Net foreign assets in United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates: Net foreign assets was 1.80 trillion current LCU in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Net foreign assets in United Arab Emirates, 1973–2025
Source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in current LCU.
Analysis
United Arab Emirates recorded 1.80 trillion current LCU for net foreign assets in 2025. That is the highest value across all 53 years on record.
That represents a change of up 24.2% on the previous year and up 630.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, net foreign assets in United Arab Emirates peaked at 1.80 trillion current LCU in 2025 and was at its lowest, 1.52 billion current LCU, in 1973.
United Arab Emirates ranks 49th of 187 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.
Net foreign assets in United Arab Emirates, year by year
| Year | current LCU | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1973 | 1.52 billion current LCU | — |
| 1974 | 5.48 billion current LCU | +259.7% |
| 1975 | 9.62 billion current LCU | +75.4% |
| 1976 | 14.87 billion current LCU | +54.6% |
| 1977 | 2.08 billion current LCU | -86.0% |
| 1978 | 2.24 billion current LCU | +7.6% |
| 1979 | 3.37 billion current LCU | +50.5% |
| 1980 | 9.84 billion current LCU | +192.1% |
| 1981 | 18.73 billion current LCU | +90.3% |
| 1982 | 21.62 billion current LCU | +15.4% |
| 1983 | 20.39 billion current LCU | -5.7% |
| 1984 | 34.50 billion current LCU | +69.2% |
| 1985 | 38.78 billion current LCU | +12.4% |
| 1986 | 46.23 billion current LCU | +19.2% |
| 1987 | 48.95 billion current LCU | +5.9% |
| 1988 | 51.36 billion current LCU | +4.9% |
| 1989 | 56.57 billion current LCU | +10.1% |
| 1990 | 55.34 billion current LCU | -2.2% |
| 1991 | 63.85 billion current LCU | +15.4% |
| 1992 | 62.90 billion current LCU | -1.5% |
| 1993 | 62.41 billion current LCU | -0.8% |
| 1994 | 57.31 billion current LCU | -8.2% |
| 1995 | 63.72 billion current LCU | +11.2% |
| 1996 | 63.45 billion current LCU | -0.4% |
| 1997 | 62.24 billion current LCU | -1.9% |
| 1998 | 62.44 billion current LCU | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 66.88 billion current LCU | +7.1% |
| 2000 | 87.91 billion current LCU | +31.4% |
| 2001 | 120.58 billion current LCU | +37.2% |
| 2002 | 138.45 billion current LCU | +14.8% |
| 2003 | 136.61 billion current LCU | -1.3% |
| 2004 | 151.99 billion current LCU | +11.3% |
| 2005 | 166.82 billion current LCU | +9.8% |
| 2006 | 155.66 billion current LCU | -6.7% |
| 2007 | 160.50 billion current LCU | +3.1% |
| 2008 | 14.27 billion current LCU | -91.1% |
| 2009 | 43.53 billion current LCU | +205.0% |
| 2010 | 78.60 billion current LCU | +80.6% |
| 2011 | 89.87 billion current LCU | +14.3% |
| 2012 | 159.16 billion current LCU | +77.1% |
| 2013 | 243.47 billion current LCU | +53.0% |
| 2014 | 282.75 billion current LCU | +16.1% |
| 2015 | 246.54 billion current LCU | -12.8% |
| 2016 | 260.87 billion current LCU | +5.8% |
| 2017 | 330.46 billion current LCU | +26.7% |
| 2018 | 420.23 billion current LCU | +27.2% |
| 2019 | 487.44 billion current LCU | +16.0% |
| 2020 | 516.71 billion current LCU | +6.0% |
| 2021 | 622.98 billion current LCU | +20.6% |
| 2022 | 863.00 billion current LCU | +38.5% |
| 2023 | 1.15 trillion current LCU | +33.1% |
| 2024 | 1.45 trillion current LCU | +26.1% |
| 2025 | 1.80 trillion current LCU | +24.2% |
United Arab Emirates compared with similar countries
- United Arab Emirates's 1.80 trillion current LCU is above the median for high income countries, which is 113.77 billion current LCU, 15.8× the median. (61 countries reporting)
- United Arab Emirates's 1.80 trillion current LCU is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 501.95 billion current LCU, 3.6× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Net foreign assets in United Arab Emirates 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | +259.7% | 1.52 billion current LCU | 5.48 billion current LCU |
| 2009 | +205.0% | 14.27 billion current LCU | 43.53 billion current LCU |
| 1980 | +192.1% | 3.37 billion current LCU | 9.84 billion current LCU |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 5.60 billion current LCU | 1.52 billion current LCU | 14.87 billion current LCU | 7 |
| 1980s | 34.70 billion current LCU | 9.84 billion current LCU | 56.57 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1990s | 62.05 billion current LCU | 55.34 billion current LCU | 66.88 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2000s | 117.63 billion current LCU | 14.27 billion current LCU | 166.82 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2010s | 259.94 billion current LCU | 78.60 billion current LCU | 487.44 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.07 trillion current LCU | 516.71 billion current LCU | 1.80 trillion current LCU | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Arab Emirates
More financial sector data for United Arab Emirates
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, annual growth rate 3.08 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0014 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per capita 69.02 units per person (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, annual growth rate -1.84 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0011 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per capita 50.4 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, annual growth rate 3.08 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0014 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per capita 69.02 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, SDR, annual growth rate -1.84 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is net foreign assets in United Arab Emirates?
- Net foreign assets in United Arab Emirates was 1.80 trillion current LCU in 2025, according to International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest net foreign assets recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The highest recorded value was 1.80 trillion current LCU in 2025.
- What is the lowest net foreign assets recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.52 billion current LCU in 1973.
- How does United Arab Emirates rank for net foreign assets?
- United Arab Emirates ranks 49th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is net foreign assets rising or falling in United Arab Emirates?
- Over the last ten years it is up 630.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United Arab Emirates 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 — 53 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.