Starting April 25, 2026, the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) is easing a number of currency restrictions, specifically simplifying the conditions for defense enterprises to purchase foreign currency, expanding opportunities for non-resident military personnel and non-resident specialists to transfer funds abroad, and creating conditions for the implementation of the government’s program to support Ukrainians abroad.
“When fulfilling currency purchase requests from defense enterprises, banks will be able to disregard foreign currency balances in accounts if these funds were received from foreign states or their authorized agencies to finance contracts for the production of military and dual-use goods for security and defense forces,” the NBU noted in a press release on Friday.
The same rule will apply when purchasing foreign currency using budget funds to fulfill a government contract for the production of military goods for these recipients.
The National Bank has also expanded opportunities for non-resident military personnel to purchase foreign currency and transfer it abroad. They will be able to purchase and transfer foreign currency abroad without restrictions in the amount of their received monetary allowance, provided these funds were credited to their account on or after May 1, 2026. For funds credited prior to this date, the current limit of 400,000 UAH equivalent per calendar month will apply.
In addition, banks are permitted to credit funds in hryvnia within Ukraine to the current accounts of non-resident individuals who are currently serving or have served in the Armed Forces of Ukraine or the National Guard of Ukraine.
For individuals who are residents of Russia or Belarus, such transactions are permitted without separate approval from the Security Service of Ukraine; however, transfers from residents of these countries are possible only if such an individual possesses a document confirming temporary asylum in another country.
It has been clarified that for the identification and verification of military personnel when opening accounts, banks and non-bank payment service providers may use the military personnel’s military registration document, as well as a currently valid military ID, officer’s ID, or general’s (admiral’s) ID.
The regulator has also simplified certain conditions for purchasing and transferring currency to attract highly qualified non-resident specialists. Ukrainian legal entities are permitted to purchase and transfer foreign currency to the accounts of non-resident individuals—members of supervisory boards, boards of directors, and executive bodies—opened outside Ukraine, in the amount of payments accrued as of May 1, 2026, under civil law contracts.
Non-resident individuals, in turn, will be able to purchase and transfer foreign currency abroad in the amount of payments received on or after May 1, 2026, into their hryvnia accounts at Ukrainian banks as salaries, other payments provided for by law, as well as payments under civil law contracts.
The NBU also authorized Agency of National Unity LLC to make transfers abroad using budget funds to implement the government’s program to support Ukrainians abroad and facilitate their return to Ukraine.
Separately, the regulator has abolished the requirement for insurers to submit monthly reports on compliance with solvency requirements in order to remain on the list of companies authorized to conduct reinsurance transactions with non-resident reinsurers.
The changes were approved by a resolution of the central bank’s board dated April 23, 2026, which takes effect on April 25, 2026.
As reported, in January 2026, the NBU had already eased a number of currency restrictions, including introducing a “loan” limit for businesses, allowing funds for goods to be returned to the accounts of individuals abroad under certain conditions, and clarifying the rules for currency supervision of export settlements.
