The Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) has reported a significant rise in net foreign assets (NFA) within the banking sector, reaching approximately $8.7bn (EGP 437.26bn) in January 2025. This represents a sharp increase from $5.2bn (EGP 265.9bn) recorded in December 2024—an improvement of around $3.5bn.
This surge follows a historic turning point in May 2024, when net foreign assets recorded a surplus of EGP 676.4bn after a prolonged deficit of EGP 174.4bn in April 2024. It marked the first positive balance since January 2022, when NFA stood at EGP 9.674bn.
According to the CBE’s latest report released on Sunday, total foreign assets of the banking sector—including both the central bank and commercial banks—rose to EGP 3.579trn in January 2025, up from EGP 3.506trn in December 2024. Meanwhile, foreign liabilities declined to EGP 3.142trn from EGP 3.240trn over the same period.
In a separate development, the CBE also reported an increase in domestic liquidity within Egypt’s banking sector, which climbed to EGP 11.864trn in January 2025, up from EGP 11.636trn in December 2024.
The money supply expanded to EGP 2.942trn from EGP 2.803trn, with cash circulating outside the banking system rising to EGP 1.157trn, compared to EGP 1.121trn in December.
Additionally, demand deposits in local currency grew to EGP 1.784trn from EGP 1.682trn, while quasi-money—a broader measure of money supply including time deposits and other near-money assets—rose to EGP 8.922trn, up from EGP 8.833trn in 2024.
