Transition to the Euro: What You Need to Know

16/12/2025

Dear Customers,

On January 1, 2026, Bulgaria will adopt the euro as its national currency. During the night of December 31 to January 1, a technical switch of the banking systems will take place to ensure a smooth and secure transition to the new currency.

For your convenience and peace of mind, DSK Bank shares the most important details and practical advice for the final days of 2025 and the first days of the new year.

December 29, 5:30 PM
Payments for utility bills/local taxes and fees will be suspended at 5:30 PM on December 29. They will become available again gradually from January 2, 2026, after confirmation from the respective utility provider that the currency conversion in its billing system has been completed.

December 30, 2:30 PM
DSK Bank branches will be open until 2:30 PM on December 30. Cashless offices in shopping malls in Sofia and Varna will operate until 6:00 PM, providing a limited range of services.

DSK Bank branches will not operate during the official public holidays in December and January.

December 30, 2:00 PM
Interbank BGN transfers and payments to the state budget will be processed until 2:00 PM on December 30. This includes:
– Interbank transfers between individuals and businesses
– Budget payments
– Instant payments via BLINK
– Interbank P2P transfers

Intra-bank transfers through the bank’s digital channels will be available until 4:00 PM on December 31.

Recommendation for individuals and businesses: If you are planning important payments and transfers, please complete them by December 29.

December 31, 4:00 PM
For system reconfiguration, DSK Bank’s electronic channels – DSK Mobile, DSK Direct, DSK Smart, and DSK Business – will be temporarily unavailable. User access to mobile and online banking will be gradually restored from the end of January 1 until the end of January 2.

During the transition period, the following services will be unavailable:
• Intra-bank and interbank transfers
• Transfers via mobile number (BLINK P2P)
• Transfers between your own accounts
• Online payment confirmations. In the first hours after the update, temporary interruptions to online payments may occur.

Recommendations: After the launch of the new currency, systems will be restored gradually. If you experience temporary access difficulties, please be patient and try again after a short while. After 4:00 PM on December 31, transfers between your own accounts will no longer be possible. If you wish to move funds from your savings component to your checking account, please do so before this time.

December 31, 9:00 PM

The switching process for card services, ATMs, and POS terminals will begin around 9:00 PM on December 31 and continue until 1:00 AM on January 1.

During this time, debit and credit cards will be inactive, and it will not be possible to make payments at POS terminals or withdraw cash from ATMs. Customers abroad should note that the card setup process will follow Bulgarian local time.

All DSK Bank cards and POS terminals will operate with the new currency after the required technical updates in the early hours of January 1, 2026. 

At DSK Bank ATMs with deposit functionality, only BGN will be accepted until January 31, 2026. The gradual transition of deposit machines to accept euros will begin in the first days of February 2026.

After the system reconfiguration, ATMs will dispense only euros. The smallest banknote available will be €10. In the first days of January, ATMs will be replenished with additional euro banknotes to meet increased demand.

Recommendations: Plan your expenses in advance, especially if you have payments scheduled for the holiday night. It is advisable to have some cash on hand (for example, for transportation or restaurant bills). If you are abroad, take the time difference into account when planning card payments.

Please note that even if DSK Bank has successfully reconfigured its systems, payments at a POS terminal of another bank, where the update process is not yet complete, will not be processed.

Throughout January 2026, you will be able to make BGN payments, but only in cash.

Additional Information for Merchants Regarding Their POS Terminals

Contact Center and AI Assistant

DSK Bank’s Contact Center will be operational during the days surrounding the transition to the euro.
The Bank’s AI assistant will provide up-to-date information on the status of the systems. You can access it on dskbank.bg via the icon in the lower right corner, as well as through the DSK Direct online banking platform.

DSK Bank will promptly publish all news and announcements regarding the introduction of the euro in the “News” section of dskbank.bg.