The leva is withdrawn, but still present in the pockets of the Bulgarians

One month after Bulgaria's accession to the eurozone, the euro is the only legal means of payment, after the leva was officially withdrawn on February 1, 2026, following a period of parallel use in January. By the end of the month, about 75% of the leva had been withdrawn from circulation, however, the population still holds approximately 7.7 billion leva, while over 6.1 billion euros are in circulation, according to the BNB.

Christine Lagarde welcomed Bulgaria's integration, emphasizing the expansion of the euro community to 358 million people and a common economic future. From February, all domestic payments are made exclusively in euros, and the exchange of leva is possible without limit at the BNB and until June 30 at commercial banks.