The net foreign assets (NFA) of the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) stood at $15.22 billion at the end of May 2026, slightly up from $15.16 billion recorded at the end of April, according to official data from the institution. This development is part of a gradual consolidation trend in the country’s external position, which began with the return to positive territory of the NFA in May 2024.
Across the entire banking sector – including both the Central Bank and commercial banks – net foreign assets reached approximately $22.9 billion, equivalent to 1,229 billion Egyptian pounds in April 2026, up from $21.32 billion in March. This progress reflects a structural strengthening of the Egyptian financial system’s foreign currency positions.
Total foreign assets of the banking sector reached 5,049 billion Egyptian pounds in April, while foreign liabilities stood at 3,820 billion pounds.
On an annual basis, foreign reserves surged to 2,570 billion Egyptian pounds at the end of May 2026, up from 2,430 billion a year earlier, reflecting sustained growth in foreign currency inflows into the local market.
Highest international reserves
This improvement in the CBE’s NFA is accompanied by an increase in net international reserves. Egypt’s net reserves reached $53.134 billion at the end of May 2026, up from $53.009 billion at the end of April, maintaining above the $50 billion threshold for the seventh consecutive month.
The rise in net foreign assets is supported by several factors. The increase in reserves and external assets has been driven by the recovery in remittances from Egyptians living abroad, the rise in tourism revenues, and the strengthening of foreign investments in public debt securities.
Remittances from the diaspora play a particularly crucial role. They reached around $3.8 billion in February 2026, a 25.7% increase from the $3 billion recorded in the same month of the previous year. For the current fiscal year, funds sent by Egyptians working abroad totaled $39.2 billion in the first ten months of the 2025/2026 fiscal year.
