Introduction of digital hryvnia in 2027 is questionable: NBU announced the reason

The development of the digital hryvnia continues, but its implementation in 2027 remains in doubt due to the war. This was stated by Oleksiy Shaban, Deputy Governor of the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU), during the Kyiv International Economic Forum-2025, as reported by UNN with reference to Forbes Ukraine.

DetailsAccording to him, the launch of the e-hryvnia requires significant financial resources, and spending them during wartime may be unethical.

Shaban clarified that the NBU plans a pilot project that will allow testing the digital currency not only within the regulator but also in real conditions – for payments, transfers, or government programs. However, the cost of such a pilot is high, and the technical requirements are complex.

We are moving forward, but I cannot say that 2027 will be the year of the e-hryvnia’s implementation

For referenceThe NBU presented the draft concept of the e-hryvnia as digital money in November 2022. The e-hryvnia is intended to perform all functions of money and become a complement to cash and non-cash forms of the hryvnia, as well as be accessible for use by all segments of the population, government agencies, legal entities, banks, and non-bank financial institutions.

In 2023, the Ministry of Digital Transformation wanted to accelerate the launch of the electronic hryvnia project. The National Bank of Ukraine planned to conduct a pilot project for open testing of the e-hryvnia in 2025.

RecallDeputy Governor of the National Bank Oleksiy Shaban announced that Ukraine is preparing to introduce digital money. The economist explained that this refers to an alternative form of money alongside cash and non-cash.