In brief
Roman Golovchenko, head of the National Bank of Belarus, announced at a Minsk advisory council that 93.5% of intra‑EAEU trade uses national currencies. The move, driven by businesses and free markets, is intended to lower transaction costs and reduce currency risk. The meeting also touched on broader monetary issues and digital‑asset regulation.
On Thursday, 30 October 2026, Roman Golovchenko, chairman of the National Bank of the Republic of Belarus, announced at a meeting of the EAEU member states’ central bank advisory council that the share of payments in national currencies for intra‑bloc trade had reached 93.5 %.
According to Xinhua, Golovchenko said the market‑driven shift, which includes savings for businesses and a natural decline in transaction costs, has guided the collective move away from excessive administrative influence.
"The share of payments in national currencies for exports and imports of goods and services within the bloc has reached 93.5 percent," Golovchenko said.
A spokesperson for Xinhua noted that the updated figure reflects a continual trend, with companies favoring reliable payment instruments that minimise currency volatility.
In the same session, officials reviewed the current economic climate, monetary policy outlook, efforts to curb illicit payments, and the potential regulatory frameworks for central bank digital currencies and virtual assets within the EAEU.
The Eurasian Economic Union, established in 2015, currently comprises Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, and Armenia.
