Cash in circulation has increased: how much money do Ukrainians keep in banknotes and coins

The volume of cash in circulation in Ukraine increased significantly in 2025. The total amount of cash increased by 12.6%, or by 103.9 billion hryvnias, and as of January 1, 2026, it reached 926.3 billion hryvnias. This was reported by the National Bank of Ukraine.

The NBU notes that the growth rate of cash in circulation has slightly accelerated compared to the previous year. For comparison, in 2024 this figure was 7.6%. The regulator associates such dynamics with the further recovery of economic activity, part of which is traditionally served by cash payments.

Additional factors of growth were an increase in wages and social benefits, stable consumer demand for goods and services, as well as a slowdown in inflation. The NBU emphasizes that these processes contributed to an increase in the population's need for cash.

At the same time, the regulator also draws attention to the security risk factor. The increasing intensity of attacks, in particular on energy and other critical infrastructure, encourages citizens to form a certain reserve of cash hryvnia in case of emergencies.

According to the National Bank, there are currently 2.6 billion banknotes in circulation for a total of 916.9 billion hryvnias, as well as 15.2 billion coins (excluding commemorative and investment coins) for a total of 9.3 billion hryvnias. On average, one resident of Ukraine at the beginning of 2026 had 64 banknotes and 193 payment and circulation coins. For comparison, a year ago these figures were 63 banknotes and 186 coins.

Among banknotes, the largest share in circulation is occupied by banknotes with a denomination of 500 hryvnias — 26% of the total. The least used banknote is the 50 hryvnia banknote, whose share is 4.6%. As for coins, both exchange and circulation denominations of 1, 2, 5 and 10 hryvnias are in circulation. The most common are coins with a denomination of 1 hryvnia, while the least common are coins with a denomination of 10 hryvnias, whose share is 2.3%.

Separately, the NBU recalled that from October 1, 2025, the gradual withdrawal of coins with a denomination of 10 kopecks from circulation began. Over the past year, 3.1 million such coins have already been withdrawn, and their share of the total number of coins in circulation at the beginning of the year was 27.2%. At the same time, stable demand for coins with a denomination of 50 kopecks remains, especially from the trade and services sector, where their share reaches 9.1%.

The dynamics of coin circulation also demonstrates changes in the structure of cash. The highest growth rates in 2025 were recorded for coins with denominations of 5 and 10 hryvnias - their number increased by 21% and 29%, respectively. This is due to the NBU's policy of gradually withdrawing banknotes with denominations of 1, 2, 5 and 10 hryvnias from circulation and replacing them with the corresponding coins.

At the same time, in 2025, for the first time in recent years, the number of banknotes with denominations of 100 and 50 hryvnias increased - by 4.5% and 6.3%, respectively. The National Bank suggests that this was a consequence of a change in the regulator's tariff policy aimed at increasing the level of currency exchangeability. The largest reduction, however, was recorded in banknotes with a denomination of 200 hryvnia, the number of which in circulation decreased by 17.6%, in particular due to active replacement with 1,000 hryvnia banknotes and the withdrawal of old samples.