Bulgaria officially joined the eurozone on Thursday, January 1, 2026, marking a historic milestone for the European Union member state. The long-awaited transition was celebrated in the capital, Sofia, with euro coin displays on the façade of the Bulgarian National Bank and fireworks lighting up the night sky.
At midnight, the euro replaced the Bulgarian lev as the country’s official currency, bringing an end to the use of the national currency. According to Reuters, the move expands the eurozone to include Bulgaria and increases the number of people using the single European currency to more than 350 million.
Bulgaria becomes the newest member of the euro area, following Croatia, which adopted the euro in January 2023.
