As of midnight on January 1, 2026, Bulgaria officially became the 21st member of the European Union (EU) to enter the eurozone, leaving behind the leva. New Year's festivities were interlocked with celebrations for this long-awaited milestone, like the display of euro coins on the facade of the central bank in Sofia.
This step, which took 19 years to achieve, will raise the current euro users to over 350 million throughout Europe, and it will mean Bulgaria now has a seat at the European Central Bank's rate-setting Governing Council.
The formation of the EU paved the way for a unified, multi-country financial system under a single currency: the euro. The currency helped increase trade and reduce exchange rate risks in eurozone countries. However, a few European nations decided to stick with their own currencies despite being member states.
Check out this gallery to discover which countries don't use the euro as currency, and why.