Issues with accepting levs from ATMs: causes, solutions, and what to do

17.11.2025 | News

On the eve of the introduction of the euro, ATMs in certain regions of Bulgaria are temporarily refusing to accept lev deposits. The reasons are technological updates and preparation for the new currency.

Снимка от Apostoloff, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

In November 2025, a number of users reported difficulties in depositing levs through ATMs with a deposit function in some banks — most often the problem is observed in devices in the process of reconfiguring or introducing a new software version before the transition to the euro.

According to data from the BNB, from January 1, 2026, most ATMs in Bulgaria will work only with euros and will not accept levs. An exception for a short transitional period — until January 31, 2026 — will be made by some devices of "Bank DSK" and "Bulgarian-American Credit Bank", where customers will still be able to deposit levs into an account.

The reasons for the temporary suspension of deposits in levs include: hardware upgrades, migration of systems to serve the euro as the main currency, technical checks and preparation of devices for dual currency or euro mode.

What to do if you are refused to accept levs:

Experts' forecasts indicate that by February 1, 2026, all devices will work only with euros — and available levs after this date can only be exchanged in bank branches or through the Central Bank