Kyiv and Its Region Dominate Ukraine's Currency Market: First Half of 2026 in Review.

Top Performers in Ukraine's Cash Forex Market

According to Мінфін — Крипто/Фінанси: For the first six months of 2026, the capital city of Kyiv and the surrounding Kyiv Oblast have emerged as the leading players in Ukraine's cash currency market. The Lviv and Odesa regions also recorded high levels of activity in both buying and selling foreign exchange. Meanwhile, the Dnipropetrovsk region experienced a noticeable decline in its currency transaction volumes.

According to official figures, Kyiv accounted for a 27.8% share of all currency purchases during the first half of 2026, reflecting strong demand for foreign money in the capital. Kyiv Oblast secured second place with an 8.4% share, while Lviv Oblast and Odesa Oblast posted shares of 7.8% and 7.3%, respectively, showing robust participation in this sector.

Trends in Currency Transactions

On the selling side, Kyiv again led the pack with a 31% share. Kyiv Oblast followed at 10.5%, and Odesa Oblast at 9%. In absolute terms, the value of currency purchases in Kyiv reached 140.1 billion Ukrainian hryvnias, while sales hit 109.3 billion hryvnias. The net purchase of foreign currency in the capital stood at 30.8 billion hryvnias, indicating a positive balance in these operations.

In contrast, the Dnipropetrovsk region saw its share of currency buying drop from 6.9% to 6.1%, and its share of selling fall from 4.7% to 4.1%. The total volume of currency purchases in this region decreased by 8.8%, signaling a slowdown in market activity.

Overall, the first half of 2026 highlighted stark regional differences in the dynamics of currency operations across Ukraine. Kyiv and Kyiv Oblast continue to hold dominant positions, while other areas—particularly the Dnipropetrovsk region—showed a clear downward trend in activity.

These figures point to steady demand for foreign currency in Kyiv, likely driven by a combination of economic factors and a rise in business and tourism-related transactions. The drop-off in currency operations in the Dnipropetrovsk region may signal underlying economic challenges that warrant closer examination to understand the causes and potential impacts on the regional economy.