The NBU significantly eases foreign exchange restrictions

Resolution No. 90 increases cash withdrawal limits for businesses, expands individuals’ ability to purchase non-cash foreign currency and securities, updates the rules for card payments abroad, and introduces additional foreign exchange opportunities for businesses supporting the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the National Guard of Ukraine.

What are the changes about?

The changes are aimed at simplifying cross-border payments for individuals, expanding opportunities to manage personal funds, and promoting investment activity. For businesses and the financial sector, the new rules are intended to support business activity, strengthen confidence in Ukrainian exporters, encourage foreign capital inflows, and enhance Ukraine’s defence capabilities through new mechanisms for supporting the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

What exactly is changing?

1. Cash withdrawals and cross-border payments

The National Bank of Ukraine has doubled the daily limit for cash withdrawals in hryvnia from customer accounts, from UAH 100,000 to UAH 200,000 per day, excluding bank fees. The new UAH 200,000 limit applies to business and individual entrepreneur accounts. However, for personal, non-business accounts of individuals, the daily cash withdrawal limit remains unchanged at UAH 100,000.

At the same time, the NBU has increased the limit for cash withdrawals by individuals and businesses from foreign currency accounts, both in Ukraine and abroad, from the equivalent of UAH 100,000 to UAH 200,000 per day.

For individuals, the limit on payments abroad for goods, works, services and residential rent from hryvnia accounts has also been increased to UAH 200,000 per calendar month. Within this limit, payments may be made not only by card but also by account-to-account transfer, with the bank first purchasing the required amount of foreign currency.

Individuals are also permitted to pay for goods, works and services abroad by transferring their own foreign currency from a foreign currency account without using a payment card, within the equivalent of UAH 200,000 per calendar month. At the same time, card payments for goods, works and services from foreign currency accounts generally remain unrestricted in amount, except for certain transactions expressly specified in Resolution No. 18.

In addition, the NBU has expanded the scope of the special UAH 500,000 monthly limit applicable to payments from foreign currency accounts for accommodation services abroad. Within this limit, individuals may now also pay for residential rent, not only by card but also by transferring funds directly from a foreign currency account.

2. Purchase of non-cash foreign currency and securities by individuals

The rules governing the sale of non-cash financial instruments to individuals without supporting grounds have been amended under paragraph 12-19 of Resolution No. 18. The aggregate monthly purchase limit has been increased from UAH 50,000 to the equivalent of UAH 200,000 per bank.

Within this limit, individuals may now purchase not only non-cash foreign currency, but also non-cash bank metals without physical delivery and securities issued by foreign issuers, provided that such securities are delivered through Ukraine’s depository system.

3. Cross-border payments and cash withdrawals for businesses

The limit on cash withdrawals abroad using hryvnia-denominated corporate cards has been increased from UAH 17,500 for each seven-calendar-day period to UAH 140,000 per calendar month.

The limit on payments abroad for goods, works and services using hryvnia-denominated corporate cards has been increased from UAH 150,000 to UAH 400,000 per calendar month. Similar payments using foreign currency-denominated corporate cards may continue to be made without any amount limit.

4. New foreign exchange opportunities for business groups and companies supporting the Armed Forces and the National Guard

New mechanisms have been introduced for legal entities to use foreign exchange limits. Companies may now transfer their Investment Limit and the new Additional Limit, or part thereof, to related legal entities within the same business group. Among other requirements, this requires the written consent of the holder of the relevant limit, while transactions within the transferred limit must be serviced through a single bank.

A new “Additional Limit” has also been introduced. It is calculated based on monetary charitable donations made by a company starting from 10 August 2026 where the ultimate recipients are military units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine or the National Guard of Ukraine.

Such donations must comply with the conditions established by the NBU and be supported by financial statements accompanied by an auditor’s report issued by one of the Big Four audit firms. Within the amount of the Additional Limit, a company may carry out the foreign exchange transactions permitted under Resolution No. 18 using its own foreign currency funds.

5. Other relaxations for foreign trade and scientific activities

Ukrainian exporters are now permitted to transfer funds to non-residents to pay penalties, default interest, bonuses, and compensation for costs and losses under export contracts.

The aggregate amount of such transfers during a calendar year may not exceed 10% of the total value of goods supplied to the relevant non-resident under such contracts after 23 February 2021.

In addition, transfers are now permitted for the payment of registration fees for participation in international scientific congresses, conferences and other international scientific events, up to the equivalent of EUR 1,000 per event.

What does this mean in practice?

For individuals. The limit for purchasing non-cash foreign currency has been increased from UAH 50,000 to UAH 200,000 per calendar month in one bank. Within the same aggregate limit, individuals may also purchase non-cash bank metals and securities issued by foreign issuers with settlement through Ukraine’s depository system.

Individuals also have broader options for making payments abroad: goods, works, services and residential rent may now be paid for from hryvnia accounts within a monthly limit of UAH 200,000, including through account-to-account transfers. The daily limit for cash withdrawals from foreign currency accounts has also been increased to the equivalent of UAH 200,000.

For businesses. Increasing the daily limit for cash withdrawals in hryvnia to UAH 200,000, as well as the limit for cash withdrawals from foreign currency accounts in Ukraine and abroad to the equivalent of UAH 200,000 per day, should simplify day-to-day payments and cash management.

The monthly limit for payments abroad using hryvnia-denominated corporate cards has also been increased to UAH 400,000.

In addition, the new Additional Limit linked to donations to the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the National Guard provides companies that systematically support Ukraine’s defence sector with broader opportunities to carry out certain cross-border foreign exchange transactions. The ability to transfer foreign exchange limits between related companies should also make treasury and financial management within business groups more flexible.