How to Pay in Ukraine

Ukraine remains under martial law due to the ongoing conflict. Download the Air Alert app before arrival. It pushes instant air raid notifications. Curfew hours vary by region and can change with little notice, so check local announcements daily.

Payment & Finance Apps

Monobank

Ukraine's favorite mobile bank with over 10 million customers. The card-to-card transfers and payment links you will see everywhere, from Kyiv coffee shops to market stalls and fundraisers.

Pro tip: Opening an account requires Ukrainian ID and a tax number, so visitors cannot join. Your foreign contactless card works in nearly all the same places, including tapping straight onto Kyiv metro turnstiles.

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Privat24

The app of state-owned PrivatBank, Ukraine's largest bank. Locals run transfers, bills and train tickets through it, and its ATM network is the country's densest.

Pro tip: Registration needs a Ukrainian bank card, so skip the app itself. PrivatBank ATMs are the most reliable source of hryvnia cash, worth keeping on hand since terminals can fail during power outages.

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Revolut

Spends hryvnia at the interbank rate, valuable because hryvnia is nearly impossible to buy before arrival and Ukrainian cities are among Europe's most card-friendly.

Pro tip: Revolut opened to Ukrainian residents in 2025, but as a visitor your existing account already works for spending. Always carry backup cash, since wartime power cuts can take terminals and mobile networks offline.

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