The monetary unit of Belarus. What currency is used in Belarus Monetary unit in Belarus

On July 1, 2016, for the first time, citizens of the Republic will pick up new banknotes and coins. So far we have only seen sketches on the screens, but some idea is already taking shape.

Banknotes of seven denominations will appear in circulation: 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 rubles, and eight coins: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 kopecks, 1 and 2 rubles.

The size of banknotes is not too different from those that we have become accustomed to since 2000 - 150 × 74 mm. The semantic content, in general, is the same: architecture, national patterns, but the design has become more “European”. This is understandable - in Europe, there is a manufacturer of banknotes that won the competition of the National Bank (where exactly - has not yet been reported).

It also follows from the statement that there are no plans to create a mint in Belarus, the production is too expensive, obviously not profitable for a small state. By the way, from the same source we managed to find out that the production of one banknote or coin ranges from 1 to 4 euro cents, i.e. coins of 1 kopeck, at the current rate, are almost half the cost.

It should be noted that both coins and banknotes were printed back in 2009, as evidenced by the signature of the then head of the National Bank, P.P. Inconsistencies are promised to be eliminated in the manufacture of the next batches of banknotes.

The money printed in 2009 could have been put into circulation earlier, but this was prevented by the global economic crisis and too high in the Belarusian economy in subsequent years. I am also glad that the costs of money production have already been incurred, although there are still costs for the exchange, changes in accounting, reconfiguration of ATMs and other equipment.

By the way, the question of the future operation of ATMs (especially during the transition period) is still open: only with new money or in parallel with the old ones? with or without coins?

Returning to the design of new money, we note that the images on seven banknotes are correct, i.e. alphabetically, distributed among the regions: five-ruble notes are dedicated to the Brest region; ten-rouble notes - Vitebsk; twenty - Gomel; banknote of fifty rubles - Grodno; hundred-ruble - Minsk; two-hundred-ruble - Mogilev region; and the largest of five hundred rubles - to the city of Minsk.

The reverse side of the banknotes is filled with historical and cultural symbols, already without explicit reference to the geography of the country and the image on the front side.

The design of the coins may resemble the metal money of the Soviet period, and the two-ruble note is made up of two metals of different colors, like the euro.

On the front side of all the coins there is the coat of arms of the Republic, on the back there are national symbols. All banknotes are marked in 2009.

Not too much information about the new money has appeared, but something can be seen already now:

The largest bill of 500 rubles(5 million for today's money).

On the front side: National Library, Prokopovich's signature, year of issue, banknote denomination in numbers and words, a straight cross in the lower left corner, a rectangular sign resembling a door above it, the inscription "RB" on the right, translucent images and a metal strip for better counterfeit protection.

On the reverse side - the denomination in digits, the serial number of the banknote in two places, and a composition on the theme of literature: a quill pen, an inkwell, a book, as well as a flower and a fern branch. Probably, not all symbols on the new banknotes will be understandable to a simple layman, but they are certainly not accidental.

200 rubles- the general structure of the front and back sides remains the same, the color solution shifts towards purple. On the front side - the Mogilev Regional Art Museum named after P.V. Maslennikov, in the lower left corner, instead of a straight cross, there is an image of a rectangle above it, similar to a door.

On the reverse side - a collage on the theme of urban planning and crafts: the seal of Mogilev and a golden key, a tile, a forged lattice, images of houses.

100 ruble bill: The Radziwill Castle in Nesvizh, in the corner instead of a cross is a rhombus, above it is a rectangle.

On the reverse side there are musical instruments, Slutsk belts, the Batleyka puppet theater, a goat and a Christmas carol. The common theme is ethnography, folk holidays. The color scheme is closer to turquoise.

50 rubles- on the front side: Mir Castle, in the lower left corner there is a triangle, above it there is a picture similar to a “false window”, just like there are many in Mir Castle.

On the back - a composition on the theme of art: pen, paper, lyre, notes and laurel branches. Light green colors predominate in the design.

20 rubles. On the front side: the Rumyantsev-Paskevich Palace in Gomel, in the corner - a square, above it - a window.

On the reverse side: bell, Turov Gospel, carving, views of Turov in antiquity. The common theme is spirituality. The color of the banknote is rather sandy.

10 rubles. Front side: Church of the Transfiguration in Polotsk. An example of ancient Polotsk architecture of the 12th century, a contemporary of St. Euphrosyne of Polotsk. In the lower left corner is a circle, above it is an image of a tall window.

The main theme of the reverse side is enlightenment and printing. Depicted: Cross of Efrosinya of Polotsk, books, print of Francysk Skaryna. The color of the banknote is closer to blue with gold.

5 rubles- the smallest of the banknotes. On the front side - Belaya Vezha in Kamenets (Brest region) - a defensive structure of the 13th century, a rare example of the Romanesque style for Belarus. In the corner there is a “-” sign, above it is an element of the fortress wall.

The reverse side of the banknote is dedicated to ancient Slavic history, depicts a wheel, a leather belt, a reconstruction of the ancient fortified settlement Berestye. The general background is perhaps the color of ocher, brick.

Coins will also appear in circulation:

Coins of 1 and 2 rubles made of silver gray metal. 2 ruble has a yellow rim.

On the obverse (front side) of the coins there is the coat of arms of Belarus and the number "2009".

On the reverse (back side) there is a denomination and an ornament embodying the desire for happiness and freedom. These ornaments on 1 and 2 rubles are different, but the semantic load is the same.

Kopeks, depending on the denomination, are divided into two colors, as in the Soviet Union, although there is no exact match.

Small: 1, 2 and 5 kopecks- similar to copper 10, 20, 50 kopecks- golden hue.

From May 20, 2019, updated banknotes of the 2009 sample with a face value of 5 and 10 Belarusian rubles of 2019 will be put into circulation. This decision was made by Resolution of the Board of the National Bank of the Republic of Belarus dated April 24, 2019 No. 183 as part of the ongoing measures to replace dilapidated banknotes being withdrawn from circulation and optimize the security complex of banknotes in circulation.

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She left no one indifferent (by the way, if someone offers you to exchange old banknotes for new ones before this date, feel free to call the police - they are scammers!). To this day, our ruble is affectionately called the “bunny”, because it was this little animal, often found in Belarusian forests, that was depicted on the first national currency with a face value of 1 ruble. Those rubles have long been in the archives and collections of numismatists ... And what will they look like?

New banknotes are presented by Deputy Chairman of the Board of the National Bank Dmitry Lapko.

One of the first to see the new money with their own eyes, twirled in their hands and photographed by journalists. Before them yesterday the National Bank opened the doors of the Central Depository, where, with strict observance of temperature and humidity conditions, these banknotes were stored for 7 years. As Deputy Chairman of the Board of the National Bank Dmitry Lapko said, if today's banknotes are printed in Russia, then our new money was produced by a company from Great Britain. Coins were minted at the Lithuanian Mint and in the Slovak "Kremnica".

Why is this design

Continuity has been preserved in the design of the new banknotes - images of architectural and urban planning monuments have been used. By the way, for all the similarity of the new Belarusian banknotes to the euro, this is their main difference. There are no architectural monuments on the euro. And the fact that our money is colorful, and the dollar has been more and more decorated lately.

All denominations of the new Belarusian banknotes differ in size - one is 4 mm larger than the other (135 mm x 72 mm 5 rubles and 159 x 72 mm 500 rubles), and in color - from orange and reddish-brown (5 rubles) to blue-emerald-pink (500 rubles). The general principle: as the denomination grows, “the color scheme of banknotes is distributed from warm and simple to more complex and cold,” Svetlana Nekrasova, chief specialist of the National Bank, clarified the color nuances. On the front side of the banknotes, architectural monuments of Belarus are depicted, on the back - significant periods of the country's history. From ancient settlements, one of which has been preserved in the Brest region, to the present. Such topics, according to the developers, are patriotic and have great cognitive significance, fixing in the minds of specific ideas about the country, its regions, and the cultural wealth of the nation. Correspondence of areas to face value is chosen alphabetically. The front sides of the banknotes present an artistic picture of the monument with its elements. For example, the texture of the brick and masonry of the Kamenets Vezha is the handwriting left by the artists on the 5-ruble banknote. And on the reverse side, iconic and characteristic artifacts were selected for each area. For example, the Vitebsk region is presented as the birthplace of book printing and enlightenment.

Protection

The design of the new money is a tribute to security and banknote recognition technology. Our new money became bright, colorful and meaningful not only at the behest of artists and historians. Marina Demina, Chief Specialist of the Main Department of Cash Circulation of the National Bank, noted that money is, first of all, a bank note with security features. Banknotes are printed on special paper, which itself is protected from counterfeiting. In addition, there are security features visible to the naked eye. This is, say, the presence of a watermark on an unprinted field, which most often corresponds to the plot of the image. All banknotes have a metallic thread with text. In the light, it is a continuous dark stripe. There are also special drawings on the unsealed field. This is a part of the fragments on the front side and on the back, which are combined into a single whole when viewed through the light and correspond to the denomination of the banknote.

Only 6 visible degrees of protection. Plus, there are a lot of invisible elements that are revealed only to banks and narrow specialists.

For the visually impaired

There are tags for visually impaired people. They are located in the lower left corner, different in shape and shape, printed using a special technology and are well distinguished by touch. Large numbers of the denomination in contrast with the main color of the field will also not allow you to confuse banknotes.

Why coins

Belarus turned out to be the only European country where there are no coins. It was decided to correct this shortcoming. For several reasons. First. Coin life - 10 - 15 years, small banknotes - 6 - 12 months. And this is at best, because the banknote can be easily damaged by the inscription. Second. The appearance of coins is a serious bid to reduce inflation. From January to September, in annual terms, price growth decreased from 17.1 to 11.9 percent. In 2016, prices will rise by a maximum of 12 percent, and in 5 years inflation will be curbed to 5%.

The smallest denomination of the current banknote of 100 rubles will correspond to one kopeck. On its obverse, as well as on all small change coins introduced into circulation, the state emblem is depicted, on the reverse - numbers denoting face values. Plus, the reverse side of 1, 2 and 5 kopecks is complemented by an ornament symbolizing wealth and prosperity, on 10, 20 and 50 kopecks - a symbol of fertility and vitality, on one- and two-ruble coins - happiness and freedom.

Coins are also protected. Like banknotes, they are of different diameters. 1 kopeck - 15 mm, this is a steel alloy coated with copper, the color is red. Exactly the same, but larger in diameter, two- and five-kopeck coins. But 10, 20 and 50 kopecks are yellow, because they are made of steel alloy coated with copper and brass. 1 ruble - white due to copper-nickel coating. The two-ruble coin is two-colored, the largest is 23.5 mm in diameter, weighs 5.81 grams, and is 2 mm thick. It is made of a double combination of alloys - copper-brass and copper-nickel. In addition, the coins have a special edge (rim) with notches of a certain size. There are also small details of the ornament, which are difficult to reproduce in artisanal conditions.

How much does a denomination cost

Deputy Chairman of the Board of the National Bank Dmitry Lapko announced the approximate cost of manufacturing one banknote and coin - from 1 to 4 euro cents. Although it is difficult to talk today about the costs incurred in 2008-2009. To replace the 600 million banknotes of the 2000 model, only 80 million copies of new banknotes and 400 million coins will be required. The new banknote row is 7 times smaller. Therefore, according to forecasts, the cost of storage, packaging, transportation, counting, delivery of money to the end consumer will be seriously reduced. In addition, the National Bank promises to take a restrained approach to issuing large denomination banknotes into circulation.

How will ATMs work?

From July 1, it will be necessary to reprogram ATMs, equip coin acceptors in those devices where they are not, but should be. You can't do it all at the same time. Therefore, at first, ATMs will issue both old and new banknotes. In addition, within six months, any seller will be able to accept new banknotes from you, and give change to old ones.

How to pay

From July 1 to December 31, 2016, inclusive, banknotes of the 2000 sample, as well as banknotes and coins of the 2009 sample, will be in parallel circulation and will be mandatory for acceptance when making all types of payments by all business entities.

Where to change

For the next five years - from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2021 inclusive - old banknotes will be exchanged for new ones. Until December 31, 2019 inclusive - in the National Bank, banks and non-bank financial institutions, from January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2021 inclusive - in the National Bank. And only from January 1, 2022, the current money will become invalid.

How ruble deposits and loans will be recalculated, what will be the balance on the card on July 1, 2016

This technical issue, the National Bank promises, should not bring any inconvenience to the population. On July 1, 2016, the bank card balance will be shown in new money, that is, without four zeros. All amounts of deposits and loans will change. If you took a loan for 10,000,000 rubles, then on July 1 it will turn into 1,000 rubles. If there were 50,000,000 rubles on the ruble deposit, then on July 1 it will be 5,000 rubles. By a similar principle, during the denomination, salaries, pensions, scholarships, cash balances in bank accounts, balance sheets of enterprises and institutions will be recalculated.

Will prices rise due to denomination

From July 1 to December 31, 2016, for the period of parallel circulation of old and new banknotes, business entities will be required to indicate two prices - old and new. This is done on purpose so that there is no temptation to round the price up.

Why did you decide to remove exactly four zeros

The question of savings. The less money in circulation, the lower the costs. The introduction of small change coins will also have a positive impact on the cost of servicing cash.

By the way

According to the decision of the Board of the National Bank, the reproduction of banknotes can be carried out under certain conditions: with a one-sided image of the carrier, the size of the copy must be less than 75% or more than 125% of the actual size of the banknote. For duplex playback, less than 50% or more than 200%. Coins can also be printed for souvenir purposes on any tangible and intangible media, with the exception of metal alloys. Plastic, for example.

In Belarus (the locals say "Belarus") the Belarusian ruble is in circulation. In mid-February 2017, at the rate of the National Bank of the Republic, 100 Russian rubles cost a little less than 3.5 Belarusian rubles. The exchange rate of the US dollar against the local currency at the same time was 1.97.

People call Belarusian money “bunnies”. In the 1990s, representatives of the local fauna were depicted on the first banknotes of independent Belarus, and there was a hare on the ruble bill. Now the Belarusian money has a new design for several years, but the colloquial name has remained.

What to travel with from Russia

It is best to travel from Russia to Belarus with Russian rubles, and already in the country of arrival, change it to the local currency. This is advised by travel sites and people who have already visited the republic. The main reasons for this are as follows:

1. In Belarus, there are many exchange offices and bank branches where you can exchange currency. And this applies not only to Minsk. Exchange points can be found even in small towns.
2. In places where there are many tourists, exchangers are found almost at every turn. So, in the building of the Minsk railway station, at the airport there are several of them.
3. The exchange rate in Belarusian exchange offices is very favorable for the client.
4. There will be no problems with not knowing the language in Belarusian exchangers. Everyone in the republic speaks Russian.
5. It is rather problematic to buy Belarusian rubles in Russia, not every bank sells them, even in Moscow. This currency can be found in exchange offices, at the Belorussky railway station in particular. But in the Russian outback, the "bunny" is exotic.

Belarus also conducts a free exchange of US dollars or euros. But, of course, it is not worth buying these currencies specifically for the subsequent acquisition of "bunnies" - this is both unprofitable and unnecessary.

Cashless option

In addition to cash, it is worth taking a plastic card with you to Belarus. If you have a card from one of the international payment systems, you can freely pay in many shops and restaurants. In major cities, cards are accepted almost everywhere.

It does not matter in what currency your card is issued: in Russian rubles, dollars or euros. You can just go with your "salary". You will make a purchase in Belarusian rubles, and your bank will deduct the amount in the currency of your account. Moreover, the conversion will take place at a preferential rate.

In addition, using Visa or MasterCard cards, you can change your "card" money for Belarusian rubles at local ATMs or cash points. Again, at a favorable rate. But pay attention: there is usually a commission for withdrawing money from a “non-native” ATM. Therefore, it makes sense to immediately cash out an impressive amount, and not a couple of hundred rubles.

Please note: if the card is a credit card, then a cash withdrawal fee will be required. And it's usually pretty big. Therefore, use a credit card only for settlements in the trading network, and go to an ATM with a debit card.

Knowledgeable tourists recommend sharing the money that you plan to take with you when traveling to Belarus. Put the main amount on a plastic debit card, so that you can then conveniently pay and withdraw money from it. And for small expenses, immediately upon arrival in the republic, purchase Belarusian rubles.

And it is better not to buy "bunnies" too much. If you do not have time to spend them during the trip, you will have to go to the exchanger with them again before leaving. And in Russia it will be much more difficult to sell Belarusian money.

Just in case

In conclusion - advice from experienced travelers. Sometimes it is better if you already have some local currency in your pocket when you arrive in the country. Just in case. Even if you are going to "fraternal" Belarus.

There will be no problem if you arrive by train or plane. At major railway stations and airports, you will be able to exchange Russian money for Belarusian, usually even at night.

But it is a completely different matter if you are traveling by car. And now, when the border of the two countries is crossed, some difficulty arises. For example, drinking water runs out, gasoline runs out, or a car gets stuck. And you are in the countryside, where cards are not accepted and there are no exchangers.

You can't pay with Russian rubles anywhere. Dollars or euros - too. Well, if you only agree with someone privately. Therefore, if you manage to buy some "bunnies" before a trip to Belarus - buy it.

To the question of “what kind of money is in circulation 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 of ​​what this currency looks like and how much you need to have with you.

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 the settlement currency, later - bank notes. Initially, two variants of 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 left its own money in use.

Stability and convertibility at home and abroad

In 1992, in response to the actions of the government of the Russian Federation, which limited the flow of cash and non-cash funds to the countries of the former USSR, "bunnies" were introduced into everyday life, which became a byword.

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 it comes to 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 the middle of 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 kept the Belarusian ruble in the status of a temporary settlement ticket, and not the national currency.

The idea with the ruble zone failed and therefore in the fall of 1996 the notorious "bunnies" were replaced with banknotes depicting national architectural structures. Such banknotes still circulate in the country today.

Belarusian rubles in the 2000s

At the first time of its existence, the new currency went through difficult stages of formation. The need for constant lending by the National Bank to the government led to the flooding of the economy with money that was no longer backed by goods. The result is rapid inflation and currency devaluation. Fighting these processes, the government began to impose strict bans on the foreign exchange market. As a result, the country received an intricate system of cash and non-cash rates and the flourishing of the black market for currencies.

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

With the beginning of the 2000s, the volume of money emission dropped 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 US dollar increased by 50%.

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

Since the beginning of 2005, the country was supposed to introduce the Russian ruble as a currency, and since 2008, the Russian Federation and Belarus were supposed to introduce a new currency common to the two countries. These plans remained unfulfilled, since the parties did not agree on the level of authority 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 be so. In recent years, this currency has noticeably strengthened in its nominal terms.

If we start from the price of energy resources and the cost of housing and communal services for the population, then the Belarusian ruble can be considered undervalued compared to the dollar, but if we take the prices of consumer goods and the grocery basket as a basis, then the ruble seems 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 facing a very real threat - the devaluation of the currency associated with an 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, but this does not make the damage insignificant.

This is due to the fact that in the event of an increase in the cost of resources, you will have to pay with real dollars, and not parity ones, and there are not many of them in the country. Alternatively, it is possible to increase the cost of gas for the population and enterprises, but this will not add dollars to the treasury, but only rubles. The need to buy foreign currency, in turn, will lead to a depreciation of the Belarusian currency.

To avoid this, the state can go in four ways:

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

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

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

Thus, the question remains 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 further fate 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 buying gas. In the event that revenues do not cover additional costs, the Belarusian ruble will inevitably devalue.

What money should I take with me for a trip to Belarus?

What money to take to Belarus is such a question for 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 a restriction 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 with the help of the national currency.

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

As in any other country of the post-Soviet space, the US 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 some amount in dollars that 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 calculations both in the 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, sitting at a computer monitor,
• recharge from mobile phone

There are also a number of shortcomings, which should not be forgotten either. The main such drawback is the vague legal regulation of electronic money as a phenomenon, including in Belarus.

Service of foreign bank cards

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

In contact with

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