The aggregate balance sheet of banks operating in Egypt, excluding the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE), rose to EGP 24.920trn in February 2026, up from EGP 24.508trn in January, according to the CBE’s latest monthly report. The increase of approximately EGP 412bn reflects continued growth across the banking sector’s assets, deposits and lending activities.
Assets
The CBE reported that banks’ cash balances stood at EGP 174.561bn in February, while balances with other domestic banks reached EGP 2.601trn. Balances held with banks abroad amounted to EGP 1.738trn.
Loans and discount balances extended to customers totalled EGP 10.692trn, while banks’ holdings of securities and investments in Treasury bills reached EGP 8.145trn. Other assets, which were not detailed in the report, amounted to EGP 1.568trn.
Liabilities
On the liabilities side, banks’ capital stood at EGP 717.487bn, while reserves reached EGP 1.147trn and provisions totalled EGP 710.129bn.
Liabilities to other domestic banks amounted to EGP 1.844trn, while liabilities to banks abroad stood at EGP 521.177bn. Outstanding bonds and long-term loans totalled EGP 982.527bn, while other liabilities reached EGP 2.956trn.
Customer deposits
Customer deposits increased to EGP 16.168trn in February, compared with EGP 15.923trn a month earlier, marking a monthly increase of EGP 245bn.
Government deposits totalled EGP 3.187trn, including approximately EGP 2.7trn in local currency and the equivalent of EGP 486.957bn in foreign currencies.
Non-government deposits reached EGP 12.981trn, comprising EGP 9.873trn in local currency and the equivalent of EGP 3.107trn in foreign currencies.
Within local currency non-government deposits, the public business sector accounted for EGP 166.089bn, the private business sector EGP 1.709trn, households EGP 7.889trn, and non-residents EGP 109.201bn.
For foreign currency deposits, the public business sector held the equivalent of EGP 198.068bn, the private business sector EGP 1.006trn, households EGP 1.821trn, and non-residents EGP 81.818bn.
Households remain the dominant source of deposits
The CBE said households continued to account for the largest share of deposits, representing 75.9% of total customer deposits at banks operating in Egypt in February 2026.
Households accounted for 80.8% of local currency deposits and 60.2% of foreign currency deposits.
Total deposits increased by 16.1% year-on-year in February, driven by a 22.3% rise in local currency deposits, while foreign currency deposits declined by 0.4%. Foreign currency deposits represented 23.66% of total customer deposits in the month.
Credit facilities
Outstanding credit facilities reached EGP 10.692trn in February, an increase of EGP 1.370trn compared with the end of June 2025.
Credit facilities comprise loans extended by banks to customers, in addition to letters of credit and letters of guarantee issued to finance import transactions.
The CBE attributed the increase to a rise of EGP 463.5bn, or 10.3%, in credit extended to the non-government sector, alongside a EGP 906.6bn, or 18.7%, increase in lending to the government.
The expansion in government lending reflected an increase of EGP 1.094trn in local currency credit, partly offset by a decline in foreign currency credit equivalent to EGP 187.5bn.
Within lending to the non-government sector, the private business sector accounted for 59.4% of total outstanding credit facilities.
By economic activity, industry received the largest share of lending at 32.5%, followed by services at 28.1%, trade at 7.8%, and agriculture at 1.5%. Unallocated sectors accounted for 30.1% of total credit, with households representing 29.9% of that category.
Domestic liquidity
The CBE reported that domestic liquidity increased by EGP 1.214trn between July 2025 and February 2026, reaching EGP 14.287trn, representing growth of 9.3%.
The increase reflected growth in quasi-money of EGP 598.9bn, or 6.2%, alongside a EGP 615.1bn, or 18.2%, increase in money supply.
Quasi-money expanded as local currency time and savings deposits rose by EGP 664.7bn, or 10.1%, partially offset by a decline in foreign currency deposits equivalent to EGP 65.8bn, or 2.1%.
Money supply increased as local currency demand deposits rose by EGP 499.3bn, or 24.9%, while currency in circulation outside the banking system increased by EGP 115.8bn, or 8.4%.
According to the CBE, the growth in domestic liquidity during the first eight months of FY 2025/26 was supported by increases in both net domestic assets and net foreign assets.
Net domestic assets
Net domestic assets rose by EGP 642.1bn during the July 2025-February 2026 period, representing growth of 5.2%, driven by an increase in domestic credit of EGP 2.213trn, or 14.9%, partially offset by a EGP 1.571trn increase in the negative balance of net balancing items.
Domestic credit expanded as net claims on the government increased by EGP 1.659trn, while claims on the private business sector rose by EGP 304.1bn. Claims on the public business sector increased by EGP 73bn, while lending to households expanded by EGP 177.8bn.
Net foreign assets
The banking sector’s net foreign assets increased by the equivalent of EGP 571.9bn during the July 2025-February 2026 period, representing growth of 77.1%.
The CBE said the increase reflected a rise in banks’ net foreign assets equivalent to EGP 321.6bn, alongside an increase in the central bank’s net foreign assets equivalent to EGP 250.3bn.
Reserve money
Reserve money increased by EGP 42bn, or 1.8%, during the same period to reach EGP 2.363trn in February 2026.
The increase reflected a rise of EGP 96.4bn, or 6.4%, in currency in circulation outside the Central Bank’s vaults, while banks’ local currency deposits with the CBE declined by EGP 54.4bn, or 6.7%.
According to the CBE, reserve money growth was driven by an increase in net claims on the government of EGP 135.2bn, a rise in the central bank’s net foreign assets equivalent to EGP 250.3bn, and higher net claims on banks of EGP 234.1bn. These gains were partially offset by a EGP 577.6bn increase in the negative balance of net balancing items.
