Financial news, budget and personal finances at Razom UA
The Anti-Corruption Bureau has completed its investigation into the former head of the Oblast Military Administration and other individuals suspected of embezzling more than UAH 392 million during road repairs.
The International Finance Corporation is investing in the equity of two Ukrainian insurers — Knyazha and the Ukrainian Insurance Group (USG), acquiring 20% stakes in each company. This is IFC's first entry into Ukraine’s insurance sector.
After the London meeting, Keir Starmer, Volodymyr Zelensky and the leaders of France and Germany expressed hope for a swift agreement on a mechanism to use frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine's defence and reconstruction.
The Council of the EU approved the EDIP programme for 2025–2027 with funding of €1.5 billion. A separate €300 million instrument is earmarked for Ukraine, while the remaining €1.2 billion will be directed to joint European defence projects.
French Mfex director Olivier Yubi, linked to Russia, allegedly used influence and threats during negotiations over the use of frozen Russian assets. This has raised questions about the protection of Euroclear’s leadership and access to €193 billion.
Prime ministers of seven European countries urged the swift approval of a reparations loan drawn from frozen Russian assets, saying it would bolster Kyiv in peace negotiations and would not hamper peace efforts.
Law enforcement has seized cryptocurrency assets worth $107 million that, according to authorities, were intended to finance pro‑Russian parties and influence networks. A Kyiv statement also describes a wide‑ranging Russian operation and steps to protect electoral systems.
In 2025, transfers to monobank's "banks" fell by 19%, while the three largest charitable funds received a record UAH 105.87 billion — 37% more than in the previous three years combined.
Prime Minister Alexander Muntianu said the government will seek a new agreement with the IMF as confirmation of macroeconomic stability, although there is currently no immediate need for financing. The article mentions previous programs and outstanding tranches.
The United Kingdom will join the EU initiative and plans to allocate £8 billion from frozen Russian assets to aid Ukraine. The mechanism has not yet been agreed; a decision is expected at the EU summit on 18–19 December.
The adopted budget gives the Finance Ministry the right to swap government bonds held by the National Bank of Ukraine. The central bank will agree only to a partial operation; talks are underway to exchange inflation-indexed OVDPs of 2017 with a nominal value of UAH 145.2 billion for new securities with a more favorable rate.
In November, Ukraine’s international reserves rose by more than 10% — to $54.75 billion, setting a new record. The increase was driven by large international inflows, a decline in the NBU’s net foreign‑currency sales and support for imports.
Parliament passed two bills exempting from VAT the importation of components and equipment for UAVs, electronic warfare systems, demining machines and other defense equipment; they also set out accounting rules and the duration of the exemptions.
Over six months, PlayCity shut down more than 2,500 illegal online casinos, removed over 280 social media pages, fined bloggers and media outlets more than UAH 52 million, and secured over UAH 1.4 billion from licenses.
The President ordered the Minister of Defense to urgently reconstitute the supervisory boards of defense enterprises to ensure full control, instructed the Prime Minister to inform partners; at the same time, changes in the energy sector have been launched.
The EU will add Russia to the list of countries with an increased risk of money laundering and terrorist financing, forcing banks to tighten transaction checks. FATF suspended Russia’s membership, but had not previously placed it on its blacklist.
On December 3, parliament adopted the draft budget for 2026; the document foresees revenues of UAH 2.92 trillion, expenditures of UAH 4.78 trillion, and a significant share of funding for defense.
The initiative to introduce VAT for some individual entrepreneurs has been temporarily removed from the faction’s agenda due to a lack of votes in parliament. Negotiations with the IMF on a new financing program are ongoing in parallel.
Lawmakers are preparing final amendments to the 2026 state budget: part of the personal income tax (PIT) will be transferred to local communities to cover energy costs, additional funds will be allocated to defense and the State Bureau of Economic Security (BEB), and increases in teachers' salaries are planned.
Binance announced the appointment of Yi He as co-CEO alongside Richard Teng. She will be responsible for strategy, engagement with regulators and platform development; the appointment followed the pardon of the previous CEO.
Winter bills often arrive between paychecks and can derail a household budget. Clear prioritization, frugal household practices, and cautious use of microloans help avoid debts and fines.
On December 1, the National Bank of Ukraine introduced TrekSEP into the electronic payments system. The service allows individuals and legal entities to track the status of transfers at any time, from initiation to crediting. From April 1, 2026, UETR will be implemented for participants in the Electronic Payments System.
The European Central Bank has refused to act as lender of last resort for the European Commission’s plan for a €140 billion loan that was to be backed by frozen Russian assets; the Commission is seeking other options to secure liquidity.
The National Bank of Ukraine has begun minting the "We Are Strong. We Are Together" series: the reverse features a stylized map of Ukraine with highlighted oblasts. The first three coins (Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk) were issued on December 1; the series' total mintage is 54 million.
Ukrainian traders have reserved 1.2 million cubic meters per day for December deliveries from Greece — the highest level since the route's launch. At the auction on November 24, more than half of the offered capacity was booked.
U.S. President Donald Trump commuted the sentence of former GPB Capital manager David Gentile, who was convicted in a sprawling financial fraud. Gentile spent less than three weeks in prison; the case involved losses by more than 10,000 investors totaling $1.6 billion.
The National Bank of Ukraine fined microfinance company "Ye Groshi" for applying a daily rate above 1%, charging additional payments and imposing simultaneous penalties. The total fine exceeded UAH 2.8 million, and the company was issued a written warning.
The Ministry of Economy allocated approximately UAH 259.3 million to five industrial parks for the construction of roads, power networks, water supply and treatment facilities under the "Made in Ukraine" program.
In the second phase of assistance, about 2.5 million additional people will receive support, with the total amount exceeding UAH 3 billion. As of December 1, more than 14 million applications have been submitted; applications are being accepted until December 24.
Employees of a municipal medical institution in the capital are suspected of embezzling more than UAH 1.6 million through fictitious records of mobile palliative care. The suspects are a former director and a doctor; authorities are considering pretrial detention.