Bulgaria will adopt the euro starting 1 January 2026, replacing the lev at a fixed rate after meeting EU criteria.

Bulgaria will officially adopt the euro as its currency on 1 January 2026, becoming the 21st member of the eurozone. The decision follows the adoption of the final three legal acts by the EU Economic and Financial Affairs Council on 8 July 2025.

“From today, Bulgaria takes its place as the 21st member of the eurozone. This marks the culmination of a thorough process towards Bulgaria’s accession, comprising rigorous analysis and intensive preparation. I warmly congratulate Bulgaria and the Bulgarian people on this tremendous achievement,” said Stephanie Lose, Danish minister for economic affairs.

The euro conversion rate is set at 1.95583 Bulgarian lev per euro, matching the current central rate under the exchange rate mechanism (ERM II).

The move comes after the European Commission and the European Central Bank confirmed that Bulgaria met the required convergence criteria, including price stability and fiscal discipline.