Syria begins banknote swaps amid government push to revive economy https://tankie.tube/videos/watch/6b6cce3a-cb48-47bd-b539-0cc33773e9df People across Syria started to swap old banknotes for new ones last Saturday, as part of a government plan to revive the war-torn country’s battered economy and strengthen its currency. “There’s a big difference, a really big difference,” says one Damascus resident. “First of all, if there is a transaction with the old currency, we have to carry them in big trash bags or something and we’re always scared of being robbed." The country’s new banknotes were stripped of portraits of deposed ruler Bashar al-Aassad. The reform includes redenomination, the removal of two zeros, converting every 100 old pounds into one new pound. Although the move does not alter real value, it is designed to simplify transactions and reduce dependence on foreign currencies. Support stories that matter. Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR0fZh5SBxxMNYdg0VzRFkg/join Catch previous episodes of MEE LIVE, our biweekly news programme exploring the stories shaping our world through breaking coverage, expert analysis, and hard-hitting interviews. Originally airing Tuesdays & Thursdays at 12pm ET | 5pm BST Got a story tip or question? Reach us at MEELive@middleeasteye.org Subscribe to our channel: http://ow.ly/AVlW30n1OWH Subscribe to MEE Telegram channel to stay up to date: https://t.me/MiddleEastEye_TG Middle East Eye Website: https://middleeasteye.net Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@middleeasteye Follow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/MiddleEastEye Like us on Facebook: https://facebook.com/MiddleEastEye Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MiddleEastEye Wed, 08 Apr 2026 23:08:22 GMT https://validator.w3.org/feed/docs/rss2.html PeerTube - https://tankie.tube Syria begins banknote swaps amid government push to revive economy https://tankie.tube/lazy-static/avatars/3ba3ff73-a8b6-49c9-add8-9653ef090c7f.webp https://tankie.tube/videos/watch/6b6cce3a-cb48-47bd-b539-0cc33773e9df All rights reserved, unless otherwise specified in the terms specified at https://tankie.tube/about and potential licenses granted by each content's rightholder.