Broad money to total reserves ratio (International Financial) in South Africa
South Africa: Broad money to total reserves ratio (International Financial) was 4.32 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Broad money to total reserves ratio in South Africa, 1965–2025
Source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Analysis
South Africa recorded 4.32 for broad money to total reserves ratio in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 61 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.6% on the previous year and down 15.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, broad money to total reserves ratio in South Africa peaked at 31.13 in 1996 and was at its lowest, 4.32, in 2025.
South Africa ranks 49th of 159 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Broad money to total reserves ratio (International Financial) in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 11.11 | — |
| 1966 | 8.71 | -21.6% |
| 1967 | 9.98 | +14.5% |
| 1968 | 5.16 | -48.3% |
| 1969 | 7.05 | +36.5% |
| 1970 | 10.25 | +45.4% |
| 1971 | 15.09 | +47.2% |
| 1972 | 7.24 | -52.0% |
| 1973 | 6.76 | -6.6% |
| 1974 | 5.5 | -18.7% |
| 1975 | 7.66 | +39.3% |
| 1976 | 9.9 | +29.3% |
| 1977 | 11.51 | +16.2% |
| 1978 | 10.23 | -11.1% |
| 1979 | 5.84 | -42.9% |
| 1980 | 5.48 | -6.2% |
| 1981 | 10.31 | +88.2% |
| 1982 | 10.46 | +1.4% |
| 1983 | 12.06 | +15.3% |
| 1984 | 16.49 | +36.7% |
| 1985 | 16.56 | +0.4% |
| 1986 | 14.79 | -10.7% |
| 1987 | 12.91 | -12.7% |
| 1988 | 23.08 | +78.8% |
| 1989 | 24.22 | +4.9% |
| 1990 | 23.33 | -3.7% |
| 1991 | 20.75 | -11.1% |
| 1992 | 20.53 | -1.1% |
| 1993 | 21.22 | +3.4% |
| 1994 | 20.19 | -4.9% |
| 1995 | 16.93 | -16.2% |
| 1996 | 31.13 | +83.8% |
| 1997 | 13.45 | -56.8% |
| 1998 | 13.78 | +2.5% |
| 1999 | 10.16 | -26.3% |
| 2000 | 9.33 | -8.1% |
| 2001 | 9.13 | -2.2% |
| 2002 | 8.61 | -5.7% |
| 2003 | 13.03 | +51.4% |
| 2004 | 9.46 | -27.4% |
| 2005 | 8.37 | -11.5% |
| 2006 | 7.77 | -7.2% |
| 2007 | 7.19 | -7.4% |
| 2008 | 6.8 | -5.5% |
| 2009 | 5.8 | -14.6% |
| 2010 | 6.49 | +11.9% |
| 2011 | 6.38 | -1.8% |
| 2012 | 5.7 | -10.5% |
| 2013 | 5.24 | -8.1% |
| 2014 | 5.06 | -3.4% |
| 2015 | 5.09 | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 4.55 | -10.6% |
| 2017 | 4.97 | +9.4% |
| 2018 | 5.19 | +4.3% |
| 2019 | 4.73 | -8.8% |
| 2020 | 4.55 | -3.9% |
| 2021 | 5.11 | +12.4% |
| 2022 | 4.78 | -6.6% |
| 2023 | 4.41 | -7.6% |
| 2024 | 4.53 | +2.6% |
| 2025 | 4.32 | -4.6% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 4.32 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 2.94, 1.5× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 4.32 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.91, 1.5× the median. (40 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Broad money to total reserves ratio (International Financial) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | +88.2% | 5.48 | 10.31 |
| 1996 | +83.8% | 16.93 | 31.13 |
| 1988 | +78.8% | 12.91 | 23.08 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 8.4 | 5.16 | 11.11 | 5 |
| 1970s | 9 | 5.5 | 15.09 | 10 |
| 1980s | 14.63 | 5.48 | 24.22 | 10 |
| 1990s | 19.15 | 10.16 | 31.13 | 10 |
| 2000s | 8.55 | 5.8 | 13.03 | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.34 | 4.55 | 6.49 | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.62 | 4.32 | 5.11 | 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 broad money to total reserves ratio in South Africa?
- Broad money to total reserves ratio in South Africa was 4.32 in 2025, according to International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest broad money to total reserves ratio recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 31.13 in 1996.
- What is the lowest broad money to total reserves ratio recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.32 in 2025.
- How does South Africa rank for broad money to total reserves ratio?
- South Africa ranks 49th out of 159 countries with data for 2025.
- Is broad money to total reserves ratio rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Broad money to total reserves ratio. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 61 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Broad money is the sum of all liquid financial instruments held by money-holding sectors that are widely accepted in an economy as a medium of exchange, plus those that can be converted into a medium of exchange at short notice at, or close to, their full nominal value. Reserve assets are external assets, including monetary gold, that are readily available to and controlled by monetary authorities for meeting balance of payments financing needs, for intervention in exchange markets to affect the currency exchange rate, and for other related purposes (such as maintaining confidence in the currency and the economy, and serving as a basis for foreign borrowing). Reserve assets must be denominated and settled in foreign currency. This indicator is expressed as a ratio (a÷b).