The number of banknotes in circulation in Bulgaria has fallen to its lowest level in the last four years. This is shown by official data from the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB), quoted by the Bulgarian Telegraph Agency (BTA).
By the end of September 2025, there were 533.69 million banknotes in the country. A smaller amount was last registered in June 2021. Compared to August this year, there is a decrease of 4%, and on an annual basis the decrease is nearly 12%, or 71.2 million fewer banknotes compared to September 2024.
Despite the general decrease, which affects all denominations, the most common banknotes remain the 50 leva banknotes, with 214.6 million in circulation. They are followed by the 100 leva banknotes - 133.1 million.
The total value of cash also decreases, reaching 26.55 billion leva. This is the lowest amount reported since May 2023. The decrease compared to August is 1.14 billion leva, and on an annual basis the decrease is 3.13 billion leva (10.5%).
Against the backdrop of decreasing cash, household deposits in the banking system are recording a significant increase. The latest data from the Bulgarian National Bank indicate that by the end of August 2025, citizens' savings reached 95.417 billion leva. This represents an increase of 12.7% on an annual basis, or nearly 11 billion leva more than in the same period of the previous year.
BTA recalls that Bulgaria is expected to switch to the euro from January 1, 2026. Within a month, the lev and the euro will be used in parallel, and from February 1, 2026, the euro will become the only official currency in the country.