Bulgaria’s switch to the euro on January 1, 2026 will require a large-scale technical adjustment of banking systems, leading to temporary disruptions in card payments, ATM services and digital banking around the turn of the year, according to information published by commercial banks and summarized by BTA. Customers will not need to take any special steps in advance, as account balances will be automatically converted from leva to euros, while IBAN numbers will remain unchanged.
The most significant nationwide interruption is expected between 9:00 p.m. on December 31 and 1:00 a.m. on January 1. During this period, card payments at POS terminals and online, as well as cash withdrawals from ATMs, will generally be unavailable across the banking sector. Banks are advising customers to keep cash on hand for the New Year hours. Interbank transfers and payments to the state budget will be processed only until midday on December 30. Throughout January, Bulgaria will operate under a dual circulation regime, allowing payments in both leva and euros.
DSK Bank announced that card payments and ATM withdrawals will be suspended from 21:00 on December 31 until 01:00 on January 1, 2026. Its electronic channels, including mobile and online banking, will stop operating from 16:00 on December 31 and will be gradually restored between January 1 and January 2. Payments for utilities, local taxes and fees will be unavailable after 17:30 on December 29 and will resume in stages from January 2, following confirmation of currency conversion by service providers.
United Bulgarian Bank expects possible short disruptions to card payments, online purchases and ATM operations between 21:00 on December 31 and 01:00 on January 1. Online and mobile banking will be unavailable after 20:30 on December 30, with services gradually resuming from 05:00 on January 1, 2026.
UniCredit Bulbank also plans for temporary interruptions to cards, ATMs and POS terminals during the same New Year time window. Transfers to other banks will be accepted until 14:00 on December 30, and internal transfers until 19:00, with budget payments cut off earlier at 14:00. Deposits in leva at ATMs will be possible until 10:00 on December 30, while from January 4, 2026 deposits will be accepted only in euros.
Postbank will begin its main card system adjustment at 22:30 on December 31, with services restored shortly after 01:00 on January 1, when card payments will be processed solely in euros. ATMs will be loaded with both currencies on December 30, but from the first hour of 2026 will dispense and accept only euros. Digital banking platforms are scheduled to be fully operational again by noon on January 2. Payments of local taxes and fees may be temporarily unavailable between December 29 and January 5.
First Investment Bank will suspend card payments, ATMs and POS devices from 22:00 on December 31 until 01:00 on January 1. Mobile and web banking via My Fibank will be unavailable during the same period, with a gradual restoration of services after 01:00 on New Year’s Day.
Central Cooperative Bank plans to interrupt card payments, online purchases, digital wallets and ATM access from 21:00 on December 31 to 01:00 on January 1. Its digital channels will be suspended from 14:30 on December 30 and restored from 12:00 on January 2. Utility bill payments will be possible until 14:00 on December 30. From January 1, ATM withdrawals will be in euros only.
ProCredit Bank expects a brief interruption of card payments and withdrawals between 23:30 and 23:59 on December 31. Its mobile app and internet banking will be unavailable from December 30 until January 2.
TBI Bank will stop card payments at 20:00 on December 31, with restoration after midnight. Certain mobile app functions will be gradually suspended from December 29, with full access expected on the evening of January 2.
Investbank will halt POS card payments from 22:00 on December 31 to 01:00 on January 1. ATM withdrawals in leva will be available until 10:45 on December 30, after which machines will be taken offline for conversion. From 02:00 on January 1, withdrawals will be possible only in euros. Online and mobile banking will be unavailable from December 30 until January 3.
International Asset Bank will suspend card payments and ATM access from 21:00 on December 31 to 01:00 on January 1. Its digital platforms will be offline from December 30 until January 1, with services restored gradually after the conversion.
Bulgarian-American Credit Bank expects brief card payment interruptions between 23:30 on December 31 and midnight. ATMs and POS terminals will be unavailable from 21:00 until 00:00, after which transactions will be processed only in euros. Online banking platforms will resume full functionality after January 2.
Municipal Bank will stop ATM withdrawals and POS payments at 21:00 on New Year’s Eve, with services restored at 01:00 on January 1. ATM deposits will resume on January 5 and will accept only euro banknotes. Online and mobile banking will be interrupted from the afternoon of December 30 and restored by the end of January 1.
Commercial Bank D will reconfigure its systems between December 31 and January 3. Card use at ATMs and POS terminals will be interrupted from 21:00 on December 31 until shortly after midnight. From the first hours of 2026, ATMs will dispense only euros, while deposits will switch entirely to euro banknotes as well. Digital banking will be unavailable from December 30 until January 3.
Texim Bank warned of possible transaction disruptions at POS terminals starting at 21:00 on December 31, with full restoration expected shortly after midnight on January 1.
Tokuda Bank will also undergo a technical outage on December 31, with card operations restored in the early hours of 2026 and payments processed only in euros. Its ATMs, loaded with both currencies in advance, will automatically switch to euro-only withdrawals from January 1. Online banking services are expected to resume by January 3.
Banks across the sector reiterate their advice for customers to plan ahead, carry sufficient cash and be aware of the limited availability of digital and card-based services during the euro transition period.