Economy
PlayCity has revoked Cosmolot’s licence and fined the casino 12.9 million hryvnias
The state agency PlayCity has revoked the licence of the online casino Cosmolot, which operates through Spacix LLC. During an inspection, the regulator identified breaches of financial transaction rules – the company was using peer-to-peer payments and allowing accounts to be topped up using third-party cards.
Canada has invested over 55 million hryvnias in Ukraine’s cyber defences – here’s what has already been strengthened
Ukraine, in collaboration with Canada and under the Tallinn Mechanism, has completed the first five projects aimed at strengthening digital resilience, with a total value of over 55 million hryvnias. These projects concern the cyber security of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, the National Security and Defence Council Secretariat, the Cabinet of Ministers Secretariat, the State Judicial Administration and the State Border Guard Service.
Russia cut oil production in April due to drone attacks
In April, Russia reduced its oil production following drone strikes on port and refining infrastructure. The suspension of pipeline supplies to Europe also had an impact.
The US used car market: the Ford Escape and BMW X3 topped the charts this quarter
In the first quarter of 2026, 9,467 used cars imported from the US were sold in Ukraine, which is 1.5% fewer than last year. The Ford Escape and BMW X3 were the top sellers of the quarter.
EU ambassadors have approved a €90 billion loan for Ukraine and a 20th package of sanctions against Russia
European Union ambassadors, meeting at the Coreper level, have approved a €90 billion loan for Ukraine and the 20th package of sanctions against the Russian Federation. Final approval is to be given via a written procedure.
MFOs are joining ‘Dii’ – what will change for borrowers
Since April 2026, microfinance organisations have been able to integrate with ‘Diya’ to speed up customer identification. For borrowers, this means a shorter application process, but it also raises questions about the extent of access to personal data and new rules governing the credit market.
At the state-owned PrivatBank, a board member’s salary exceeded $60,000
Anton Razumny, a member of the board of the state-owned PrivatBank, received a salary of 30.5 million hryvnias in 2025. On average, this amounts to 2.54 million hryvnias, or around 62,000 dollars, per month; and during the full-scale war, his annual income in this role increased sixfold, according to the figures cited in the publication.
Loans are growing by more than 30%: what the NBU’s statistics reveal
The National Bank reported that lending to businesses and households remained at a high level at the start of 2026.
Petrol stations have begun to cut fuel prices following the global fall in the cost of petroleum products
Between 13 and 20 April, the average wholesale price of diesel fell by 4.78 UAH/litre, whilst that of A-95 petrol fell by almost one hryvnia.
Ukraine’s biggest taxpayers in 2025 – who tops the list
Philip Morris Ukraine topped the ranking of Ukraine’s largest private taxpayers in 2025. The top five also included the DTEK Group, BAT Ukraine, the Imperial Brands Group in Ukraine and ATB Corporation.
The euro has hit a new all-time high in Ukraine – nearly 51.9 UAH
On 21 April, the National Bank raised the official exchange rate for the euro by 13 kopecks and for the dollar by 21 kopecks, to 44.10 UAH.
The number of sole traders in Ukraine has risen by 11,000 since the start of 2026
Since the start of 2026, the number of sole traders in Ukraine has increased by 11,297. During this period, 63,920 people started their own businesses; however, Danylo Getmantsev, chair of the parliamentary committee on finance, tax and customs policy, stated that this trend does not in itself indicate either a business boom or a rapid economic recovery.
