Of all the countries in the world, China had, by far, the largest international reserves in July 2025, with **** trillion USD in reserves and foreign currency liquidity. Japan was the only other country with over a trillion U.S. dollars in reserves in early 2025, with a total of *** trillion U.S. dollars. Why do countries hold reserves? A simple explanation for China’s accumulation of foreign currency could be its consistently positive and substantial trade balance. When China exports goods and services, it accepts the foreign currency, usually U.S. dollars, and holds that currency in reserve. In addition to facilitating trade, most countries, including China, also hold foreign exchange reserves to ensure the stability of their currencies and facilitate other foreign transactions. Other significant reserves Even though most of the world left the gold standard in 1971, most countries still retain large gold reserves. The United States, followed by Germany and Italy, held the largest amount of gold reserves worldwide as of December 2018.

This dataset provides values for FOREIGN EXCHANGE RESERVES reported in several countries. The data includes current values, previous releases, historical highs and record lows, release frequency, reported unit and currency.

This dataset provides values for FOREIGN EXCHANGE RESERVES reported in several countries. The data includes current values, previous releases, historical highs and record lows, release frequency, reported unit and currency.

The average for 2023 based on 161 countries was 91.52 billion U.S. dollars. The highest value was in China: 3449.54 billion U.S. dollars and the lowest value was in Sao Tome and Principe: 0.05 billion U.S. dollars. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2024. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

This dataset provides values for FOREIGN EXCHANGE RESERVES reported in several countries. The data includes current values, previous releases, historical highs and record lows, release frequency, reported unit and currency.

Key information about China Foreign Exchange Reserves

• China Foreign Exchange Reserves was measured at 3,227.2 USD bn in Feb 2025, compared with 3,209.0 USD bn in the previous month
• China Foreign Exchange Reserves: USD mn data is updated monthly, available from Jan 1989 to Feb 2025
• The data reached an all-time high of 3,993.2 USD bn in Jun 2014 and a record low of 3.7 USD bn in Jan 1989

The People's Bank of China provides monthly Foreign Exchange Reserves in USD.


Further information about China Foreign Exchange Reserves

• In the latest reports, China Foreign Exchange Reserves equaled 13.9 Months of Import in Dec 2024.
• Its Money Supply M2 increased 44,045.8 USD bn YoY in Sep 2024.
• China Domestic Credit reached 49,338.1 USD bn in Jan 2025, representing an increased of 7.9 % YoY.
• The country's Non Performing Loans Ratio stood at 1.5 % in Dec 2024, compared with the ratio of 1.6 % in the previous quarter.
• Household Debt of China reached 63.3 % in Mar 2023, accounting for 63.3 % of the country's Nominal GDP.

The U.S. dollar was the most common currency in foreign exchange reserves in 2025, comprising more than three times the amount of the euro in global reserves that year. This total peaked in 2015, partly due to the strength of the dollar during the Eurozone crisis. The share of the U.S. dollar has lost since to the Japanese yen and euro, as well as other currencies. Why do foreign exchange reserves matter? When countries with different currencies export goods, they must agree on a currency for payment. As a result, countries hold currency reserves worth trillions of U.S. dollars. After World War II, the U.S. dollar itself became the international currency in the Bretton Woods Agreement and is thus the most common currency for international payments. The United States Treasury is also seen by most as risk-free, giving the country a low-risk premium. For this reason, countries hold U.S. dollars in reserve because the currency holds value relatively well eventually. China and currency reserves Since 2016, the International Monetary Fund has included the Chinese renminbi (yuan) as part of the Special Drawing Rights (SDR) basket. This decision recognized the influence of the renminbi as a reserve currency, particularly in several Asian countries. China also holds significant foreign exchange reserves itself, funded by its large positive trade balance.

In 2021, Libya was the African country with the largest foreign exchange reserves, amounting to around ** billion U.S. dollars. South Africa and Algeria followed, with international reserves adding up to approximately ** billion and ** billion U.S. dollars, respectively.

Key information about India Foreign Exchange Reserves

• India Foreign Exchange Reserves was measured at 537.7 USD bn in Jan 2025, compared with 547.5 USD bn in the previous month
• India Foreign Exchange Reserves: USD mn data is updated monthly, available from Apr 1989 to Jan 2025
• The data reached an all-time high of 617.1 USD bn in Sep 2024 and a record low of 1.1 USD bn in Jun 1991

The Reserve Bank of India provides monthly Foreign Exchange Reserves in USD.


Further information about India Foreign Exchange Reserves

• In the latest reports, India Foreign Exchange Reserves equaled 9.2 Months of Import in May 2023.
• Its Money Supply M2 increased 765.5 USD bn YoY in Nov 2024.
• India Domestic Credit reached 3,168.1 USD bn in Dec 2024, representing an increased of 11.1 % YoY.
• The country's Non Performing Loans Ratio stood at 2.8 % in Mar 2024, compared with the ratio of 3.9 % in the previous year.
• Household Debt of India reached 17.1 % in Mar 2024, accounting for 17.1 % of the country's Nominal GDP.

This dataset provides values for FOREIGN EXCHANGE RESERVES reported in several countries. The data includes current values, previous releases, historical highs and record lows, release frequency, reported unit and currency.

Key information about Pakistan Foreign Exchange Reserves

• Pakistan Foreign Exchange Reserves was measured at 15.6 USD bn in Jan 2025, compared with 15.9 USD bn in the previous month
• Pakistan Foreign Exchange Reserves: USD mn data is updated monthly, available from Jan 1959 to Jan 2025
• The data reached an all-time high of 27.1 USD bn in Aug 2021 and a record low of 96.0 USD mn in Jan 1972

The State Bank of Pakistan provides monthly Foreign Exchange Reserves in USD. Foreign Exchange Reserves includes SDRs and part of Foreign Exchange Reserves is held by Scheduled Bank. Foreign Exchange Reserves prior to January 1990 is sourced from the International Monetary Fund.


Further information about Pakistan Foreign Exchange Reserves

• In the latest reports, Pakistan Foreign Exchange Reserves equaled 3.0 Months of Import in Jan 2025.
• Its Money Supply M2 increased 127.8 USD bn YoY in Dec 2024.
• Pakistan Domestic Credit reached 168.7 USD bn in Dec 2024, representing an increased of 16.4 % YoY.
• The country's Non Performing Loans Ratio stood at 8.4 % in Sep 2024, compared with the ratio of 7.6 % in the previous quarter.

Key information about Bangladesh Foreign Exchange Reserves

• Bangladesh Foreign Exchange Reserves was measured at 26.2 USD bn in May 2023, compared with 27.2 USD bn in the previous month
• Bangladesh Foreign Exchange Reserves: USD mn data is updated monthly, available from Dec 1972 to May 2023
• The data reached an all-time high of 44.6 USD bn in Aug 2021 and a record low of 42.5 USD mn in Aug 1974

CEIC calculates monthly Foreign Exchange Reserves from monthly Foreign Exchange Reserves and converts it into USD. Foreign Exchange Reserves is calculated as the sum of Foreign Currency Reserves and Other Reserve Assets. Bangladesh Bank provides Foreign Exchange Reserves in USD. Foreign Exchange Reserves prior to January 2016 is sourced from the International Monetary Fund.


Further information about Bangladesh Foreign Exchange Reserves

• In the latest reports, Bangladesh Foreign Exchange Reserves equaled 5.8 Months of Import in Apr 2023.
• Its Money Supply M2 increased 174.2 USD bn YoY in May 2023.
• Bangladesh Domestic Credit reached 179.6 USD bn in May 2023, representing an increased of 16.4 % YoY.
• The country's Non Performing Loans Ratio stood at 8.8 % in Mar 2023, compared with the ratio of 8.2 % in the previous quarter.

This dataset provides values for GOLD RESERVES reported in several countries. The data includes current values, previous releases, historical highs and record lows, release frequency, reported unit and currency.

The euro and U.S. dollar made up more than ***** of 10 SWIFT payments worldwide in 2025, outperforming many other currencies. This is according to a monthly report meant to track the market share of China's yuan renminbi within the international bank transfer system SWIFT. Although China holds the largest forex reserves in the world, the yuan ranked as the ******-used currency in international payments. The figures concern customer-initiated and institutional payments and exclude trade. Discussions on the potential weakening role of the U.S. dollar especially touch world trade and forex. For example, the share of the USD in forex reserves declined visibly against the euro and Japanese yen in 2024. What sparked this de-dollarization trend, and will it continue? Trade sanctions and de-dollarization De-dollarization in 2024 is mentioned mostly alongside trade and the BRICS countries - an informal name given to Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. The combined GDP of BRICS is about ** percent of the world's economy. After the start of the Ukraine war and Russia received economic sanctions, the BRICS slowly evolved into a trading bloc. The group increasingly wanted its own currency to settle payments within the trade bloc, to avoid using the U.S. dollar. In August 2024, BRICS will gather in South Africa to discuss the creation of such a new joint currency. Additionally, ** countries - including Argentina, Algeria, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Yemen - expressed interest in joining the BRICS group. CBDC, or projects into a digital payment settlement A factor of future uncertainty for the U.S. dollar is how central bank digital currencies (CBDC) develop in emerging countries. Several projects exist between individual countries that specifically target cross-border interbank payments. A cooperation between Thailand and Hong Kong, Inthanon-Lionrock, ranks as the most advanced of these projects. CBDC does not require the U.S. dollar to function. Tangible such as commodities or gold can back them. The value of transactions processed with CBDC is to grow by ******* percent between 2024 and 2030.

This dataset provides values for FOREIGN EXCHANGE RESERVES reported in several countries. The data includes current values, previous releases, historical highs and record lows, release frequency, reported unit and currency.

The total reserves in Bangladesh stood at ************* U.S. dollars in 2024. Between 1972 and 2024, the total reserves rose by ************* U.S. dollars, though the increase followed an uneven trajectory rather than a consistent upward trend.

Bangladesh: Foreign exchange reserves including gold, billion USD: The latest value from 2024 is 21.39 billion U.S. dollars, a decline from 21.86 billion U.S. dollars in 2023. In comparison, the world average is 107.40 billion U.S. dollars, based on data from 132 countries. Historically, the average for Bangladesh from 1972 to 2024 is 8.72 billion U.S. dollars. The minimum value, 0.14 billion U.S. dollars, was reached in 1973 while the maximum of 46.17 billion U.S. dollars was recorded in 2021.

Foreign Exchange Reserves in Pakistan increased to 19659.50 USD Million in August from 18976.40 USD Million in July of 2025. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - Pakistan Foreign Exchange Reserves - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

Australia and Russia have the largest gold mine reserves worldwide, with each one having reserves of an estimated ****** metric tons in 2024. Australia, Russia and South Africa hold the largest reserves of gold Australia, Russia and South Africa hold a large share of the world’s gold mine reserves, accounting for ******, ****** and ***** metric tons, respectively in 2024. Global gold reserves amounted to a total of ****** metric tons that year. Meanwhile, the global mine production volume of gold reached an estimated ***** metric tons in 2024. Despite having the largest gold reserves, Australia was the third-largest gold mining country in the world in 2024, after China and Russia. Gold's versatile uses Gold is known for its bright lustrous yellow color and was often used as a monetary standard in the past. The precious metal is mostly used in jewelry, for investments, and in coinage. The United States held about ** percent of its total monetary holdings as gold reserves in 2023; Switzerland held about *** percent of its holdings as gold. This transition metal is also valued for its ductile, malleable, and non-reactive characteristics. Thus, it is also used industrially, often as electrical connectors, infrared shielding and colored-glass protection. The price of gold can vary, it reached a recent low in the early 2000s at *** U.S. dollars per troy ounce in 2000 and increased to a high of ***** U.S. dollars per troy ounce in 2023.

The Data Template on International Reserves and Foreign Currency Liquidity is an innovative single framework that integrates the concept of international reserves and foreign currency liquidity by covering data on on-balance-sheet and off-balance-sheet international financial activities of country authorities as well as supplementary information. It aims to provide a comprehensive account of official foreign currency assets and drains on such resources arising from various foreign/domestic currency liabilities and commitments of the authorities.