Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on January 1, 2026
2 min readLast updated: January 20, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleBulgaria joins the euro zone, replacing the lev with the euro. This milestone marks Bulgaria as the 21st member, with mixed public opinion on the change.
SOFIA, Jan 1 (Reuters) - EU member Bulgaria marked its entry into the euro zone on Thursday with a display of euro coins on the facade of the central bank in Sofia and fireworks to celebrate a long-awaited milestone.
As of midnight the euro became the country's currency and the lev was banished into history.
Bulgaria's entry into the euro zone will take the number of Europeans using the currency to more than 350 million. The last country to join the single currency group was Croatia in January 2023.
"Our money will be in a different currency - if I have 10,000 leva, now I will have 5,100 euros. It's all the same. And I think it will be better." Stefan Bisterkov, a driving instructor, said.
Aside from changing currency, becoming the euro zone's 21st member means Bulgaria gets a seat at the European Central Bank's rate-setting Governing Council.
Successive Bulgarian governments have tried to make the step since the Balkan country of 6.7 million people joined the EU in 2007. Bulgarians are split on the issue, opinion polls show, although businesses are largely in favour.
"My expectations from (adopting) the euro are positive, I don't think there will be anything to worry about, quite the opposite. We will only benefit from this, and it will only be more useful for us," said Antonia Tsvetkova, a jeweller.
"Anyone who goes on a trip will not have problems exchanging currency, now everything will be normal."
Some Bulgarians worry that using the euro will push up prices, or are suspicious of a domestic political establishment that is in crisis. The government stepped down last month amid widespread protests against proposed tax increases.
(Reporting by Stoyan Nenov and Spasiyana SergievaWriting by Ivana SekularacEditing by Frances Kerry)
The euro zone is a group of European Union countries that have adopted the euro as their official currency, facilitating easier trade and economic stability among member nations.
The European Central Bank (ECB) is the central bank for the euro and administers monetary policy within the euro zone, aiming to maintain price stability and oversee the banking system.
Currency exchange is the process of converting one currency into another, often for trade, travel, or investment purposes, and is influenced by various economic factors.
Inflation is the rate at which the general level of prices for goods and services rises, eroding purchasing power. Central banks aim to control inflation through monetary policy.
Financial stability refers to a condition in which the financial system operates effectively, with institutions able to withstand shocks and continue to provide essential services.
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