Money, banks and currency exchange
What currency Georgia uses, where to get a good exchange rate, which cards work, how to send money from abroad and how a foreigner can open a bank account.
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How can you send money from Russia to Georgia in 2026?
Since 24 July 2026 Zolotaya Korona no longer sends transfers to Georgia, so money now goes by bank transfer to an IBAN from Russian banks that still serve this route, or through separate payment services.
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What currency does Georgia use, and what money should you bring?
Georgia's currency is the lari (GEL), divided into 100 tetri, and all payments inside the country are made in lari.
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How do you receive a transfer from abroad to a Georgian account?
You can receive money from abroad by bank transfer to your IBAN, through a system such as Western Union, or via Visa+ by phone number to a TBC card.
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What is a Georgian IBAN and where do you find it?
A Georgian IBAN has 22 characters: the country code GE, two check digits, two letters of the bank code and 16 digits of the account identifier assigned by the bank.
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How can you top up a card or pay a bill at a terminal in Georgia?
Utilities, mobile, internet, television and state services in Georgia are paid at payment terminals: the TBC Pay network has more than 4,000 terminals and over 1,000 services.
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Where can you exchange damaged or old lari banknotes?
Worn and damaged lari banknotes and coins are replaced free at face value at the National Bank of Georgia and commercial banks if they still meet the fitness criteria.
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Which lari banknotes and coins are in circulation now?
Georgia has banknotes of 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 lari and coins of 5, 10, 20 and 50 tetri, 1 and 2 lari.
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Should you pay by card in Georgia in lari or in your own currency?
Prices in Georgia are shown in lari, and if a terminal offers to charge the amount in your card currency, the choice is yours and the total can differ.
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Do Apple Pay and Google Pay work in Georgia?
Apple Pay and Google Pay work in Georgia with local bank cards: Bank of Georgia launched Apple Pay in 2019, Halyk Bank supports both and Terabank supports Google Pay.
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Are Visa, Mastercard and American Express cards accepted in Georgia?
Visa and Mastercard are accepted by Georgian bank terminals, and TBC announced American Express acceptance across its merchant network in October 2026.
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Can you pay in US dollars or euros in Georgia?
In Georgia the only legal tender is the lari and businesses must show prices for goods and services in lari only, so dollars and euros are normally exchanged first.
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Do PayPal, Revolut and Wise work in Georgia?
Of the three services only Wise is fully available: PayPal in Georgia allows sending payments only, and Georgia is not on Revolut's list of countries where you can sign up.
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Are old US dollar bills accepted in Georgia?
Old US dollars remain legal tender, so banks in Georgia usually accept them, but exchange offices may refuse them or offer a worse rate.
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What banks are there in Georgia, and which should a foreigner choose?
Georgia's largest banks are TBC Bank and Bank of Georgia, with the most branches and ATMs, good English-language apps and often Russian-speaking support.
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Who is pictured on Georgian lari banknotes?
Lari banknotes feature notable Georgians: scholar Ivane Javakhishvili on 5 lari, poet Akaki Tsereteli on 10, writer Ilia Chavchavadze on 20, Queen Tamar on 50, poet Shota Rustaveli on 100 and Kakutsa Cholokashvili, a hero of the 1920s independence struggle, on 200.
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How can a Russian citizen open a bank card in Georgia?
A Russian citizen can open an account and card at a Georgian bank, but only in person at a branch: you need your international passport, a Georgian phone number and a questionnaire on the account's purpose and your income sources.