Bulgaria has now been part of the eurozone for nearly two weeks, with the euro officially replacing the lev as the country’s currency from January 1, 2026. Despite initial warnings about potential chaos and advice to keep cash on hand, both ATMs and post-terminal systems functioned smoothly during the first days of the year. Many citizens withdrew additional levs in anticipation of the transition, even though there is a 19-day period in which payments in levs remain legally accepted.

Early challenges mainly involved merchants, particularly smaller shops, experiencing temporary shortages of euros. Some businesses displayed notices indicating that payments in levs would not be accepted or that only card payments were allowed. Such practices violate the law, which stipulates that businesses must accept levs until the end of January, though they may refuse more than 50 coins per transaction. Banks quickly addressed euro shortages by providing starter packages, allowing merchants to resume normal operations.

In contrast, Bulgaria’s state-owned sports betting company and other gambling operators legally transitioned to euro-only operations starting January 1, as mandated by amendments to the Gambling Act. Complaints about this change were directed at the law itself, rather than illegal practices.

Another common issue involved exchange rates. While banks and post offices are required to use the fixed conversion rate of 1.95583 BGN per euro, exchange offices may apply their own rates within a 5% margin. In some rare cases, banks mistakenly applied incorrect rates; for example, one customer exchanged 1,400 levs at a rate of 1.965 instead of the legally fixed rate. The bank promptly refunded the 3.50 euro difference, explaining the error as human oversight.

Some financial institutions initially introduced limits on the amounts of levs that could be exchanged, or restricted coin deposits. The Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) confirmed that such restrictions violate the law, which guarantees unlimited free exchange of levs for euros during the first six months. Banks adjusted their practices, removing these limits, and the BNB reminded that fines ranging from 5,000 to 60,000 levs (€2,550–€30,600) can be imposed for violations, depending on whether they are first-time or repeated offenses.

Finally, there were reports that minors were being denied the ability to exchange levs for euros. Legal experts clarified that this is not a violation, as individuals under 18 can only perform legal transactions, including currency exchanges, with parental or guardian consent. Forms and declarations are required for such transactions, which minors cannot complete independently.

Overall, the introduction of the euro has proceeded largely smoothly, with only minor operational and compliance issues, most of which have been quickly resolved by banks, businesses, and regulators.