Bulgaria adopts euro, becomes 21st eurozone member

Bulgaria joined the eurozone and adopted the euro as its official currency on New Year's Day, becoming the 21st member of the euro area. Throughout January, the Bulgarian lev will remain in circulation alongside the euro. On June 4, 2025, the European Commission announced that Bulgaria had met the criteria to adopt the euro starting Jan. 1, 2026.

The conclusion was outlined in the Commission's 2025 Convergence Report prepared at Bulgaria's request. A parallel report from the European Central Bank supported the findings.