A 2,000-hryvnia banknote was put into circulation in Ukraine: what does it look like and why was it issued?

Since September 4, 2026, a new banknote with a denomination of 2000 hryvnias has appeared in Ukraine. It has become the largest denomination of the national currency that the National Bank of Ukraine has issued into cash circulation.

This is reported with reference to the National Bank of Ukraine.

The NBU explained that the need for a new denomination is due to changes that have occurred in the economy and the structure of cash circulation over the past seven years.

Why did the 2000 hryvnia banknote appear

After the introduction of the 1000 hryvnia banknote in 2019, the average monthly salary in Ukraine increased approximately threefold, and the price level calculated on the basis of the inflation index doubled.

The total amount of money in circulation has also increased significantly. If in 2019 the volume of cash was almost 390 billion hryvnias, then as of July 1, 2026 it exceeded 970 billion hryvnias.

At the same time, banknotes with a denomination of 1,000 hryvnias account for more than 55% of the total amount of cash in circulation.

The National Bank emphasizes that the introduction of the new denomination should optimize cash circulation and make the use of money more convenient for citizens and businesses.

It is also expected to reduce the costs of transportation, collection and storage of cash.

What the new 2,000 hryvnias look like

The main color of the new banknote is blue. Its size is 75×166 mm.

The front side features a portrait of the Ukrainian poet, human rights activist and dissident Vasyl Stus.

The back side depicts the building of the Philology Faculty of Donetsk National University, where Stus studied. The design also uses images inspired by the mosaics of Ukrainian artist Alla Horska.

The size and color of the banknote differ from other denominations, which should make it easier to recognize.

How the new banknote was protected

The 2,000 hryvnia banknote received more than 20 security features.

Among them is an updated “window” security strip in blue and yellow colors and the optically variable SPARK element.

When the banknote is tilted, the security features change their appearance. In particular, the colors of the SPARK element change from purple to golden green.

Why Vasyl Stus is depicted on the banknote

The new denomination is dedicated to Vasyl Stus — a Ukrainian poet from the sixties, translator, publicist, human rights activist and political prisoner of the Soviet regime.

The date of the banknote’s introduction into circulation — September 4 — was also chosen not by chance.

It was on September 4, 1965, during the premiere of the film “Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors” at the Kyiv cinema “Ukraine”, that Vasyl Stus, together with Vyacheslav Chornovil and Ivan Dziuba, took part in a public protest against the political repression of the Ukrainian intelligentsia.

20 years later, on September 4, 1985, Vasyl Stus died in prison in a Soviet special regime camp.