The national currency of the Ukraine is the Hrivna (UAH), with banknotes of 500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 hrivna of both, old and new  specimen (1997, in a different color gamma and design). The coins with the face value of 1 hrivna, 50, 25, 10 kopeks are made of yellow metal, 5, 2 and 1 kopek – of white metal. It’s officially prohibited to use foreign currency in restaurants and shops. Currency exchange can be made at the airport, banks and numerous currency exchange offices. There are a lot of currency exchange points. Beginning 2003, a 1% pension fund levy for sale of personal currency by citizens has been cancelled. Passport is not required when making an exchange.

 

In marketplaces and private shops the U.S. dollars are freely accepted, the Rubles – not so readily or at an unfavorable rate. In the South-West and Western parts of the country the Ruble exchange is rather troublesome (thought, at the ski resorts, in sanatoriums and in Lvov – there are no restrictions or limitations), and it can be made only in banks, though the U.S. dollars and the Euro can be exchanged in almost unlimited amounts. In Simferopol and in the "continental" Ukraine the exchange rate is more beneficial, than in the coastal resort zones. The Ruble exchange can be usually made at a less favorable rate, than the Euro of the U.S. dollars.

 

Credit cards and travelers checks have relatively limited circulation and can be cashed only in bank offices of big cities and resort zones, yet, lately the card service has been developing quite rapidly.