Economy of Syria The Central Bank of Syria begins exchanging old banknotes for a new currency that removes two zeros from the previous denominations, with 100 old...

A man displays 500, and 200-pound notes from Syria’s newly circulating currency outside a currency exchange office in Damascus, Syria, Saturday, Jan.

Two men carry bundles of old currency bills to deposit at the Syrian Central Bank office after authorities announced Saturday that the exchange of old Syrian pounds for new banknotes has officially begun in Damascus, Syria, Saturday, Jan.

A man carries bundles of old currency bills to deposit at the Syrian Central Bank office after authorities announced Saturday that the exchange of old Syrian pounds for new banknotes has officially begun in Damascus, Syria, Saturday, Jan.

DAMASCUS, Syria () — Syria started the process of circulating new currency bills on Saturday as the crisis-hit nation seeks to stabilize the economy as it recovers from the fall of Bashar Assad’s government.

A decree issued earlier this week by President Ahmad al-Sharaa said that “old Syrian currency” will be gradually withdrawn from circulation according to a timetable set by the central bank and through designated exchange centers.

Central Bank Governor Mokhles Nazer posted on X that after months of preparations, the exchange of old Syrian pounds with new banknotes officially began Saturday morning.

The presidential decree posted on the SANA state news agency stipulates that “new Syrian currency” will be issued by removing two zeros from the nominal value of the old currency.

It means every 100 Syrian pounds of the old currency will now equate to one Syrian pound.

The largest denomination of the old currency was 5,000 Syrian pound, while under the new currency it is 500 pounds.

Dollar was selling at exchange shops in Damascus on Saturday for 11,800 pounds for the old banknotes, some of which bear the images of Assad and his late father and predecessor, Hafez Assad.

At the start of Syria’s conflict in mid-March 2011, the U.S.

The political importance lies in whether the issue moves from public comment into formal action, party response, court record, election authority notice or administrative decision.