New currency in Belarus. What kind of money is there in Belarus? Rubles and altyns

To the question “what kind of money is in use in Belarus?” Each of us answers with confidence - of course, “bunnies.” But when people go to this country for the first time, most often they have little idea what this currency looks like and how much of it they need to have with them.

History of the Belarusian currency

The Belarusian national currency was born in the early nineties, almost simultaneously with the collapse of the union. At first, coupons were used as a settlement currency, later - bank notes. Initially, two options for the name of the currency were proposed - “thaler” and “Belarusian ruble”. Preference was given to the second option and in the same year Soviet rubles began to be withdrawn from the country’s financial circulation.

Although Belarus was one of the countries that signed an agreement on the creation of a new type of ruble zone, it still kept its own money in use.

Stability and convertibility within the country and abroad

In 1992, in response to the actions of the Russian government limiting the flow of cash and non-cash funds into the countries of the former USSR, “bunnies” were introduced into use and became the talk of the town.

At that time, the average salary in Belarus was only 25-30 dollars in equivalent. And now the exchange rate of the national currency is rather overvalued, and more and more often people are talking about the prospects of devaluation.

The final formation of the Belarusian currency occurred under the influence of an external reason - the complete withdrawal of Soviet rubles from circulation in Russia. Thus, by mid-1993, the government of the country was also forced to completely replace the old rubles with “bunnies”.

The agreement on a single ruble zone allowed Belarus to make plans that by 1994-1995 the country would have a single currency with the Russian Federation and special currency conditions, so the government for a long time maintained the Belarusian ruble in the status of a temporary payment card, and not the national currency.

The idea with the ruble zone was a fiasco and therefore in the fall of 1996 the notorious “bunnies” were replaced with banknotes depicting national architectural structures. Such banknotes are still in use in the country today.

Belarusian rubles in the 2000s

During the first period of its existence, the new currency went through difficult stages of development. The need for constant lending by the National Bank to the government led to a flood of the economy with money that was no longer backed by goods. The result is rapid inflation and currency devaluation. To combat these processes, the government began to introduce strict prohibitions in the foreign exchange market. As a result, the country received a confusing system of cash and non-cash exchange rates and a flourishing black market for currencies.

In the first years after its establishment, the Belarusian ruble was quoted in international payments, including on the Russian market. Due to the fact that various speculators began to make money from exchange rate fluctuations, the National Bank closed the domestic currency market to foreigners and accused Russian banks of trying to manipulate the exchange rate of the Belarusian currency. These measures turned out to be ineffective - the currency continued to weaken and prices continued to rise.

With the beginning of the 2000s, the volume of money emission decreased sharply, and the situation began to change dramatically. On September 14, 2000, a single ruble exchange rate and a single session of the Belarusian Currency and Stock Exchange were introduced.

The purchasing power of the national currency gradually recovered, consumer prices doubled, and the cash American dollar increased by 50%.

Since November 2001, the Belarusian ruble has become a limited convertible currency. After this, Putin and Lukashenko signed an agreement that was supposed to introduce a single monetary unit on the territory of these countries. The local ruble almost ceased to exist.

From the beginning of 2005, the country was supposed to introduce the Russian ruble as a currency, and from 2008, the Russian Federation and Belarus were supposed to introduce a new currency common to the two countries. These plans remained unrealized because the parties did not agree on the level of powers in the Union State and a common constitution.

Immediate prospects for the Belarusian ruble

The Belarusian ruble is an independent currency and, most likely, will continue to remain so. In recent years, this currency has noticeably strengthened in its nominal terms.

If we take into account the price of energy resources and the cost of housing and communal services for the population, then the Belarusian ruble may be considered undervalued compared to the dollar, but if we take the prices of consumer goods and the food basket as a basis, then the ruble seems more likely to be overvalued.

Be that as it may, the National Bank plans to implement long-term plans to strengthen the real exchange rate of the Belarusian national currency.

At the moment, such optimistic plans are posed by a very real threat - currency devaluation associated with the increase in the cost of Russian gas. Although, according to analysts, the loss should be only 1% of the value of the gross domestic product, this does not make the damage insignificant.

This is due to the fact that if the cost of resources increases, you will have to pay in real dollars, and not in parity dollars, and there are not many of them in the country. Alternatively, you can increase the price of gas for the population and enterprises, but this will not add dollars to the treasury, only rubles. The need to purchase foreign currency, in turn, will lead to a fall in the exchange rate of the Belarusian currency.

To avoid this, the state can take four paths:

• rapidly reduce imports and increase exports;
• spend national foreign exchange reserves;
• attract maximum foreign investment;
• start selling government properties.

Foreign trade in Belarus is currently going through difficult times. However, the foreign exchange reserves accumulated in the past also do not allow for the painless purchase of resources at a new price. Foreign investors do not consider investing foreign currency in the country attractive, so this option also seems to be a dead end.

The only real prospect is to attract large Russian investors and sell them key Belarusian enterprises. The volume of capital in this case will be simply enormous, but by going this route the country’s leadership will voluntarily give up control over the real sector of the economy.

Thus, the question remains open as to whether the Belarusian government will want to maintain a strong national currency by selling off state property.

When the answer to this question is received, the future fate of the exchange rate of the national currency of Belarus will become clear. It will only be enough to estimate the amount of incoming currency from each listed source and compare its amount with the cost of purchasing gas. If revenues do not cover additional expenses, the Belarusian ruble will face inevitable devaluation.

What money should you take with you for a trip to Belarus?

What money to take to Belarus is a question faced by every traveler who has never crossed the borders of this state before.

Let's start with the fact that the Belarusian government, in an effort to eliminate the threat of dollarization of the economy, introduced restrictions on the use of foreign currency when conducting transactions on the territory of the Republic of Belarus. The vast majority of transactions between citizens of this country are carried out exclusively using the national currency.

Non-resident individuals and legal entities also have limited opportunities to pay in foreign currency. This list is enshrined in law and any deviations from this list are unacceptable.

As in any other country in the post-Soviet space, the American dollar serves as a conventional unit for determining the exchange rate of the national currency and a way to protect accumulated capital from inflation. Therefore, when going to Belarus, it makes sense, in addition to the amount you need in Belarusian rubles, to also have a certain amount in dollars, which can be exchanged at any bank.

Electronic money in the country

In addition to real bank notes, several virtual money services are active in Belarus. The largest of them are Easy Pay and WebMoney. Both of these systems have long established themselves as reliable and proven methods of conducting payments both in virtual space and beyond.

Such systems have a number of advantages:

• the ability to easily receive money transfers,
• pay for all kinds of goods and services while sitting at a computer monitor,
• top up your account from your mobile phone

There are also a number of disadvantages that should not be forgotten either. The main drawback is the unclear legal regulation of electronic money as a phenomenon, including in Belarus.

Servicing foreign bank cards

It is possible to withdraw foreign currency in cash from international plastic cards in Belarus, but not in every bank and only after pre-ordering the required amount. Most banks allow you to withdraw funds from such cards only in local rubles at the current exchange rate.

In contact with

The official currency of the Republic of Belarus is the Belarusian ruble. The monetary unit has firmly established itself in the country, and has also gained recognition in post-Soviet states and Europe. In the international banking system, the currency of Belarus received the code BYR.

It didn't take long before the currency of Belarus was officially approved. After the disappearance of the USSR from the political map in 1991, Soviet rubles were used in trade turnover. A year later, a decree was issued on what kind of currency Belarus should have.

Within two years, the transition to an official currency was carried out. As a result, banknotes were issued, on the obverse of which there appeared images of animals characteristic of Belarus: on the 1-ruble note - a hare, on the 50-ruble note - a squirrel, etc.

In 2000, the state was forced to carry out a denomination in the ratio of 1 to 1000. This is how the modern currency of Belarus appeared, which, according to forecasts, will be used until 2016.

Belarusian banknotes

Gradually, small banknotes in denominations of 1, 10, and 20 rubles were removed from trade. In 2015, 50-ruble bills were finally withdrawn from use. As a result, today Belarusians carry paper money in their wallets worth 100, 1000, 5000, 10000, 20000, 50000, 100000, 200000 rubles.

The country values ​​its culture and traditions, so the currency of Belarus on the obverse and reverse shows architectural treasures, as well as paintings, monuments and sculptures:

• 100 ruble banknote – National Academic Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theater, as well as one of the scenes from the ballet “The Chosen One”;
• 500 rubles – the Palace of Culture of Trade Unions and sculptures on the cornice of this building;
• 1000 rubles – National Art Museum and the painting “Flowers and Fruits” by Ivan Khrutsky;
• 5000 rubles – Minsk Sports Palace, as well as the Raubichi sports complex;
• 10 thousand – Vitebsk summer amphitheater;
• 20 thousand - the Rumyantsev-Paskevich palace in Gomel;
• 50 thousand – Mir Castle and its architecture;
• 100 thousand – Nesvizh Castle;
• 200 thousand – Art Museum in Mogilev.

Each banknote carries a piece of history and invites us to visit the most significant places in Belarus.

The attitude of other countries towards the Belarusian ruble

Almost all countries of the CIS and the former USSR know what the currency is in Belarus. In parallel with the formation of new trade relations, the Belarusian ruble is spreading in European countries. In some countries you can even exchange national currency.

Strong commodity-money relations are established with Russia. Back in 1999, a decree was issued by which the leaders of both states decided to issue a common currency. However, due to a wave of economic crises, the plan lay on the shelf for a long time. Already in 2016-2017, another currency denomination will be carried out, which will bring the value of the Belarusian ruble closer to the Russian unit.

Denomination of the currency of Belarus

By the end of 2016 - beginning of 2017, the banknotes will be replaced. The denomination is carried out in a ratio of 10,000 to 1, i.e. 4 zeros will be removed from the value of the bill. Banknotes worth less than 5,000 rubles will be replaced by coins. For example, a 100-ruble bill is equivalent to 1 kopeck.

The denomination of the national currency is carried out in order to simplify payments and improve the monetary circulation system in the country.

During 2016, any product will be offered a price in the old and new currencies. This is done to simplify the transition between monetary units, because not every Belarusian will be able to immediately manage kopecks and new banknotes.

Currency exchange in Belarus

To exchange money in Belarus, just contact any of the banks or exchange offices. The exchange rate is set in the morning, but during periods of unstable economic conditions it may change during the day.

Belarusian banks are open from 9:00-9:30 to 17:00-17:30 on weekdays. Among them: BelWeb, National Bank of Belarus, BPS-Sberbank, Belagroprombank, Technobank, Moscow-Minsk Bank, Belinvestbank, Paritetbank and others. In any of these institutions you can find out the real exchange rate and exchange money.

Depending on the situation in Russia, the currency of Belarus against the ruble is constantly changing. Both currencies are strongly related due to close trade relations between both states.

You should not change currency from private entrepreneurs or on the street, otherwise a number of difficulties may arise, especially for tourists. It is best for foreign visitors to keep the receipt of their money exchanges until they return home. The legality of the exchange is a guarantee of stay in the country.

Interesting facts about the Belarusian currency

1. Sometimes Belarusian rubles are affectionately called “bunnies,” because the first national 1-ruble banknotes featured a hare.
2. Belarus has so far remained one of the few countries where the total amount of capital can reach millions or even billions. In such units, salaries are paid and expensive purchases are made. Therefore, Belarusians are often called “millionaires”. However, after the 2016 redenomination, kopecks will appear in Belarus, and the most expensive banknote will cost 500 rubles.

The exchange rate of the Belarusian ruble of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation is an important parameter for those who often travel to Belarus, have partners there, and prefer to keep money in this currency. Official values ​​always differ from commercial ones. The former can be used for forecasting and your own calculations. The second ones are relevant for transactions.

Dynamics of the Belarusian ruble exchange rate of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation

The exchange rate of the Belarusian ruble to the Central Bank ruble is set every day: changes occur until approximately 15.00 Moscow time. The determining factors in them are the adjustments received during trading on the Moscow Exchange. Information is updated every day, effective tomorrow. On weekends, the Central Bank maintains the values ​​received on Friday.

You can monitor the dynamics online. In this case, you can find out the exchange rate of the Belarusian ruble of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation for today and tomorrow, and clarify the data that was relevant yesterday. The proposed graph shows:

• specific cost on a specific date;
• changes that occurred over a given period of time;
• adjustments by month.

The monthly schedule allows you to find out and determine what time is best to make a transfer by analyzing the situation day by day.

How to convert Belarusian rubles to rubles?

In addition to specific values ​​and favorable rates, we offer a Belarusian ruble to ruble converter. The service is intuitive and allows you to convert any given number of currency into Russian rubles. Having found out the cost at the official exchange rate for today, you can guess how much money you will receive on average tomorrow when exchanging. If necessary, it is possible to compare current data with archival data.

Reading time: 8 minutes. Views 203 Published September 28, 2018

Belarus attracts many Russian tourists and is one of the popular tourist destinations. No visa, ease of communication, excellent infrastructure, wonderful nature, historical places - all this makes our neighbor an attractive tourist destination. Especially considering the fairly low prices and the friendliness of the local population.

But it’s worth finding out what the currency is in Belarus, what the exchange rate is and why such a funny name came about? Everyone knows that the currency of the brotherly country is called “bunnies”. It is also worth separately considering the features of money exchange and the current exchange rate.

Traveling to Belarus: what currency do you need?

The funny name appeared in the early 90s, when Belarus issued its first banknotes, the design of which included images of local fauna (a hare was depicted on the ruble bill). Now the cover of the banknotes of our neighbors has changed, but the name, which so successfully entered into everyday life, has been preserved. Money in Belarus has its own special and interesting history, because the national currency was created in the most difficult situation for the country, during the period of separation from the Union.

Despite all the difficulties of the transition period, the ruble of Belarus has become a full-fledged and internationally recognized currency unit.

History of Belarusian money

The national currency in Belarus is quite young; until the collapse of the USSR, only Soviet rubles were used in the country, but with the collapse of the Union and the secession of the country, the question of creating a national currency arose. This task was especially urgent, because Belarus had the lowest food prices, and to prevent the massive import of foreign goods, the government urgently introduced special cash coupons.

Such signs were in circulation until the beginning of 1992, and already in the spring special payment tickets appeared in the republic (at the rate of 10 Russian rubles). At that time, the first national currency had already been prepared, which was in electronic accounts. Initially, they planned to call the new money “thaler”, by analogy with the strange German money. But such a proposal did not find a response among the local population, who were more familiar with the old name - “rubel”.

Many people wonder what money is called in Belarus and where such a cute nickname “bunnies” came from. In order to get away as much as possible from the tense political situation during that difficult period, the republic’s leadership decided to create a design for a new currency with images of animals that make up the local fauna. Therefore, banknotes began to be decorated with animals such as bison, squirrel, elk, wolf, bear, lynx, beaver and hare.

In the first money of Belarus, fauna was depicted on banknotes with a nominal value of up to one hundred rubles. On large banknotes, historical and architectural monuments were used in the design.

There are no longer animals on banknotes of modern design, but in local usage, Belarusians, out of habit, continue to call their money “bunnies.” By the way, the Belarusian national currency, along with the Russian one, is the leading settlement instrument in the Customs Union (an economic trade association of Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan).

Exchange rates

The national currency of Belarus has gone through difficult times in its history. If at the beginning of their circulation (1992–1993) Belarusian rubles were exchanged for Russian rubles at the rate of 1x10, then subsequently their quotation began to rapidly decline under the pressure of inflationary processes. In total, three denominations were carried out in the republic:

1. 1994. The first change took place when the national currency was recalculated tenfold.
2. 2000. Soon the need arose for a second denomination, this time the recount occurred 1,000 times.
3. 2016. The third and so far the last procedure for recalculating the nominal value of the national currency was carried out 10,000 times. Then coins with a nominal value from a penny to two rubles appeared.

Now Belarusian rubles are converted into Russian rubles at the existing rate of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation 1x31.23 (that is, one Belarusian ruble costs 31.23 Russian). The dynamics of the exchange rate tend to change slightly.

According to the advice of tourists, it is better to transfer money from Russian to Belarusian on the territory of the neighboring republic. There are many reasons for this and they are quite compelling:

1. There are a lot of exchange offices in Belarus, and these points can be found even in small urban settlements. And in areas favored by tourist travelers, they appear at almost every turn.
2. The exchange rate for the national currency in the republic is quite favorable in comparison with Russian exchangers.
3. Russian tourists do not have any problems regarding language exchange. Almost everyone speaks Russian, so there are no difficulties associated with exchanging money.
4. In Russia, it is quite difficult to purchase Belarusian banknotes; even in Moscow, not every exchanger offers them. For travelers departing for a neighboring republic, it would be useful to know that you can find “bunnies” at the exchange offices of the Belorussky railway station.

Where is the best place to exchange currency?

Since the Belarusian national currency is classified as non-convertible, it is almost impossible to obtain it outside the country. But there are no problems with exchange within the republic. To exchange Russian currency for Belarusian currency, a passport is required.

Currency exchangers in Belarus can be found in the following places:

• train stations;
• airports;
• on city streets;
• hotels and hotels;
• bank branches;
• major trade centers.

It is worth remembering that bank branches in Belarus are open from 9 am to 5 pm, except Saturday and Sunday. It is better and safer to use official exchange opportunities. In the country since 2010–2011 There is an active “black market” for currency exchange, which offers tourists to make conversions at an attractive and reduced rate (almost 20–30% lower than in official exchange offices). But you should not take advantage of such offers; it is prohibited by law and Russians may face large administrative fines.

Features of payment in cash and cards

When traveling to a hospitable neighbor, it would be a good idea to arm yourself with a plastic card. It is better to use a card of international payment systems - it is accepted throughout the country. Moreover, regardless of what currency the plastic is (dollars, Euros or Russian rubles), conversion takes place at a preferential rate when purchasing goods or services with Belarusian money.

Also, using a plastic card, you can easily exchange Russian rubles at the existing local exchange rate into Belarusian rubles using exchangers. But it is worth remembering that with such a transaction, a certain commission will be deducted from the owner of the plastic card. Therefore, it makes sense, if you need to cash out money, to order a large amount of “bunnies” at once.

Tourists are advised to use debit cards to cash out money, and pay with credit cards by bank transfer in order to reduce the amount of commissions. To roughly navigate future costs, you can consider the following average prices (according to reviews of tourists who visited there):

• drinking water (1 l): from 3,000 BYN. (17–18 Russian);
• regular bun: from 20,000 BYR. (almost 70 Russian);
• gas stations: from 9,000 BYR. (32 Russian) per liter of gasoline;
• lunch in a bistro, cafe: from 100,000 BYR. (about 350–400 Russian);
• short-distance taxi ride: from 30,000 BYN. (100 Russian);
• hotel room (per day per person): from 400,000 BYR. (about 1,500 Russian).

Russians who have visited our hospitable neighbor more than once are advised to divide the cash they plan to take with them on the trip. In particular:

• put the main amount of money on a debit card (for payments and cash withdrawals);
• It is better not to touch the credit card at all to withdraw cash (in this case the interest rates will be too high), but to use it exclusively for non-cash payments for purchases or services;
• immediately after arriving in the republic, it is worth buying Belarusian rubles for small and obligatory expenses, but it is better not to buy a lot of “bunnies” at once, so as not to take them back to Russia, where it is much more difficult to exchange Belarusian currency for Russian.

It is a must to have some Belarusian money with you. Especially if the trip is planned not by train/plane, but by your own car. After all, sometimes travelers find themselves in rural villages and they need refueling, water, food and other little things. And exchangers, which are available in abundance in cities and large villages, may not be available in small villages.

conclusions

Belarus is a beautiful country with a rich and glorious history. It is completely open to the public and has remained dear to Russian tourists since the times of the Soviet Union. There is a lot to see and a place to relax and have a great time. Well, for tourists traveling to Belarus, exchanging Russian currency for local currency will not cause any difficulties. You just need to know some nuances and exchange money only at official exchange points.

The history of the Republic of Belarus is rich in important events related to its currency. This includes the introduction of the state’s own money into circulation, hyperinflation, and redenomination. It is worth noting that the measures taken by the government led to a reduction in inflation to minimum values, and in certain periods of 2018 deflation was observed. Let's take a closer look at what kind of money is circulating in Belarus now.

Official currency in 2018

In 2018, the approved name of the currency of the Republic of Belarus is the Belarusian ruble. The monetary unit has been called this way since 1992 after the collapse of the USSR. Its symbol is Br (the letter B means the word “Belarusian”, and the r means “ruble”). Some sources note that initially the government planned to give it a different name - “thaler”. In the international format, the Belarusian ruble is indicated in the form of three capital letters - “BYN”.

Over all the years of its existence, the ruble of the Republic of Belarus has gone through three stages of monetary reform:

1. 1994 - 10 times (one zero was removed from banknotes).
2. 2000 – 1000 times (three zeros were removed from banknotes).
3. 2016 – 10,000 times (4 zeros were removed from banknotes).

Denomination means a process (reform), after the completion of which the nominal value of banknotes - their denomination - changes. In simple words, this is the replacement of old money with new ones, with fewer zeros. The main purpose of this is to stabilize the currency, simplify payments and remove excess money supply.

Denomination is possible only in two cases:

• If hyperinflation has occurred in the state (a large amount of money has caused inconvenience in its use).
• The state went through a crisis, after which the economic situation became stable, the inflation rate was no more than 12%, banking institutions provided loans to the population on favorable terms in relation to monetary policy.

As of November 7, 2018, the Central Bank of the Russian Federation established that for 1 Belarusian ruble you can get 31.11 Russian rubles or 0.47 US dollars (100 BYN = 47.04 $).

In 1992, when the all-Soviet financial system collapsed, the government of the Republic of Belarus introduced first coupons as money, and then NB banknotes. According to the official exchange rate, 1 payment ticket was equal to 10 Soviet rubles. From July 1 of the same year, it became possible to make payments using non-cash Belarusian rubles. In the second half of July 1993, the final process of withdrawing Soviet money from circulation began. And in 1994, the Belarusian ruble was finally approved as the only legal currency that could be used to pay in shops, cafes and other places.

Exchange foreign currency into Belarusian rubles

The Belarusian ruble is non-convertible currency, so it is impossible to purchase it in other countries. But within the state, exchange from any monetary unit is available. To carry out transactions, you must contact the exchange office. As a rule, they are located at airports, railway stations and large shopping centers.

A valid passport is required to exchange money. Receipts or checks issued by exchange office employees must be kept, since border guards will require them to be presented when leaving Belarus.

What has changed since the reform in 2016

On November 4, 2015, Alexander Lukashenko approved and signed decree No. 450 “On the denomination of the official currency.” Based on this paper, in the period from July 1, 2016 to December 31, 2016, a reform should be carried out - the denomination of the Belarusian ruble. The old banknotes, manufactured in 2000, were replaced by paper banknotes and coins of a new type, issued in 2009, in a ratio of 10 thousand to 1. Thus, the banknote with the smallest denomination of 100 rubles was replaced by a coin of 1 kopeck, and 500 new, relative to the denominated ruble, equals 5 million.

Until July 1, 2016, coins were not used in the Republic of Belarus. Until this time, they were issued as commemorative ones, not intended for circulation - they could not be used to pay for services or goods.

Today, banknotes of seven denominations are in circulation in the territory of the Republic of Belarus - 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 rubles. Metal coins of eight denominations were also used - 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 kopecks and 1 and 2 rubles. Visually, the new banknotes look almost the same as the old ones. Their size is almost identical; images of cities and landmarks are not missing. The only difference is for banknotes with a face value of less than 100 rubles. Now images of animals, including the well-known bunnies, are no longer applied (previously they decorated paper bills in denominations of 1 ruble).

Changes in trade and prices after the 2016 redenomination

Starting from July 1, 2016, price tags in stores, of course, were not completely changed to new ones. Even the government decided at first to indicate two prices for the convenience of citizens. The first is based on monetary units of 2000, and the second is based on the new banknotes issued in 2009. This continued until January 1, 2017, until it was published decree, according to which trade and service enterprises had to indicate the cost only in the new monetary unit.

The redenomination process led many Belarusians and financial experts to think about an increase in prices for commercial products due to a decrease in the number of zeros on banknotes. However, according to official statistics, the inflation rate did not reach the predicted parameter for 2016, that is, 12%. It was recorded at 11.8%, the country's government took various containment measures ().

It should be noted that there were still cases when sellers of vegetables, confectionery and other types of goods hoped for the “effect of small numbers”. That is, if previously 1 unit of goods cost 5 thousand rubles (50 kopecks at new prices), then after the reform it can be sold at twice the price - for 1 ruble. The calculation failed, buyers felt the difference, and the state did its best to stop the rise in prices.