Bank liquid reserves to bank assets ratio in South Africa
South Africa: Bank liquid reserves to bank assets ratio was 6.1% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Bank liquid reserves to bank assets ratio in South Africa, 2001–2025
Source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in %.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 6.1% for bank liquid reserves to bank assets ratio in 2025.
That represents a change of up 5.4% on the previous year and up 93.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, bank liquid reserves to bank assets ratio in South Africa peaked at 9.7% in 2002 and was at its lowest, 3.0%, in 2006.
South Africa ranks 131st of 152 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Bank liquid reserves to bank assets ratio in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 3.8% | — |
| 2002 | 9.7% | +155.4% |
| 2003 | 3.7% | -61.3% |
| 2004 | 3.7% | -1.9% |
| 2005 | 3.3% | -10.6% |
| 2006 | 3.0% | -8.0% |
| 2007 | 3.4% | +12.0% |
| 2008 | 3.3% | -1.0% |
| 2009 | 3.5% | +4.7% |
| 2010 | 3.9% | +12.3% |
| 2011 | 4.0% | +1.2% |
| 2012 | 3.5% | -11.4% |
| 2013 | 3.5% | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 3.5% | -2.5% |
| 2015 | 3.1% | -9.1% |
| 2016 | 3.5% | +11.5% |
| 2017 | 3.5% | -1.0% |
| 2018 | 3.3% | -3.9% |
| 2019 | 3.4% | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 3.2% | -5.6% |
| 2021 | 3.3% | +3.6% |
| 2022 | 3.9% | +17.3% |
| 2023 | 4.3% | +10.3% |
| 2024 | 5.8% | +34.3% |
| 2025 | 6.1% | +5.4% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 6.1% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 19.4%, 31% of the median. (50 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 6.1% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 21.7%, 28% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Bank liquid reserves to bank assets ratio in South Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | +155.4% | 3.8% | 9.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 4.2% | 3.0% | 9.7% | 9 |
| 2010s | 3.5% | 3.1% | 4.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.4% | 3.2% | 6.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More financial sector data for South Africa
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.08 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0021 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per capita 13.81 units per person (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, annual growth rate 0.0607 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0015 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per capita 10.08 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.08 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0021 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per capita 13.81 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, SDR, annual growth rate 0.0607 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is bank liquid reserves to bank assets ratio in South Africa?
- Bank liquid reserves to bank assets ratio in South Africa was 6.1% in 2025, according to International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest bank liquid reserves to bank assets ratio recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 9.7% in 2002.
- What is the lowest bank liquid reserves to bank assets ratio recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.0% in 2006.
- How does South Africa rank for bank liquid reserves to bank assets ratio?
- South Africa ranks 131st out of 152 countries with data for 2025.
- Is bank liquid reserves to bank assets ratio rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 93.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Bank liquid reserves to bank assets ratio (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Ratio of bank liquid reserves to bank assets is the ratio of domestic currency holdings and deposits with the monetary authorities to claims on other governments, nonfinancial public enterprises, the private sector, and other banking institutions. This indicator is expressed as a percentage (a÷b)*100.