Real interest rate in China
China: Real interest rate was 5.2% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Real interest rate in China, 1980–2024
Source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for real interest rate in China is 5.2%, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.6% on the previous year and up 15.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, real interest rate in China peaked at 7.3% in 1982 and was at its lowest, -8.0%, in 1994.
That places China 67th out of 149 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Real interest rate in China, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 1.2% | — |
| 1981 | 2.6% | +112.0% |
| 1982 | 7.3% | +180.4% |
| 1983 | 6.0% | -18.7% |
| 1984 | 2.2% | -64.0% |
| 1985 | -2.1% | -196.4% |
| 1986 | 3.1% | -249.6% |
| 1987 | 2.7% | -12.8% |
| 1988 | -2.8% | -202.3% |
| 1989 | 2.5% | -190.9% |
| 1990 | 3.4% | +36.4% |
| 1991 | 1.8% | -47.4% |
| 1992 | 0.4% | -77.6% |
| 1993 | -3.7% | -1002.5% |
| 1994 | -8.0% | +119.0% |
| 1995 | -1.4% | -82.5% |
| 1996 | 3.4% | -339.6% |
| 1997 | 6.9% | +105.1% |
| 1998 | 7.3% | +5.8% |
| 1999 | 7.2% | -1.6% |
| 2000 | 3.7% | -48.9% |
| 2001 | 3.6% | -2.5% |
| 2002 | 4.6% | +29.7% |
| 2003 | 2.6% | -44.0% |
| 2004 | -1.3% | -150.5% |
| 2005 | 1.8% | -234.4% |
| 2006 | 2.0% | +14.7% |
| 2007 | -0.4% | -120.3% |
| 2008 | -2.4% | +475.6% |
| 2009 | 5.4% | -328.6% |
| 2010 | -1.1% | -119.4% |
| 2011 | -1.3% | +28.3% |
| 2012 | 3.5% | -360.7% |
| 2013 | 3.6% | +3.0% |
| 2014 | 4.5% | +23.2% |
| 2015 | 4.2% | -5.6% |
| 2016 | 2.8% | -32.8% |
| 2017 | 0.2% | -93.1% |
| 2018 | 0.9% | +335.9% |
| 2019 | 3.0% | +250.8% |
| 2020 | 3.8% | +26.9% |
| 2021 | -0.1% | -103.1% |
| 2022 | 2.4% | -2103.3% |
| 2023 | 4.9% | +106.0% |
| 2024 | 5.2% | +5.6% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 5.2% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 5.2%, 1.0× the median. (49 countries reporting)
- China's 5.2% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 5.0%, 1.0× the median. (25 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Real interest rate in China 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | +2103.3% | -0.1% | 2.4% |
| 1993 | -1002.5% | 0.4% | -3.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 2.3% | -2.8% | 7.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.7% | -8.0% | 7.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.0% | -2.4% | 5.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.0% | -1.3% | 4.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.2% | -0.1% | 5.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near China
More financial sector data for China
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, annual growth rate 14.56 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0006 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per capita 7.95 units per person (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, annual growth rate 9.09 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0004 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per capita 5.8 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, annual growth rate 14.56 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0006 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per capita 7.95 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, SDR, annual growth rate 9.09 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is real interest rate in China?
- Real interest rate in China was 5.2% in 2024, according to International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest real interest rate recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 7.3% in 1982.
- What is the lowest real interest rate recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was -8.0% in 1994.
- How does China rank for real interest rate?
- China ranks 67th out of 149 countries with data for 2024.
- Is real interest rate rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Real interest rate (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
An interest rate is the amount charged, expressed as a percentage of the principal over a period of time, by the owners of certain kinds of financial assets for putting the financial assets at the disposal of another institutional unit. The real interest rate is the lending interest rate adjusted for inflation as measured by the GDP deflator. The terms and conditions attached to lending rates differ by country, however, limiting their comparability. This indicator is expressed as a percentage (a÷b)*100.