Net foreign assets in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Net foreign assets was 440.94 billion current LCU in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
440.94 billion current LCU
Change on year
up 28.2%
World rank
80th
of 187 countries
All-time high
440.94 billion current LCU
in 2024
All-time low
-82.17 billion current LCU
in 2004
Years of data
65
1960–2024
Net foreign assets in United Kingdom, 1960–2024
Source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in current LCU.
Analysis
United Kingdom recorded 440.94 billion current LCU for net foreign assets in 2024. That is the highest value across all 65 years on record.
The figure is up 28.2% on the previous year and up 86.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, net foreign assets in United Kingdom peaked at 440.94 billion current LCU in 2024 and was at its lowest, -82.17 billion current LCU, in 2004.
United Kingdom ranks 80th 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 Kingdom, year by year
| Year | current LCU | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | -760.00 million current LCU | — |
| 1961 | -721.00 million current LCU | -5.1% |
| 1962 | -3.97 billion current LCU | +450.8% |
| 1963 | -4.14 billion current LCU | +4.2% |
| 1964 | -4.86 billion current LCU | +17.4% |
| 1965 | -5.04 billion current LCU | +3.7% |
| 1966 | -4.92 billion current LCU | -2.3% |
| 1967 | -5.66 billion current LCU | +15.0% |
| 1968 | -6.81 billion current LCU | +20.3% |
| 1969 | -6.11 billion current LCU | -10.2% |
| 1970 | -5.18 billion current LCU | -15.2% |
| 1971 | -2.88 billion current LCU | -44.4% |
| 1972 | -3.92 billion current LCU | +36.0% |
| 1973 | -4.86 billion current LCU | +24.0% |
| 1974 | -7.34 billion current LCU | +51.0% |
| 1975 | -7.65 billion current LCU | +4.3% |
| 1976 | -4.73 billion current LCU | -38.2% |
| 1977 | 1.51 billion current LCU | -132.0% |
| 1978 | 910.00 million current LCU | -39.9% |
| 1979 | 591.00 million current LCU | -35.1% |
| 1980 | 1.91 billion current LCU | +223.2% |
| 1981 | 1.67 billion current LCU | -12.7% |
| 1982 | -3.06 billion current LCU | -283.3% |
| 1983 | -2.56 billion current LCU | -16.2% |
| 1984 | -9.23 billion current LCU | +260.3% |
| 1985 | -7.97 billion current LCU | -13.7% |
| 1986 | -4.91 billion current LCU | -38.4% |
| 1987 | 282.00 million current LCU | -105.7% |
| 1988 | -10.47 billion current LCU | -3814.5% |
| 1989 | -33.73 billion current LCU | +222.0% |
| 1990 | -40.26 billion current LCU | +19.4% |
| 1991 | -41.23 billion current LCU | +2.4% |
| 1992 | -27.42 billion current LCU | -33.5% |
| 1993 | -20.38 billion current LCU | -25.7% |
| 1994 | -25.98 billion current LCU | +27.5% |
| 1995 | -20.09 billion current LCU | -22.7% |
| 1996 | -8.62 billion current LCU | -57.1% |
| 1997 | -17.05 billion current LCU | +97.9% |
| 1998 | 25.16 billion current LCU | -247.6% |
| 1999 | 3.54 billion current LCU | -85.9% |
| 2000 | 4.93 billion current LCU | +39.4% |
| 2001 | -17.88 billion current LCU | -462.8% |
| 2002 | -56.89 billion current LCU | +218.1% |
| 2003 | -58.00 billion current LCU | +2.0% |
| 2004 | -82.17 billion current LCU | +41.7% |
| 2005 | -22.81 billion current LCU | -72.2% |
| 2006 | 8.17 billion current LCU | -135.8% |
| 2007 | -46.71 billion current LCU | -672.0% |
| 2008 | -75.45 billion current LCU | +61.5% |
| 2009 | -43.29 billion current LCU | -42.6% |
| 2010 | 86.61 billion current LCU | -300.1% |
| 2011 | 168.54 billion current LCU | +94.6% |
| 2012 | 180.50 billion current LCU | +7.1% |
| 2013 | 136.49 billion current LCU | -24.4% |
| 2014 | 235.88 billion current LCU | +72.8% |
| 2015 | 273.22 billion current LCU | +15.8% |
| 2016 | 372.78 billion current LCU | +36.4% |
| 2017 | 404.61 billion current LCU | +8.5% |
| 2018 | 396.48 billion current LCU | -2.0% |
| 2019 | 281.30 billion current LCU | -29.1% |
| 2020 | 217.64 billion current LCU | -22.6% |
| 2021 | 224.69 billion current LCU | +3.2% |
| 2022 | 297.94 billion current LCU | +32.6% |
| 2023 | 343.85 billion current LCU | +15.4% |
| 2024 | 440.94 billion current LCU | +28.2% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 440.94 billion current LCU is above the median for high income countries, which is 113.77 billion current LCU, 3.9× the median. (61 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 440.94 billion current LCU is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 228.65 billion current LCU, 1.9× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Net foreign assets in United Kingdom 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | -3814.5% | 282.00 million current LCU | -10.47 billion current LCU |
| 2007 | -672.0% | 8.17 billion current LCU | -46.71 billion current LCU |
| 2001 | -462.8% | 4.93 billion current LCU | -17.88 billion current LCU |
| 1962 | -450.8% | -721.00 million current LCU | -3.97 billion current LCU |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | -4.30 billion current LCU | -6.81 billion current LCU | -721.00 million current LCU | 10 |
| 1970s | -3.35 billion current LCU | -7.65 billion current LCU | 1.51 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1980s | -6.81 billion current LCU | -33.73 billion current LCU | 1.91 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1990s | -17.23 billion current LCU | -41.23 billion current LCU | 25.16 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2000s | -39.01 billion current LCU | -82.17 billion current LCU | 8.17 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2010s | 253.64 billion current LCU | 86.61 billion current LCU | 404.61 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2020s | 305.01 billion current LCU | 217.64 billion current LCU | 440.94 billion current LCU | 5 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More financial sector data for United Kingdom
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, annual growth rate 10.56 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0018 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per capita 104.99 units per person (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, annual growth rate 5.29 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0013 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per capita 76.66 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, annual growth rate 10.56 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0018 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per capita 104.99 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, SDR, annual growth rate 5.29 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is net foreign assets in United Kingdom?
- Net foreign assets in United Kingdom was 440.94 billion current LCU in 2024, according to International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest net foreign assets recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 440.94 billion current LCU in 2024.
- What is the lowest net foreign assets recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was -82.17 billion current LCU in 2004.
- How does United Kingdom rank for net foreign assets?
- United Kingdom ranks 80th out of 187 countries with data for 2024.
- Is net foreign assets rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 86.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United Kingdom 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 — 65 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.