Official Exchange Rates for May 18, 2026
Ukraine's central bank, the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU), has published its official foreign exchange rates for May 18, 2026. The U.S. dollar has strengthened, now trading at 44.07 hryvnias—an increase of 12 kopiyky from the previous day. Meanwhile, the euro and the Polish zloty have declined: the euro fell by 17 kopiyky to 51.26 hryvnias, and the zloty dropped by 6 kopiyky to 12.07 hryvnias.
Currency Market Overview
The NBU has kept its key policy rate unchanged at 15%. Inflation, which had been slowing from June 2025 through January 2026, began rising again after January due to higher energy costs, Russian shelling, increased fuel prices amid the Middle East conflict, a weaker hryvnia, and wage growth. In response, the NBU decided to conduct operations swapping banks' non-cash foreign currency for cash.
As of 10:00 AM on May 18, 2026, the official exchange rates are as follows:
- NBU rate for the U.S. dollar: 44.0724 hryvnias
- NBU rate for the euro: 51.2606 hryvnias
- NBU rate for the Polish zloty: 12.0746 hryvnias
- NBU rate for the British pound: 58.8807 hryvnias
Oschadbank offers the following rates:
- U.S. dollar: 43.80–44.35 hryvnias
- Euro: 51.10–51.80 hryvnias
- Polish zloty: 11.45–12.25 hryvnias
PrivatBank reports these rates:
- U.S. dollar: 43.75–44.35 hryvnias
- Euro: 50.70–51.70 hryvnias
Other banks—including PUMB, Monobank, Raiffeisen, OTP Bank, and Ukrsibbank—also offer varying exchange rates.
“The dollar cannot remain permanently weak against the euro. Once the final trade agreement between the U.S. and the EU is signed, the market will return to normal.”
Vitaliy Shapran, former chief monetary policy expert at the NBU Council Secretariat
Ukraine's currency market remains volatile, with further shifts expected amid rising inflation and fluctuations in international markets. The dollar's appreciation may signal economic instability, while the decline of the euro and zloty points to possible changes in external economic conditions. Monitoring the NBU's upcoming decisions and developments in international relations will be crucial, as these factors are likely to influence exchange rates and Ukraine's broader economic outlook.