Abdel Qader Al-Hassriya, Governor of the Central Bank of Syria, announced on Wednesday that the country’s new currency will be issued in six denominations free of images and symbols.

Syrians still use the old banknotes, which feature images of the former president Bashar al-Assad and his father Hafez al-Assad, symbols associated with the previous regime’s tragedy.

Al-Hassriya told the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) that the new denominations will range from small to medium and large to facilitate cash transactions in the markets, without specifying a release date.

He added that the Central Bank will announce details of each denomination regarding value, size, and design once technical and security printing procedures are completed.

He emphasized that avoiding the use of symbols, portraits, or historical landmarks in the new currency design is a modern approach aimed at simplifying the visual appearance and focusing on the digital and functional identity of the currency, making it clearer and easier to verify.

This approach aligns with the global trend towards clean and abstract designs symbolizing transparency and trust in the monetary system.

He explained that the new currency will not be just numbers but will have a contemporary national identity reflecting modernity and economic stability.

Regarding the replacement of the old currency, the governor said that launching the new currency will help address liquidity shortages, especially by replacing damaged notes and injecting higher quality and more durable banknotes.

He noted that this measure will improve the smoothness of cash circulation in the markets without causing a real increase in the money supply, stressing that the goal is modernization, not monetary expansion.

In August, the Central Bank of Syria announced it was in advanced stages of planning to introduce a new currency designed according to the highest technical standards adopted by central banks worldwide.

Since the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in late 2024, the new Syrian administration has been implementing economic and political reforms to improve conditions in the country.

On December 8, 2024, Syrian factions took control of the country, ending 61 years of Baath Party rule, including 53 years under the Assad family.