Starting June 16, 2026, the National Bank of Ukraine is introducing modified 100-hryvnia banknotes into circulation. There is one change, but a significant one: on the reverse side of the note, in the upper right corner, the motto "Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the Heroes!" has appeared. The rest of the design and security features remain from the 2014 sample.
Last in Line
This banknote is the final one in a two-year modification program. As Oleh Prokhodа, director of the NBU's Monetary Circulation Department, explained on the telethon broadcast, the process began in August 2024 — ahead of Ukraine's 33rd independence anniversary. The motto was gradually added to 50, 500, and 1,000-hryvnia notes (August 2024), 20-hryvnia notes (August 2025), and 200-hryvnia notes (February 2026). Now it's the "hundred's" turn.
"Soon we will complete this process and put the modified 100-hryvnia notes into circulation this year"
— Oleh Prokhodа, director of the NBU's Monetary Circulation Department
Two Years Without New "Hundreds": What It Meant
Context that the NBU did not publicize separately: from the beginning of 2024 through the end of August 2025, the regulator did not print new 100-hryvnia banknotes at all. For comparison — in 2021, they released approximately 240 million pieces, while in 2022–2023 — only 25 million each year.
This is neither a disaster nor hidden devaluation: the NBU explains that previously formed reserves can be introduced into circulation, and pauses in printing individual denominations are standard practice. Similarly, in 2023, they did not print 50-hryvnia notes, but already in 2024 — resumed with 60 million pieces. However, in 2025, the emphasis was clearly placed on large denominations: 500 hryvnias — 200 million pieces, 1,000 hryvnias — almost 173 million.
What Changes for People
- Exchanging old "hundreds" is not necessary — they remain valid legal tender.
- New banknotes will gradually enter wallets — through banks, ATMs, and cash collection companies as old notes wear out.
- There are no changes to security features: the modification is purely symbolic, not technical.
As noted by the NBU, "the modification does not provide for a complete redesign" — it is a fixation of the military-historical context on cash, not a response to the threat of counterfeiting.
Symbol or Tool?
The application of a state motto to all denominations is a decision that central banks typically do not make in peacetime. Hryvnias with "Glory to Ukraine" on every note represent a public positioning of an institution that by definition should remain above politics. The question is not about patriotism, but about precedent: if the motto becomes part of the standard, will the NBU change it during the next political or military cycle — and under what procedure?
