Bulgaria will officially join the eurozone on January 1, 2026

The EU Council has approved the final package of legal acts necessary for the introduction of the euro in Bulgaria. This means that from January 1, 2026, the country will become the 21st member of the eurozone.

«Today Bulgaria is finally taking its place in the eurozone. This is the result of extensive work involving rigorous assessment and preparation. Congratulations to Bulgaria and its citizens on this important step,» said Danish Economy Minister Stephanie Lohse, representing the country that holds the presidency of the EU Council.

The EU stressed that the adoption of the documents completes the process of Bulgaria's integration into the monetary union and opens up access for the country to all the advantages associated with using the single European currency.

One of the approved acts fixes the official exchange rate — 1 euro will be equal to 1.95583 Bulgarian leva, which corresponds to the current central exchange rate under the ERM II mechanism.