Commercial banks drive $6.1B decline in Egypt’s net foreign assets in March

CAIRO - 7 May 2026: Egypt’s banking sector saw its net foreign assets (NFA) decline by around $6.1 billion in March 2026, pressured mainly by a sharp drop in commercial banks’ foreign currency positions, according to Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) data.

 

The banking sector’s net foreign assets fell to $21.3 billion at the end of March, compared with $27.4 billion in February.

 

Commercial banks were responsible for most of the decline, with their net foreign assets decreasing by nearly $5.9 billion during the month, while the Central Bank of Egypt’s net foreign assets slipped by around $130 million.

 

Data showed that commercial banks’ foreign assets placed abroad dropped by $3.6 billion to $39.4 billion.

 

Meanwhile, banks’ foreign currency liabilities rose by approximately $2.4 billion, reaching $33.6 billion by the end of March.

 

Net foreign assets represent the balance between the banking sector’s foreign currency assets and its external obligations, and are considered a key indicator of foreign exchange liquidity and the sector’s capacity to meet foreign liabilities.