Net foreign assets (current LCU) in New Zealand
New Zealand: Net foreign assets (current LCU) was -85.35 billion current LCU in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
-85.35 billion current LCU
Change on year
down 4.2%
World rank
176th
of 187 countries
All-time high
3.07 billion current LCU
in 1987
All-time low
-106.03 billion current LCU
in 2021
Years of data
64
1960–2025
Net foreign assets in New Zealand, 1960–2025
Source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in current LCU.
Analysis
In 2025, net foreign assets in New Zealand stood at -85.35 billion current LCU.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.2% on the previous year and down 16.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, net foreign assets in New Zealand peaked at 3.07 billion current LCU in 1987 and was at its lowest, -106.03 billion current LCU, in 2021.
New Zealand ranks 176th of 187 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Net foreign assets (current LCU) in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | current LCU | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 214.80 million current LCU | — |
| 1961 | 150.70 million current LCU | -29.8% |
| 1962 | 204.20 million current LCU | +35.5% |
| 1963 | 193.80 million current LCU | -5.1% |
| 1964 | 217.10 million current LCU | +12.0% |
| 1965 | 135.49 million current LCU | -37.6% |
| 1966 | 105.06 million current LCU | -22.5% |
| 1967 | 38.91 million current LCU | -63.0% |
| 1968 | 132.86 million current LCU | +241.5% |
| 1969 | 231.76 million current LCU | +74.4% |
| 1970 | 284.18 million current LCU | +22.6% |
| 1971 | 458.40 million current LCU | +61.3% |
| 1972 | 743.34 million current LCU | +62.2% |
| 1973 | 797.83 million current LCU | +7.3% |
| 1974 | 432.20 million current LCU | -45.8% |
| 1975 | 53.08 million current LCU | -87.7% |
| 1976 | -104.07 million current LCU | -296.1% |
| 1977 | -227.49 million current LCU | +118.6% |
| 1978 | -219.99 million current LCU | -3.3% |
| 1979 | 50.48 million current LCU | -122.9% |
| 1980 | -95.83 million current LCU | -289.8% |
| 1981 | -119.40 million current LCU | +24.6% |
| 1982 | -292.80 million current LCU | +145.2% |
| 1983 | 127.95 million current LCU | -143.7% |
| 1984 | 2.25 billion current LCU | +1655.1% |
| 1985 | 1.88 billion current LCU | -16.2% |
| 1986 | 2.13 billion current LCU | +13.3% |
| 1987 | 3.07 billion current LCU | +44.1% |
| 1988 | -4.13 billion current LCU | -234.4% |
| 1989 | -3.46 billion current LCU | -16.1% |
| 1990 | -3.15 billion current LCU | -9.1% |
| 1991 | -5.38 billion current LCU | +70.9% |
| 1992 | -9.48 billion current LCU | +76.1% |
| 1993 | -9.02 billion current LCU | -4.8% |
| 1994 | -11.30 billion current LCU | +25.2% |
| 1995 | -12.68 billion current LCU | +12.2% |
| 1996 | -11.18 billion current LCU | -11.8% |
| 1997 | -18.55 billion current LCU | +65.9% |
| 1998 | -24.95 billion current LCU | +34.5% |
| 1999 | -31.35 billion current LCU | +25.6% |
| 2000 | -33.72 billion current LCU | +7.5% |
| 2001 | -28.27 billion current LCU | -16.1% |
| 2002 | -26.50 billion current LCU | -6.3% |
| 2003 | -29.11 billion current LCU | +9.8% |
| 2004 | -39.37 billion current LCU | +35.3% |
| 2005 | -51.77 billion current LCU | +31.5% |
| 2006 | -62.36 billion current LCU | +20.5% |
| 2007 | -69.06 billion current LCU | +10.7% |
| 2008 | -84.82 billion current LCU | +22.8% |
| 2009 | -88.32 billion current LCU | +4.1% |
| 2010 | -86.82 billion current LCU | -1.7% |
| 2013 | -81.78 billion current LCU | -5.8% |
| 2014 | -78.75 billion current LCU | -3.7% |
| 2015 | -73.20 billion current LCU | -7.1% |
| 2016 | -79.79 billion current LCU | +9.0% |
| 2017 | -76.16 billion current LCU | -4.5% |
| 2018 | -79.95 billion current LCU | +5.0% |
| 2019 | -90.84 billion current LCU | +13.6% |
| 2020 | -99.99 billion current LCU | +10.1% |
| 2021 | -106.03 billion current LCU | +6.0% |
| 2022 | -104.91 billion current LCU | -1.1% |
| 2023 | -91.27 billion current LCU | -13.0% |
| 2024 | -81.89 billion current LCU | -10.3% |
| 2025 | -85.35 billion current LCU | +4.2% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's -85.35 billion current LCU is below the median for high income countries, which is 113.77 billion current LCU. (61 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's -85.35 billion current LCU is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 348.82 billion current LCU. (26 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Net foreign assets (current LCU) in New Zealand 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | +1655.1% | 127.95 million current LCU | 2.25 billion current LCU |
| 1976 | -296.1% | 53.08 million current LCU | -104.07 million current LCU |
| 1980 | -289.8% | 50.48 million current LCU | -95.83 million current LCU |
| 1968 | +241.5% | 38.91 million current LCU | 132.86 million current LCU |
| 1988 | -234.4% | 3.07 billion current LCU | -4.13 billion current LCU |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 162.47 million current LCU | 38.91 million current LCU | 231.76 million current LCU | 10 |
| 1970s | 226.80 million current LCU | -227.49 million current LCU | 797.83 million current LCU | 10 |
| 1980s | 135.67 million current LCU | -4.13 billion current LCU | 3.07 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1990s | -13.70 billion current LCU | -31.35 billion current LCU | -3.15 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2000s | -51.33 billion current LCU | -88.32 billion current LCU | -26.50 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2010s | -80.91 billion current LCU | -90.84 billion current LCU | -73.20 billion current LCU | 8 |
| 2020s | -94.91 billion current LCU | -106.03 billion current LCU | -81.89 billion current LCU | 6 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
More financial sector data for New Zealand
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, annual growth rate 6.51 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0016 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per capita 81.16 units per person (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, annual growth rate 1.42 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0012 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per capita 59.26 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, annual growth rate 6.51 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0016 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per capita 81.16 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, SDR, annual growth rate 1.42 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is net foreign assets in New Zealand?
- Net foreign assets in New Zealand was -85.35 billion current LCU in 2025, according to International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest net foreign assets recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 3.07 billion current LCU in 1987.
- What is the lowest net foreign assets recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was -106.03 billion current LCU in 2021.
- How does New Zealand rank for net foreign assets?
- New Zealand ranks 176th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is net foreign assets rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 16.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Net foreign assets (current LCU). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Net foreign assets are the sum of foreign assets held by monetary authorities and deposit money banks, less their foreign liabilities. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This series is expressed in local currency units.