NBU to issue into circulation UAH 2,000 banknote with Stus on it from Sept 4
The National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) will introduce a new 2,000-hryvnia banknote into circulation on September 4, 2026, NBU Governor Andriy Pyshny announced during a press briefing in Kyiv on Friday.
"The national currency banknote series for any country’s central bank is not static. The economy changes. Incomes, prices, the amount of cash in circulation, and public behavior all change, and the national currency banknote series must reflect these changes. Just as in 2019, economic conditions led to the introduction of the 1,000-hryvnia banknote, in 2026 they have created a justified need for the introduction of the 2,000-hryvnia banknote," explained Pyshny.
The regulator also justified the need for a new denomination by citing the fact that since the introduction of the 1,000-hryvnia banknote seven years ago, the average monthly salary in Ukraine has tripled, and the price level, adjusted for inflation, has doubled. This has increased the amount of cash required to pay wages. Furthermore, the total amount of cash in circulation has grown from UAH 390 billion to over UAH 970 billion as of July 1, 2026, due to wartime needs, and the share of 1,000-hryvnia banknotes by value has exceeded 55%. The introduction of the new banknote will allow the state to reduce the costs of banknote production and logistics, while banks and businesses will optimize cash processes.
The new banknote is dedicated to the Ukrainian poet, dissident, and human rights activist Vasyl Stus. The date of its introduction commemorates the poet’s participation in the first open public protest against repression at the Ukraina Cinema on September 4, 1965, and his death in custody on September 4, 1985.
The front of the banknote features a portrait of Vasyl Stus, while the back depicts the building of the Philology Faculty of Donetsk National University, where he studied. The design features elements inspired by the mosaics of Alla Horska (the image of a Falco rupicoloides), motifs from Stus’ imprisoned poems, and a font inspired by the graphic works of Heorhiy Narbut.
The blue banknote measures 75 x 166 mm. It features enhanced security features consisting of over 20 elements, including a multi-tone watermark, rainbow, Orlov, and intaglio printing, a latent image, microtext, and fluorescent protection.
Additionally, its design features an optically variable SPARK element with a kinetic color transition from purple to golden-green, and a unique polychrome animated "window" security strip, Anima Color, in blue and yellow, where the Trident transforms into a hryvnia symbol when tilted. Three parallel horizontal lines are provided on the front for the visually impaired.
Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Ruslan Stefanchuk was present during the banknote’s presentation. According to him, the highest denomination of the national currency is always a kind of calling card for the state, and therefore it should reflect Ukraine’s history, values, and intellectual and spiritual heritage.
"It’s no coincidence that the new UAH 2,000 banknote will be dedicated to Vasyl Stus – an outstanding Ukrainian poet, thinker, human rights activist, political prisoner, dissident, member of the Ukrainian Helsinki Group, and fighter for Ukraine’s independence. He is one of the most striking symbols of the struggle for human dignity and freedom. Even under persecution and imprisonment, Stus did not renounce his beliefs, remaining true to the principles of freedom, justice, and human honor," Stefanchuk said.
Photo: Serhii Korkhmazov