Ukrainian youth purchased over 114,000 books under the "eKnyga" program

Young people bought more than 114,000 books in six months

State program YeKnyga continues to stimulate the development of the Ukrainian book market. In the first six months of 2026, young Ukrainians acquired 114.36 thousand books, using the funds allocated by the state for the purchase of literature.

According to the Ukrainian Institute of Books, during this period, program participants bought on average 629 books every day. In total, one member purchased approx 2.83 books, using the help received.

The popularity of the program is explained by the fact that it allows young people to independently choose literature according to their own interests - from fiction novels to professional publications, educational literature and audio books.

In general, over the first half of the year joined the program 64.8 thousand Ukrainians, who applied for financial support. Of them 63.57 thousand applicants have already received funds to their accounts.

How does the "eKnyga" program work and who can get help

"eKnyga" is a state reading support program that allows young Ukrainians to receive funds for the purchase of books in the Ukrainian language.

They can use the program citizens of Ukraine who have reached the age of 18. After submitting the application, the participant receives a special payment that can be used within a specified period.

From January 1, 2026, the amount of assistance is: UAH 998.4. These funds can be spent on the purchase of:

• - paper books;

• - electronic publications;

• - audio books in Ukrainian.

The money does not act as a regular payment that can be used for any purchases. They have a specific purpose — to support Ukrainian publishers, bookstores, and authors.

The program was launched in December 2024, and the first purchases under it took place in January 2025. Since the beginning of "eKnyga" work, Ukrainian youth have already received UAH 286.65 million in aid and purchased over 549 thousand books.

Which banks are most often used by program participants

Program participants use special "Action" cards to receive and use funds.

It has become the most popular bank among young people Monobank — was conducted through him 60.11% of all operations.

Took the second position Privatbank, which fell on 36.24% of purchases.

Yet 3.28% of operations made by "A-bank" card users.

Such statistics demonstrate that digital banking services remain the main way young people interact with government support programs.

Where Ukrainians buy books: offline remains more popular

Despite the active development of online trade, Ukrainians more often choose physical bookstores within the framework of the "eKnyga" program.

The project involves:

• - 325 stationary bookstores;

• - 38 online stores.

According to the results of the first half of the year 56.87% of buyers purchased books in regular bookstores, while it was done through online stores 43.13% of purchases.

The largest number of purchases in physical stores was recorded in Kyiv. The capital traditionally remains the largest book center of the country due to the number of bookstores, publishing houses and an active readership.

The top five regions with the largest number of purchases also included:

• - Lviv region;

• - Dnipropetrovsk region;

• - Ivano-Frankivsk region;

• - Poltava region.

Which bookstores and publishing houses became the best sellers

The "eKnyga" program has become not only a support for readers, but also an additional incentive for the Ukrainian book business.

In terms of the number of books sold, the platform took first place among book distributors Yakaboo.

The top five also included:

• - "Family Leisure Club" (KSD);

• - "Bookstore Ye";

• - Megogo;

• - "Knygoland".

Among the publishing houses, the largest volumes of sales were shown by:

• - KSD;

• - BookChef;

• - Vivat;

• - "Morning";

• - "RM".

In general, during the first six months of the year, Ukrainians bought books from 358 publishing houses, and the selection consisted of over 17.5 thousand different titles.

What books are most interesting to Ukrainian youth

It is in the greatest demand among program participants fiction. The second place is taken by the category non-fiction, which includes books on psychology, self-development, history, business, science, and professional development.

In the overall TOP-50 ranking, the most popular book was:

"A Game of Cat and Mouse. Book 1: The Pursuit of Adeline" by Haley Dee Carlton.

Among the Ukrainian authors, the books that bought the most copies were:

• - Volodymyr Stanchyshyn — 876 copies;

• - Illarion Pavlyuk — 580 copies;

• - Andriy Semyankiv — 390 copies.

This shows that Ukrainian readers are actively interested not only in translated literature, but also in the works of modern Ukrainian writers and experts.

How "eKnyga" affects the Ukrainian book market

Experts note that state support programs are important for the Ukrainian publishing sector, which is simultaneously developing and operating in wartime conditions.

On the one hand, the program encourages young people to read more and forms the habit of buying Ukrainian books. On the other hand, it creates additional demand for publishing houses and bookstores.

This is especially important in the conditions when the Ukrainian book infrastructure suffers losses due to Russian attacks.

On the night of July 18-19, the warehouse of the publishing house was destroyed as a result of shelling "Bookworm". In addition, due to the attack on the logistics company Denka Logistics, the book stocks of the BookChef publishing house were damaged.

To support the industry, the state provided grant programs for printers and publishing houses affected by the war. Companies can receive funds to restore equipment and compensate for lost property.

What's next for the "eKnyga" program

The demand for the program demonstrates that young Ukrainians are ready to invest in their own development, education and cultural consumption.

In a year and a half of operation, "eKnyga" has become one of the most visible tools for supporting the book market. It not only helps readers gain access to literature, but also supports a whole ecosystem — authors, publishers, bookstores, and Ukrainian manufacturers.

In the future, the development of the program may become one of the factors that will help increase the share of Ukrainian books in the domestic market and form a new generation of active readers.