Damascus, Dec. 26 (SANA) Syria’s Central Bank Governor, Abdelkader Husrieh, announced Thursday that the nationwide exchange of old banknotes for new ones will begin on January 1. The process will be carried out through 66 companies and 1,000 dedicated outlets across the country.
Husrieh told the Syrian News Channel that the exchange will be flexible and accessible, and that the new banknotes will initially come in six denominations: 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, and 500 pounds. One new pound will equal 100 old pounds, while the 500-pound note will correspond to 50,000 old pounds. The measure is intended to make handling cash easier without increasing the overall money supply.
The governor emphasized that the replacement is purely nominal and will not affect the currency’s actual value. “The change is in the denomination, not the value itself. The new notes will have no direct impact on purchasing power,” he said. He added that the central bank will reopen its branch in Idleb, in line with other provinces.
The new currency will include modern security features and accessibility enhancements for visually impaired and blind users. Husrieh noted that removing zeros will not affect the functionality of the new pound and called on the public to help preserve its value.
He also warned that images of the new currency circulating on social media are inaccurate. “The Central Bank is the only authority authorized to release official designs and denominations,” he said, adding that the official notes will be unveiled starting next week.
Husrieh encouraged Syrians to participate in the exchange process and noted that Decree No. 293 of 2025, which authorized the currency replacement, does not set a specific deadline. The central bank has the flexibility to implement the transition in an orderly and smooth manner.
He said the process is designed to be clear, organized, and manageable for citizens nationwide, with further explanations of the exchange mechanism to be provided in the coming days.
Abdul
