The national central banks of the 20 countries – eurozone member states will exchange lev banknotes into euros at the official exchange rate in the period from 1 January 2026 to 2 March 2026, the Bulgarian National Bank announced.
The exchange of lev banknotes by the central banks of the other eurozone countries is in connection with Bulgaria's accession to the monetary union from the beginning of next year.
During the specified period, the other national central banks of the eurozone will exchange lev banknotes into euros free of charge at the irrevocably fixed exchange rate of 1 euro = 1.95583 leva.
The exchange will be carried out in accordance with the rules applicable in the Eurosystem when the euro is introduced in a new member state. The national central banks of the other eurozone member states apply a daily exchange limit. The amount for exchange is limited to 2,000 leva per client/transaction per day.
The exchange will be provided at designated locations in each national central bank of the eurozone. No fees, commissions or other costs will be charged for the exchange, BTA specifies.
This measure aims to ensure a smooth transition to the euro in interaction with other national central banks, by providing citizens of the Republic of Bulgaria with the opportunity for reliable and free exchange of the national currency not only in the country, but also throughout the entire eurozone, during the first two months after the introduction of the euro, the announcement states.
Citizens in our country will be able to exchange leva for euro at commercial banks and branches of “Bulgarian Post" until the end of 2026, and by mid-year the service will be provided without fees, BTA recalls. The BNB, for its part, will exchange leva for euro without fees indefinitely.