Key points
- The National Bank will introduce a 2,000 UAH banknote with a portrait of Vasyl Stus – the new highest denomination of the currency.
- The banknote will appear in circulation on September 4, 2026, on the day of remembrance of the poet.
- The share of 1,000 UAH banknotes in circulation has reached a critical 55%, and the average monthly salary has increased to 30,961 UAH.
- The new denomination will reduce the costs of transporting cash – by 2-10 times, depending on the denomination.
- The banknote will have over 20 modern security elements and will be executed in purple-blue and pink tones.
- The previous highest denomination – 1,000 UAH with a portrait of Vernadsky – was introduced into circulation in 2019.
The National Bank will introduce a new 2,000 UAH banknote with a portrait of the poet Vasyl Stus – it will become the highest denomination of the Ukrainian currency, the head of the NBU Andriy Pyshny said at a press briefing, according to RBC-Ukraine.
The banknote will enter circulation on September 4, 2026 – on the day of remembrance of Stus, an outstanding poet, translator, and political prisoner.
The decision to introduce a new denomination is due to the fact that the share of 1,000 UAH banknotes in circulation as of July 1, 2026, has reached a critical 55%, and the average monthly salary has increased to 30,961 UAH – three times more than in 2019.
The introduction of a banknote with a larger denomination will reduce the costs of transporting cash: replacing 1,000 UAH banknotes will reduce logistical costs by two times, 500 UAH – by four times, and 200 UAH – by 10 times.
The new banknote will have over 20 modern security elements and will be executed in purple-blue and pink tones. In the lower left corner, the number “2,000” and the UAH symbol “₴” are placed, and to the right, the inscription “TWO THOUSAND” is applied vertically.
According to Pyshny, the choice of the poet’s figure was confirmed by children – during a contest from the Money Museum of the NBU, six children’s sketches of banknotes of the new denomination depicted Vasyl Stus.
The previous highest denomination was introduced by the National Bank on October 25, 2019 – then a 1,000 UAH banknote with a portrait of Academician Vladimir Vernadsky appeared in circulation.
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