The Central Bank of Syria denied today, Thursday, 18 December, that it has set any official date to launch the new national currency.

In a statement published on its official channels, the bank said no official date has been set so far for issuing the new national currency, adding that it will announce all details in due course once all necessary preparations and arrangements are completed.

The Central Bank called on the public not to rely on any information about the new national currency except what is published on the bank’s own website. It noted that all banking transactions are proceeding as usual, with no impact on services provided to citizens and investors.

A source at the Ministry of Finance told Enab Baladi on 17 December that the official launch date for the new currency is 3 January 2026, explaining that all banks will close between 27 December 2025 and 2 January 2026.

A source at a private bank told Enab Baladi that an internal circular instructed banks to hand over the entire current cash stock in their possession to the Central Bank of Syria before the end of the month.

The source added that the new currency will begin circulating at the start of the new year, between 1 and 3 January, with two zeros removed from the current currency.

According to the same source, private banks will be given five years to collect the old currency from customers. The circular also stressed the need to keep the decision confidential and not leak it outside banking channels.

A source at the Ministry of Defense told Enab Baladi that the Ministry of Finance informed the ministry that the new currency will be issued in early January 2026, without disclosing additional details on the mechanism for issuance or circulation.

Meanwhile, a source working at a money transfer company said the Central Bank of Syria instructed the company to hand over the Syrian currency it holds before 29 December.

The Central Bank of Syria had previously denied on 2 December that any final date had been set for introducing the new currency, stressing that any dates circulating on unofficial platforms “have no basis in reality.”

The bank said it is continuing to implement its planned currency replacement program in coordination with all parties involved in the process.

At the time, the bank’s comment came after information reported by Reuters on 22 August, which said Syria was preparing to issue new banknotes on 8 December, after removing two zeros from the currency, in an attempt to restore public confidence in the Syrian pound.

However, the Central Bank of Syria stressed that it is the only official authority authorized to publish any information related to the new currency or the stages of its launch. It said it looks forward to announcing, transparently, the details of the exchange process and all related information on its official page.

It also urged the public to follow statements issued exclusively by the Central Bank of Syria to ensure access to accurate and reliable information, as it put it.

The Ministry of Information had been expected to launch a comprehensive media campaign, in cooperation with the Central Bank of Syria, ahead of the issuance of the new national currency.

On 9 November, the ministry discussed with the bank the technical and communications aspects of the campaign, to ensure awareness messages reach different segments of society and to strengthen confidence in the new monetary policies.