Several banks in Bulgaria have recently announced changes to their fees, particularly for cash withdrawals and deposits. These adjustments, which were communicated to customers in advance through their websites and notifications, will take effect on various dates. Customers have been informed at least two months ahead of time, as required by law, about the upcoming changes to the terms of their banking agreements.

UBB, the largest bank in the country by assets, revealed that starting April 1, it will raise fees for a range of services for private individuals. The cost of frequently used services, such as cash deposits and withdrawals, will increase. For instance, deposits of amounts up to 2,000 leva, which previously had a flat fee of 2 leva, will now incur a commission of 0.25 percent of the amount, with a minimum fee of 2 leva. This means that if a customer deposits 2,000 leva, they will be charged 5 leva, more than double the previous cost.

For cash withdrawals, UBB has also increased its fees. Previously, customers paid a fee of 0.6 percent of the amount, with a minimum of 6 leva, for withdrawals of up to 10,000 leva. From April, the percentage will rise to 0.7 percent, meaning that a 10,000 leva withdrawal will now cost 70 leva, up from 60 leva. Additionally, starting May 1, a new deposit fee will be introduced for transactions made at UBB ATMs, which will cost 0.20 leva plus 0.05 percent of the deposited amount. For example, depositing 500 leva will now cost 0.45 leva instead of being free.

On the other hand, DSK Bank has also revised its fees. As of January, the cost of opening an account is 6 leva, and the monthly maintenance fee for an account with a debit card is now 2.99 leva. Cash withdrawals at the bank’s counters will incur a minimum fee of 7 leva or 0.70 percent of the withdrawal amount. For certain services, such as the counting and consolidation of coins, the bank will charge 6 percent of the total value, with a minimum fee of 24 leva. If a customer needs to have banknotes checked for authenticity but does not want them deposited into their account, they will be charged 1.20 leva per banknote, a fee that makes such a service impractical for many.

Postbank, which also announced tariff changes in early January, will implement new fees in mid-March. Among the adjustments is the introduction of a fee of between 99 stotinki and 6.99 leva for opening both standard current and savings accounts. Changes to cash deposit and withdrawal fees will also take effect, as well as adjustments to previously offered package programs, which are now no longer available, except for those already established with the bank.

This trend of rising fees for cash transactions at commercial banks reflects a broader shift toward encouraging customers to use digital banking services. Banks are increasingly pushing customers to perform routine operations online, such as transfers and payments, to reduce reliance on in-person interactions with bank employees. However, some services, like coin counting or banknote verification, still require physical presence, and these have seen the most significant fee hikes.

Source: econ.bg