Starting October 7, 2025, Bulgarians will be able to withdraw cash from ATMs up to ten times per month without any fees, according to new amendments to the Law on Payment Services and Payment Systems, recently passed by parliament and published in the State Gazette. This right applies exclusively to withdrawals made from ATMs belonging to the bank servicing the account.

These fee-free withdrawals are available only from a so-called basic payment account, which carries no monthly maintenance fees. However, withdrawing money from ATMs of other banks or taking cash directly from bank branches will still incur charges. Additionally, account holders can make up to three free bank transfers per month, including those conducted via online banking platforms.

To qualify for these benefits, the basic account must receive and store funds solely from specific income sources such as salaries, pensions, social security payments, social assistance benefits, or scholarships for students, undergraduates, and doctoral candidates. If funds from other sources, like selling farmland or cash deposits, are deposited into the account, the right to free withdrawals and transfers will be forfeited.

All banks licensed to operate in Bulgaria, including foreign bank branches, are obligated to offer these basic payment accounts to consumers. However, banks tend not to actively promote them. While anyone in Bulgaria has the right to open such an account, the application process is somewhat stricter than for regular current accounts, which generally come with fees. Once all required documents are submitted, banks have a 10-day window to either open the account or decline the application.

Banks can refuse to open a basic payment account if the applicant already holds one with the same or another institution. They may also reject the application if the customer owns more than one ordinary payment account capable of withdrawals, transfers, or deposits. If a person opens multiple ordinary accounts after holding a basic payment account, banks may terminate the basic account agreement.