Net foreign assets in South Africa
South Africa: Net foreign assets was 1.43 trillion current LCU in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
1.43 trillion current LCU
Change on year
down 4.3%
World rank
51st
of 187 countries
All-time high
1.49 trillion current LCU
in 2024
All-time low
-31.53 billion current LCU
in 1998
Years of data
60
1965–2025
Net foreign assets in South Africa, 1965–2025
Source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in current LCU.
Analysis
In 2025, net foreign assets in South Africa stood at 1.43 trillion current LCU.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.3% on the previous year and up 73.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, net foreign assets in South Africa peaked at 1.49 trillion current LCU in 2024 and was at its lowest, -31.53 billion current LCU, in 1998.
That places South Africa 51st out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Net foreign assets in South Africa, year by year
| Year | current LCU | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 353.89 million current LCU | — |
| 1966 | 457.93 million current LCU | +29.4% |
| 1967 | 470.57 million current LCU | +2.8% |
| 1968 | 910.97 million current LCU | +93.6% |
| 1969 | 910.70 million current LCU | -0.0% |
| 1970 | 593.55 million current LCU | -34.8% |
| 1971 | 412.36 million current LCU | -30.5% |
| 1972 | 927.24 million current LCU | +124.9% |
| 1973 | 794.67 million current LCU | -14.3% |
| 1974 | 673.60 million current LCU | -15.2% |
| 1975 | 205.50 million current LCU | -69.5% |
| 1976 | -580.30 million current LCU | -382.4% |
| 1977 | -544.08 million current LCU | -6.2% |
| 1978 | 1.41 billion current LCU | -359.0% |
| 1979 | 3.95 billion current LCU | +180.1% |
| 1980 | 5.57 billion current LCU | +41.2% |
| 1981 | 2.30 billion current LCU | -58.7% |
| 1982 | 924.57 million current LCU | -59.9% |
| 1983 | 156.57 million current LCU | -83.1% |
| 1984 | -1.41 billion current LCU | -1000.7% |
| 1985 | -3.82 billion current LCU | +171.2% |
| 1986 | -751.36 million current LCU | -80.4% |
| 1987 | 3.63 billion current LCU | -582.8% |
| 1988 | 1.18 billion current LCU | -67.6% |
| 1989 | 258.90 million current LCU | -78.0% |
| 1990 | 799.49 million current LCU | +208.8% |
| 1992 | -10.61 billion current LCU | -1426.9% |
| 1993 | -16.49 billion current LCU | +55.5% |
| 1994 | -20.64 billion current LCU | +25.2% |
| 1995 | -17.95 billion current LCU | -13.0% |
| 1996 | -31.04 billion current LCU | +72.9% |
| 1997 | -23.27 billion current LCU | -25.0% |
| 1998 | -31.53 billion current LCU | +35.5% |
| 1999 | 2.25 billion current LCU | -107.2% |
| 2000 | 10.61 billion current LCU | +370.4% |
| 2001 | 32.04 billion current LCU | +202.1% |
| 2002 | 86.33 billion current LCU | +169.4% |
| 2003 | 126.84 billion current LCU | +46.9% |
| 2004 | 141.68 billion current LCU | +11.7% |
| 2005 | 195.31 billion current LCU | +37.9% |
| 2006 | 273.77 billion current LCU | +40.2% |
| 2007 | 304.95 billion current LCU | +11.4% |
| 2008 | 390.60 billion current LCU | +28.1% |
| 2009 | 354.17 billion current LCU | -9.3% |
| 2010 | 356.01 billion current LCU | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 526.22 billion current LCU | +47.8% |
| 2012 | 527.42 billion current LCU | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 670.25 billion current LCU | +27.1% |
| 2014 | 630.20 billion current LCU | -6.0% |
| 2015 | 823.98 billion current LCU | +30.8% |
| 2016 | 736.46 billion current LCU | -10.6% |
| 2017 | 729.84 billion current LCU | -0.9% |
| 2018 | 795.71 billion current LCU | +9.0% |
| 2019 | 875.93 billion current LCU | +10.1% |
| 2020 | 1.19 trillion current LCU | +36.2% |
| 2021 | 1.34 trillion current LCU | +12.1% |
| 2022 | 1.33 trillion current LCU | -0.7% |
| 2023 | 1.44 trillion current LCU | +8.1% |
| 2024 | 1.49 trillion current LCU | +3.9% |
| 2025 | 1.43 trillion current LCU | -4.3% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 1.43 trillion current LCU is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 276.97 billion current LCU, 5.2× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 1.43 trillion current LCU is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 241.93 billion current LCU, 5.9× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Net foreign assets 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | -1426.9% | 799.49 million current LCU | -10.61 billion current LCU |
| 1984 | -1000.7% | 156.57 million current LCU | -1.41 billion current LCU |
| 1987 | +582.8% | -751.36 million current LCU | 3.63 billion current LCU |
| 1976 | -382.4% | 205.50 million current LCU | -580.30 million current LCU |
| 2000 | +370.4% | 2.25 billion current LCU | 10.61 billion current LCU |
| 1978 | +359.0% | -544.08 million current LCU | 1.41 billion current LCU |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 620.81 million current LCU | 353.89 million current LCU | 910.97 million current LCU | 5 |
| 1970s | 783.83 million current LCU | -580.30 million current LCU | 3.95 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1980s | 803.34 million current LCU | -3.82 billion current LCU | 5.57 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1990s | -16.50 billion current LCU | -31.53 billion current LCU | 2.25 billion current LCU | 9 |
| 2000s | 191.63 billion current LCU | 10.61 billion current LCU | 390.60 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2010s | 667.20 billion current LCU | 356.01 billion current LCU | 875.93 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.37 trillion current LCU | 1.19 trillion current LCU | 1.49 trillion current LCU | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 48 Saudi Arabia 2.00 trillion current LCU compare
- 49 United Arab Emirates 1.80 trillion current LCU compare
- 50 Turkey 1.47 trillion current LCU compare
- 52 Yemen 1.30 trillion current LCU compare
- 53 Brazil 1.26 trillion current LCU compare
- 54 United States 1.26 trillion current LCU compare
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 net foreign assets in South Africa?
- Net foreign assets in South Africa was 1.43 trillion current LCU in 2025, according to International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest net foreign assets recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 1.49 trillion current LCU in 2024.
- What is the lowest net foreign assets recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was -31.53 billion current LCU in 1998.
- How does South Africa rank for net foreign assets?
- South Africa ranks 51st out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is net foreign assets rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 73.2%. 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 Net foreign assets (current LCU). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 60 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
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.