Cash vanishes as Bulgaria nears euro switch

ByEnigma 808

Bulgaria’s cash supply fell by 2.09 billion lev in the third quarter as residents and businesses began releasing reserves ahead of the country’s adoption of the euro on Jan. 1, 2026, the Bulgarian National Bank reported. Currency in circulation fell 7.2 percent from June to reach 27.224 billion lev by the end of September, with the steepest monthly decline of 4.1 percent occurring in September.

The number of banknotes decreased 6.3 percent to 533.7 million pieces by quarter’s end, while their total value dropped 7.3 percent to 26.557 billion lev. Higher-denomination notes of 50 and 100 lev vanished from circulation at a faster rate than smaller bills.

Banknotes represented 97.71 percent of total currency value by late September, with coins accounting for the remaining 2.28 percent. The average banknote value stood at 49.76 lev, down 0.54 lev from June but up 0.67 lev from the previous year.

Circulation coins totaled 3.381 billion pieces worth 620.4 million lev, marking a slight increase in quantity but a 2 percent decrease in value from the second quarter.

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    Besides writing and being a content creator, Enigma 808 sometimes likes to watch paint dry on walls, listening to ASMR while timing snails racing. Such is life.