Memorandum items, Currency composition of reserves, Denominated in in South Africa
South Africa: Memorandum items, Currency composition of reserves, Denominated in was 75.89 billion in 2025. ▲ Rising
Memorandum items, Currency composition of reserves, Denominated in in South Africa, 2000–2025
Source: International Monetary Fund.
Analysis
In 2025, memorandum items, currency composition of reserves, denominated in in South Africa stood at 75.89 billion. That is the highest value across all 26 years on record.
The figure is up 15.9% on the previous year and up 65.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, memorandum items, currency composition of reserves, denominated in in South Africa peaked at 75.89 billion in 2025 and was at its lowest, 11.30 billion, in 2000.
South Africa ranks 28th of 86 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 26 years of available data.
Memorandum items, Currency composition of reserves, Denominated in in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 11.30 billion | — |
| 2001 | 12.55 billion | +11.1% |
| 2002 | 15.53 billion | +23.7% |
| 2003 | 25.08 billion | +61.5% |
| 2004 | 32.96 billion | +31.4% |
| 2005 | 20.65 billion | -37.3% |
| 2006 | 25.61 billion | +24.0% |
| 2007 | 32.98 billion | +28.8% |
| 2008 | 34.10 billion | +3.4% |
| 2009 | 39.71 billion | +16.4% |
| 2010 | 43.83 billion | +10.4% |
| 2011 | 48.86 billion | +11.5% |
| 2012 | 50.73 billion | +3.8% |
| 2013 | 49.59 billion | -2.3% |
| 2014 | 49.10 billion | -1.0% |
| 2015 | 45.79 billion | -6.7% |
| 2016 | 47.36 billion | +3.4% |
| 2017 | 50.72 billion | +7.1% |
| 2018 | 51.64 billion | +1.8% |
| 2019 | 55.06 billion | +6.6% |
| 2020 | 55.01 billion | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 57.59 billion | +4.7% |
| 2022 | 60.57 billion | +5.2% |
| 2023 | 62.52 billion | +3.2% |
| 2024 | 65.46 billion | +4.7% |
| 2025 | 75.89 billion | +15.9% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 75.89 billion is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 29.60 billion, 2.6× the median. (32 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 75.89 billion is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 10.29 billion, 7.4× the median. (5 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Memorandum items, Currency composition of reserves, Denominated in 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | +61.5% | 15.53 billion | 25.08 billion |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 25.05 billion | 11.30 billion | 39.71 billion | 10 |
| 2010s | 49.27 billion | 43.83 billion | 55.06 billion | 10 |
| 2020s | 62.84 billion | 55.01 billion | 75.89 billion | 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 memorandum items, currency composition of reserves, denominated in in South Africa?
- Memorandum items, currency composition of reserves, denominated in in South Africa was 75.89 billion in 2025, according to International Monetary Fund.
- What is the highest memorandum items, currency composition of reserves, denominated in recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 75.89 billion in 2025.
- What is the lowest memorandum items, currency composition of reserves, denominated in recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.30 billion in 2000.
- How does South Africa rank for memorandum items, currency composition of reserves, denominated in?
- South Africa ranks 28th out of 86 countries with data for 2025.
- Is memorandum items, currency composition of reserves, denominated in rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 65.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund, published as part of Memorandum items, Currency composition of reserves, Denominated in Group of currencies (International Reserves and Foreign Currency Liquidity: Guidelines for a Data Template 2013 (IRFCL 2013), Monetary Authorities and Central Government excluding Social Security). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The International Reserves and Foreign Currency Liquidity (IRFCL, or the “Reserves Data Template”) dataset includes data on the amount and composition of countries’ official reserve assets, other foreign currency assets held by monetary authorities and central governments, and short-term foreign currency obligations and related activities of monetary authorities and central governments that can lead to drains on official reserves and other foreign currency assets. This website re-disseminates IMF member countries' data on international reserves and foreign currency liquidity in a common template and in a common currency (the U.S. dollar). Historical data by country are also available. Please note that the re-dissemination of the template data by the Fund does not constitute endorsement of the quality of the data by the Fund.