Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

For third consecutive month BNB raises base rate

BNB building
Photo: Ani Petrova

On 1 November, the Bulgarian National Bank is raising the base rate for the national currency – Lev – to 3.79%. The base rate in October was 3.64%, and in September 3.53%. Interest rates have been going up since the end of September 2022 when the BNB announced a rate increase from zero percent for September to 0.49% as of 1 October, 2022. By the end of 2022, the annual base rate had reached 1.42%.

Over the first 9 months of the year, the banking system in Bulgaria has registered records-high profits of EUR 1.35 billion (2.7 billion Leva), or 80.5% more compared to the same period of 2022, the BNB says. The impressive profits made by banks in 2023 are due mostly to the significant increase in revenue from interest on loans and higher fees and commissions. 



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

BNB Governor: Banks in Bulgaria are ready for the euro

Citizens should remain calm about the introduction of the euro in Bulgaria from January 1, 2026, as the Bulgarian National Bank and commercial banks are ready for all processes related to the currency conversion and distribution of euro banknotes. This..

published on 11/4/25 2:28 PM

The 2026 budget provides for EUR 10.5 billion in new debt and a 3% deficit

Bulgaria’s Ministry of Finance has published the draft state budget in euros for 2026. The country’s GDP is projected to reach EUR 120.1 billion, with an economic growth rate of 2.7%. Planned revenues amount to EUR 51.436 billion, or 42.8% of GDP...

published on 11/4/25 9:08 AM

Bulgaria is among the EU countries with the highest percentage of workers at risk of poverty

In 2024, 8.2% of people aged 18 or over who declared to be at work (either employed or self-employed) in the EU were at risk of poverty, according to data from Eurostat, cited by the BNR's Horizont channel. In Bulgaria, this share reached 11.8%. The..

published on 11/3/25 3:14 PM