The NBU has responded to the question of whether a 5,000-hryvnia bill will be issued following the launch of the new banknote
16 July 07:21
Following the announcement of the release of a new 2,000-hryvnia banknote, rumors began to spread widely among Ukrainians about the possible introduction of a 5,000-hryvnia bill. The National Bank of Ukraine has officially clarified whether the regulator plans to introduce even higher denominations and why there is currently no need to do so. This was reported by "Komersant Ukrainian", citing the National Bank of Ukraine.
Will the NBU issue a 5,000-hryvnia bill?
The National Bank stated that there are currently no plans to introduce a 5,000-hryvnia banknote.
The regulator emphasizes that decisions regarding the introduction of new denominations are not made under the influence of inflation or public opinion, but rather following a comprehensive analysis of economic indicators.
According to the NBU, the central bank uses international mathematical models similar to those employed by the world’s leading central banks.
“When considering the introduction of higher-denomination banknotes, the National Bank first and foremost takes economic factors and models into account. Currently, the optimal highest denomination for Ukraine is 2,000 hryvnias,” the NBU stated.
Thus, reports of a possible 5,000-hryvnia bill are unfounded.
Why the NBU Decided to Issue the 2,000-Hryvnia Banknote
The National Bank explained that the economic situation in Ukraine has changed significantly over the past seven years.
The main reasons for the introduction of the new denomination are:
- the average salary of Ukrainians has roughly tripled;
- consumer prices have nearly doubled;
- the amount of cash in circulation has exceeded 970 billion hryvnias;
- it now takes more than 30 1,000-hryvnia bills to pay the average salary, whereas previously about ten were sufficient.
That is why the NBU decided to optimize cash circulation by introducing a new denomination.
Does the new banknote mean the “printing press” is being turned on?
The National Bank specifically emphasized that the issuance of the new banknote does not mean an additional money supply.
The new bills:
- will primarily be used to replace worn-out banknotes;
- will not increase the total amount of cash in the economy;
- should not affect the inflation rate.
The NBU emphasizes that its monetary policy remains under control.
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When Will the 2,000-Hryvnia Bill Be Issued?
Officially, the new 2,000-hryvnia banknote will enter circulation on September 4, 2026.
The front side will feature Ukrainian poet and dissident Vasyl Stus.
The date chosen for its introduction into circulation is symbolic— September 4. It was on September 4, 1965, during the premiere of the film *Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors* at the Kyiv movie theater “Ukraine,” Vasyl Stus, together with Vyacheslav Chornovil and Ivan Dziuba, staged the first open public protest in the USSR against the mass political repression of the Ukrainian intelligentsia.
And on September 4, 1985, Vasyl Stus died in captivity at the “Perm-36” maximum-security camp.
What security features will the new banknote have?
According to the National Bank, the new banknote will be one of the most secure in the world.
It will feature:
- more than 20 modern security features;
- an innovative Anima™ Colour polychromatic strip;
- a Trident image that changes to the hryvnia symbol when the banknote is tilted;
- state-of-the-art anti-counterfeiting technologies.
The NBU emphasizes that the new banknote meets the highest international standards for cash security.
Is it possible that new denominations will be introduced in the future?
The regulator does not rule out that the issue of new denominations may be reconsidered in the future depending on the economic situation.
However, as of July 2026, no decisions have been made regarding a 5,000-hryvnia banknote, and the 2,000-hryvnia note will remain the highest denomination.
Following the presentation of the 2,000-hryvnia banknote dedicated to Vasyl Stus, a discussion arose within the design community regarding the design of the denomination inscription. In particular, Ukrainian typographers and designers noted that its graphic execution resembles an adaptation of a typeface created by a Russian designer.
Critics emphasized that the use of elements that could be associated with the Russian school of design is inappropriate on a banknote dedicated to Vasyl Stus—a Ukrainian poet, human rights activist, and dissident who died in 1985 in a Soviet labor camp after years of persecution by the Soviet authorities.
As reported by
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