Bulgaria has joined the eurozone, making it the 21st member of the eurozone to adopt the euro as its official currency on New Year’s Day (January 1, 2026).
The report states that the Bulgarian lev (BGN) will continue to circulate alongside the euro throughout January, but after February 1, the euro will become the sole legal tender in Bulgaria.
Citizens can exchange levs for euros free of charge at banks and post offices between January 1 and June 30, 2026; after that, currency exchange will incur a fee.
Furthermore, on 4 June 2025, the European Commission announced that Bulgaria had fulfilled the conditions for the adoption of the euro, with effect from 1 January 2026.
These conclusions are set out in the Commission’s 2025 update report, which was prepared at the request of Bulgaria and supported by a parallel report from the European Central Bank (ECB).