Bulgaria will adopt the euro on January 1, becoming the 21st EU member state to use the currency.
The lev will be exchanged at a conversion rate of 1.95583 lev per €1. The European Commission said this rate reflects a record of exchange-rate stability.
The two currencies will operate together for one month. When payments are made in lev, change will be given in euro. This system will allow for the withdrawal of the lev from circulation.
Bulgaria Euro adoption: Lev to be exchanged at 1.95583 rate from January 1
Dual display of prices in lev and euro became compulsory in August 2025 and will continue until August 2026.
On January 1, 96 per cent of ATMs in Bulgaria will distribute euro banknotes. The remainder will follow within two weeks.
The adoption is expected to facilitate travel and residence abroad, enhance market transparency and competitiveness, and support trade for citizens and businesses.
More than 357 million EU citizens will share the currency following Bulgaria’s accession.
Consumer protection measures during currency changeover period
Euro banknotes and coins will serve as a symbol of the freedoms and opportunities associated with EU membership.
Bulgaria will rely on the application of consumer protection law and information campaigns to address concerns about price increases during the changeover period.
In its 2025 Convergence Report, the Commission concluded that Bulgaria met the criteria for adopting the euro. The European Central Bank supported this assessment in its own Convergence Report.
In July 2025, EU Finance Ministers took the decision that opened the way for Bulgaria’s adoption of the euro.
The European Commission supported Bulgaria through the process of joining the euro.
Public support for the euro in the EU and euro area remains strong. The latest Eurobarometre shows that majorities of EU citizens believe the euro is beneficial for the EU as a whole and for their own country.
