Bulgaria Gets Green Light to Join Eurozone in 2026

January will see the Balkans nation become the first country to join the single currency since 2023, when Croatia abandoned the kuna in favor of the euro.

The European Central Bank (ECB) presents the new 50 euro note at the bank's headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany, on July 5, 2016. Ralph Orlowski/Reuters

The European Union gave Bulgaria the green light to join the eurozone at the start of next year.

The Council of the European Union formally approved the accession of Bulgaria to the euro area on Jan. 1, 2026, following a meeting in Brussels, Belgium, on Tuesday.