fixed rate, with no fees or action required. For example, a balance of 1,955.83 BGN becomes €1,000.00. The Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) and commercial banks have prepared for a seamless transition to ensure uninterrupted payments.
Dual Price Displays: In the run-up and after the switch, prices are shown in both leva and euros to help everyone adjust. In fact, by August 2025, shops, restaurants, and even bank statements in Bulgaria began displaying prices in both BGN and EUR. This dual pricing will continue for a full year after euro adoption (through the end of 2026) so that consumers can get used to the new currency and easily compare prices. Don’t be surprised if your hotel invoice or restaurant bill in 2026 shows “BGN ___ / EUR ___” it’s all about transparency and preventing any confusion or sneaky price hikes. The conversion is purely mathematical at the fixed rate (no “rounding up” of prices allowed except the standard rounding of cents).
Leva Cash Out, Euro Cash In: Starting January 1, banks and ATMs will issue euro notes and coins. ATMs across Bulgaria are being adapted so that from the early hours of New Year’s Day 2026, any withdrawal will give you crisp euro banknotes (there may be a brief pause around midnight on Dec 31 for the switchover). Shops and businesses will update cash registers to handle euros. The Bulgarian euro coins, bearing those national symbols on one side, will enter circulation and be legal tender across all eurozone countries (and likewise, euro coins from other countries will circulate in Bulgaria). So don’t be surprised if you get a mix of Bulgarian and other European coins in your change.
No More Lev – Key Dates
For a short transition, both currencies will co-exist in daily life. Here’s the timeline of what happens and when:
- January 1, 2026 – Euro Day: The euro officially replaces the lev. All bank accounts and card transactions are automatically converted to euros. The conversion rate is irrevocably set at 1 EUR = 1.95583 BGN. From this day, online payments, card charges, and bank transfers will be in euros only. ATMs start dispensing euro notes (you can withdraw lev cash only up until the final hours of Dec 31, 2025). Bulgarian euro coins and banknotes enter circulation, and the lev begins its farewell.
- January 1 to 31, 2026 – Dual Circulation Period: For the first month, you can pay in cash in Bulgaria with either leva or euros. This means if you still have lev banknotes or coins in your pocket after New Year’s, shops will accept them until January 31, 2026. However, any change you get back will primarily be given in euros; by law, retailers must provide change in euros unless they temporarily run short of euro notes or coins. Note that cash is the only way to use lev during this month; all non-cash transactions (credit cards, wires, etc.) are euro-only from Day 1.
- February 1, 2026 onward – Euro Only: From February 2026, only euros are accepted for payments in Bulgaria. The lev will no longer be legal tender in shops after January 31. Essentially, Bulgaria becomes like any other euro country; you’ll need euro cash or cards for all purchases.
- Free Exchange Window (First 6 Months): To ease the change, banks and post offices will exchange your lev cash for euros at the fixed rate with no fees during the first half of 2026. This service is available through June 30, 2026, so both locals and visitors can swap leftover leva banknotes and coins at commercial banks or Bulgarian postal offices free of charge. (Thereafter, banks may still exchange but could charge a small fee.) We’ll discuss more about exchanging leftover money below.
- Beyond 2026 – Central Bank Exchange: If you somehow discover an old lev banknote in your jacket pocket years later, don’t panic. The Bulgarian National Bank will always exchange lev banknotes and coins into euros free of charge, with no time limit. Even decades down the line, the central bank will honor the old currency. So technically, the lev never truly dies; it lives on at the central bank’s cashier as convertible paper.
Smoother Travel and Daily Life for Tourists and Expats
For travelers and foreign residents, Bulgaria’s move to the euro brings a host of conveniences:
- No More Currency Exchanges (Literally): Say goodbye to hunting for exchange bureaus or ATM fees for currency conversion. Adopting the euro means visitors from the Eurozone won’t need to exchange money at all, saving on exchange fees and ATM foreign charges. According to the European Commission, Bulgarians and visitors alike will enjoy “no more currency exchange fees when traveling or shopping online in other euro area countries,” making cross-border payments easier and cheaper. If you’re coming from a country that uses the euro, you can land in Sofia or Varna with euros already in your wallet and start spending immediately, hassle-free.
- Price Transparency and Better Deals: With prices in Bulgaria now in the same currency as 20 other countries, it becomes easier to compare prices across borders. Tourists can more intuitively gauge costs (a coffee in Sofia vs. one in Paris, for example) without doing mental math. Expats who frequently travel or shop online in the EU will find it simpler to spot good deals and no longer wonder “Is 50 BGN expensive or not?” The EU notes that the euro enhances price transparency, boosting competition and helping consumers find better prices. In short, your Bulgarian vacations might feel a bit lighter on the mind and possibly the wallet.
- Integrated Banking and Budgeting: For foreigners living in Bulgaria or those with finances in multiple countries, life gets easier. Salaries, rents, or tuition fees in Bulgaria will be in euros, which for many expats means alignment with their home currency or at least a widely used one. If you earn or have savings in euros, you won’t lose money to conversion when moving funds to your Bulgarian accounts. Likewise, sending money from Bulgaria to Eurozone accounts (and vice versa) will be seamless and free of currency conversion costs. Bulgaria already participates in the EU’s SEPA system, but now every transfer will truly be domestic in currency. This further opens Bulgaria to the European single market: Bulgarian businesses can attract more customers and investment when no one has to worry about exchange rates. From an everyday perspective, an expat with a Eurozone bank account can withdraw cash in Bulgaria without conversion fees, and a tourist can use leftover euros from a trip to Italy to pay for dinner in Bulgaria.
- Stable Prices and Monitoring: One common worry is whether prices will sneak up during the changeover (the old “rounding up” concern). Bulgarian authorities have put measures in place to prevent unjustified price hikes: dual pricing, strict conversion rules, and consumer protection monitoring are in place. Past euro changeovers have typically seen only a one-time, minor inflation uptick of 0.1-0.3%, and Bulgaria is aiming to keep any such effect minimal. As a traveler or expat, you shouldn’t see your restaurant bill or grocery market total mysteriously inflate due to a currency switch. If anything, the transparency makes it easier to spot if something’s off. The government has even authorized fines for businesses that don’t comply with the dual pricing and fair conversion rules. Bottom line: the menu prices in euros should equate exactly to their lev prices (before/after conversion), so you’re not getting short-changed.
- A Euro is a Euro Everywhere: With Bulgaria in the club, you can carry the same euro cash through Sunny Beach, Barcelona, or Athens. The euro you withdraw from a Bulgarian ATM can be used on your next trip to Greece without having to be reconverted. And any euro coins or notes you bring from home are now spendable in Bulgaria. This is especially great for frequent travelers – no more leftover foreign currency that you can’t use elsewhere. In fact, Bulgarian euro coins will be a fun find for coin collectors traveling in Europe (keep an eye out for the ones with Cyrillic script and the “България” inscription). They’ll be roaming across the continent soon enough, since Bulgarian euros are legal tender in all euro-area countries.
What to Do with Leftover Leva (BGN) Cash
Worried about that stack of lev banknotes or jar of stotinki coins you’ve accumulated? Here’s how to handle your leftover Bulgarian currency as the euro rolls in:
- Use It or Exchange It Early: If you’re in Bulgaria during the transition, the easiest option is to spend your remaining leva during January 2026, when they’re still accepted in shops. Whether it’s buying a last souvenir or paying your utility bill in cash, you have until January 31, 2026, to use lev notes and coins for day-to-day purchases. After that, shops will no longer take them. For visitors who won’t be in Bulgaria during January, plan to exchange your leva at a bank. All major banks, as well as Bulgarian post offices, will exchange levs for euros at the official rate, free of charge, until the end of June 2026. There’s no commission, so 100 BGN will net you €51.13, period. If you’ve already left Bulgaria, you might even check whether national banks in other euro-area countries offer a similar exchange service in early 2026. Often, neighboring central banks will assist for a short window (for example, other Eurozone central banks are expected to exchange Bulgarian lev banknotes for euros during the first two months after adoption). This could be handy if you forgot to cash out before flying home.
- Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) – Your Safety Net: Missed the free exchange window? Don’t worry. The Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) in Sofia will exchange old leva for euros indefinitely, with no fees. Whether it’s 2027 or 2037, the central bank has you covered for converting both banknotes and coins (in unlimited amounts) at the fixed 1.95583 rate. So those coins that fell behind your couch can be turned into euros even many years later. Of course, if you’re not in Bulgaria, you’d have to mail them or hold onto them until a future visit, but the value is preserved. (Pro tip: Banknotes are easier to exchange later; if you have huge bags of coins, it’s best to trade them in during the free six-month period at banks or post offices to avoid lugging heavy change around.)
- Consider Souvenirs or Donations: Some people like to keep a few old coins or bills as mementos when a country changes currency. The Bulgarian lev has been around for over 140 years in various forms, so there’s a bit of history in those notes. You might save a small note or a shiny lev coin as a souvenir; they could even become collectors’ items. Alternatively, many airports and charities run donation boxes for leftover currency. If you have a handful of leva coins that are too small to bother exchanging, dropping them in a charity box before you depart is a kind way to bid farewell to the lev. Since the coins will be demonetized and destroyed after withdrawal (BNB will recycle the metal), donating a few to a good cause might be better than letting them gather dust.
- Be Cautious with Scams: Unfortunately, significant changes can attract scammers. Be wary of any individuals or unofficial services offering to “quickly convert your leva to euros” for a fee or at an alarming rate. You do not need to pay anyone to exchange money during the official transition; banks will do it for free for six months, and the BNB will do it for free forever. There’s no “better rate” to get – it’s fixed by law. So if someone on the street or online claims you must convert now or lose your money, or offers a special rate, walk away. Stick to official channels (banks, post offices, or the central bank) and you won’t be cheated.
Practical Tips and Timeline for a Smooth Transition
Whether you’re traveling to Bulgaria or living there, here are some timeline highlights and tips to navigate the currency change like a pro:
- Late 2025 – Plan Ahead: In the last months of 2025, leva are still in use, but prices are also listed in euros. If you’re visiting in late 2025, you’ll pay in leva (since the euro isn’t official yet), but you can get used to the euro equivalent prices on menus and tags, a helpful preview of what’s to come. It’s wise not to withdraw excessive cash toward the end of 2025; only get what you’ll need so you don’t end up with too much to exchange later. Banks in Bulgaria even ran promotions waiving fees for depositing lev cash into accounts before the New Year, to encourage people to convert holdings to electronic form. While as a short-term visitor you likely won’t have a local bank account, the principle is: try to use up or convert most of your BGN cash before New Year’s if possible.
- New Year’s Eve 2025/26 – Currency Countdown: If you’re ringing in the New Year in Bulgaria, remember that your leva cash in hand doesn’t turn into a pumpkin at midnight; it will still be accepted for one month. However, consider exchanging any large sums or high-value notes at a bank before the holiday, if you can, to have euros on hand. On New Year’s Eve, ATMs may temporarily go offline around midnight as they switch currencies, so it wouldn’t hurt to have a little cash (lev or euro) on you earlier in the evening for any immediate needs. By January 1st morning, ATMs should be up and running with euros. Banks will be closed on the holiday, of course, but from January 2nd onward, you can walk into any bank branch and exchange lev for euro without fees. January 2026 – Dual Currency in Action: Throughout January, you have the flexibility to use both currencies in cash transactions. This is the perfect time for expats to empty coin jars and lev stashes; take that pile of coins to the store for groceries or coffee. Merchants are required to give change in euros, so you’ll naturally start accumulating euro coins as change even if you spend lev. Tourists visiting in January might experience a scenario like paying a taxi in lev and receiving change in euro; that’s normal during this month. It’s a unique time where your wallet might contain two currencies side by side. If you prefer to deal only in euros immediately, you can certainly do so; banks will be happy to swap your lev for euro cash straight away. Just remember that after January 31, 2026, you can no longer spend lev directly in shops, so don’t hold onto too much past January.
- February to June 2026 – Free Exchanges Continue: Even though lev can’t be used for purchases after Jan 31, the grace period for free conversion at banks lasts until the end of June 2026. This is important for foreigners who might not be in Bulgaria in January. If you return to Bulgaria in spring 2026, you can still take any leftover lev notes or coins to a bank and exchange them for euros at no charge. Likewise, if you found some lev at home and can mail it to a friend in Bulgaria, they could convert it for you during this window. After June 30, 2026, banks may start charging small fees for currency exchange, or some may stop offering the service regularly. So it’s best to address it in the first half of the year if you can.
- After July 2026 – Central Bank or Collector’s Item: From July 2026 onward, the Bulgarian National Bank in Sofia becomes the central place to exchange old currency. They will do it indefinitely, but it might not be practical for everyone to visit the central bank. If you’re an expat leaving Bulgaria for good, make sure you convert your lev before departure or leave it with someone who can convert it for you. If you’re a casual tourist who forgot about a 20 lev note in your pocket, consider whether it’s worth a trip to the central bank on your next visit, or keep it as a souvenir. (For perspective, 20 BGN is about €10.23, so not a massive loss if kept as a keepsake.) Banknotes will retain value forever at BNB, so there’s no deadline to worry about for them or for coins.
Bulgaria’s adoption of the euro marks a historic shift, ushering in a new era of convenience for travelers and residents alike. You’ll enjoy simpler travel with one less currency to juggle, more explicit price comparisons, and the comfort of knowing that your money is part of Europe’s common currency. Just remember to take advantage of the transition period: spend or swap your leva in time, and embrace the euro, which, in practical terms, was almost destined for Bulgaria given that the lev’s value was pegged to the euro for decades.
