The Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) announced on Monday that the country’s net international reserves rose to $49.533bn in September 2025, up from $49.250bn in August—an increase of $283m.
According to the CBE’s official statement, gold holdings within the reserves saw a significant rise, reaching $15.843bn in September compared to $14.088bn in August—an increase of $1.755bn. Conversely, the volume of foreign currencies declined to $33.649bn, down from $35.122bn the previous month. The value of Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) in the reserves remained relatively stable, edging up slightly from $43m to $44m.
Egypt’s foreign reserves comprise a diversified basket of major global currencies, including the US dollar, euro, British pound, Japanese yen, and Chinese yuan. The composition of the reserves is adjusted according to exchange rate movements and global financial stability, under a strategy managed by the CBE.
The primary function of these reserves—which include both gold and foreign currencies—is to ensure Egypt’s ability to meet its international financial obligations, fund the import of essential goods, pay off foreign debt interest and installments, and buffer the economy during periods of external shock or volatility in hard-currency revenues.
Commenting on the latest figures, banking expert Mohamed Abdel Aal described the increase as a positive indicator of Egypt’s strengthening external financial position.
“This level of reserves signals Egypt’s enhanced ability to meet its international commitments and handle global financial fluctuations,” he said. “It also reflects the success of ongoing monetary and economic reforms in attracting foreign capital and improving hard currency inflows.”
Abdel Aal added that the current reserve level is sufficient to cover Egypt’s import and external financing needs for more than seven months—well above the global standard of three months, underscoring the country’s financial resilience.
