Reserves excluding gold, foreign exchange in South Africa
South Africa: Reserves excluding gold, foreign exchange was 37.46 billion SDR in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
37.46 billion SDR
Change on year
up 1.2%
World rank
35th
of 188 countries
All-time high
37.46 billion SDR
in 2025
All-time low
66.00 million SDR
in 1960
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Reserves excluding gold, foreign exchange in South Africa, 1950–2025
Source: International Monetary Fund. Measured in SDR.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 37.46 billion SDR for reserves excluding gold, foreign exchange in 2025. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
The figure is up 1.2% on the previous year and up 33.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, reserves excluding gold, foreign exchange in South Africa peaked at 37.46 billion SDR in 2025 and was at its lowest, 66.00 million SDR, in 1960.
That places South Africa 35th out of 188 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Reserves excluding gold, foreign exchange in South Africa, year by year
| Year | SDR | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 246.00 million SDR | — |
| 1951 | 197.00 million SDR | -19.9% |
| 1952 | 211.00 million SDR | +7.1% |
| 1953 | 119.00 million SDR | -43.6% |
| 1954 | 217.00 million SDR | +82.4% |
| 1955 | 154.00 million SDR | -29.0% |
| 1956 | 148.00 million SDR | -3.9% |
| 1957 | 72.00 million SDR | -51.4% |
| 1958 | 105.00 million SDR | +45.8% |
| 1959 | 193.00 million SDR | +83.8% |
| 1960 | 66.00 million SDR | -65.8% |
| 1961 | 95.00 million SDR | +43.9% |
| 1962 | 110.00 million SDR | +15.8% |
| 1963 | 106.00 million SDR | -3.6% |
| 1964 | 93.00 million SDR | -12.3% |
| 1965 | 137.00 million SDR | +47.3% |
| 1966 | 144.00 million SDR | +5.1% |
| 1967 | 136.00 million SDR | -5.6% |
| 1968 | 168.00 million SDR | +23.5% |
| 1969 | 130.00 million SDR | -22.6% |
| 1970 | 256.00 million SDR | +96.9% |
| 1971 | 163.95 million SDR | -36.0% |
| 1972 | 442.10 million SDR | +169.7% |
| 1973 | 290.13 million SDR | -34.4% |
| 1974 | 187.04 million SDR | -35.5% |
| 1975 | 374.15 million SDR | +100.0% |
| 1976 | 324.49 million SDR | -13.3% |
| 1977 | 302.95 million SDR | -6.6% |
| 1978 | 285.54 million SDR | -5.7% |
| 1979 | 304.40 million SDR | +6.6% |
| 1980 | 403.79 million SDR | +32.7% |
| 1981 | 349.67 million SDR | -13.4% |
| 1982 | 340.86 million SDR | -2.5% |
| 1983 | 688.66 million SDR | +102.0% |
| 1984 | 174.45 million SDR | -74.7% |
| 1985 | 285.87 million SDR | +63.9% |
| 1986 | 302.49 million SDR | +5.8% |
| 1987 | 450.43 million SDR | +48.9% |
| 1988 | 578.88 million SDR | +28.5% |
| 1989 | 728.98 million SDR | +25.9% |
| 1990 | 707.13 million SDR | -3.0% |
| 1991 | 627.08 million SDR | -11.3% |
| 1992 | 721.05 million SDR | +15.0% |
| 1993 | 733.57 million SDR | +1.7% |
| 1994 | 1.15 billion SDR | +57.2% |
| 1995 | 1.89 billion SDR | +64.2% |
| 1996 | 653.88 million SDR | -65.5% |
| 1997 | 3.55 billion SDR | +442.9% |
| 1998 | 2.96 billion SDR | -16.6% |
| 1999 | 4.42 billion SDR | +49.2% |
| 2000 | 4.45 billion SDR | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 4.59 billion SDR | +3.2% |
| 2002 | 4.12 billion SDR | -10.2% |
| 2003 | 4.15 billion SDR | +0.7% |
| 2004 | 8.24 billion SDR | +98.6% |
| 2005 | 12.78 billion SDR | +55.1% |
| 2006 | 15.10 billion SDR | +18.2% |
| 2007 | 18.50 billion SDR | +22.5% |
| 2008 | 19.63 billion SDR | +6.1% |
| 2009 | 20.69 billion SDR | +5.4% |
| 2010 | 23.00 billion SDR | +11.2% |
| 2011 | 25.95 billion SDR | +12.9% |
| 2012 | 26.80 billion SDR | +3.2% |
| 2013 | 27.24 billion SDR | +1.6% |
| 2014 | 28.64 billion SDR | +5.2% |
| 2015 | 28.09 billion SDR | -1.9% |
| 2016 | 29.69 billion SDR | +5.7% |
| 2017 | 30.01 billion SDR | +1.1% |
| 2018 | 31.32 billion SDR | +4.4% |
| 2019 | 33.20 billion SDR | +6.0% |
| 2020 | 30.74 billion SDR | -7.4% |
| 2021 | 30.83 billion SDR | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 34.93 billion SDR | +13.3% |
| 2023 | 35.33 billion SDR | +1.1% |
| 2024 | 37.01 billion SDR | +4.7% |
| 2025 | 37.46 billion SDR | +1.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 166.20 million SDR | 72.00 million SDR | 246.00 million SDR | 10 |
| 1960s | 118.50 million SDR | 66.00 million SDR | 168.00 million SDR | 10 |
| 1970s | 293.08 million SDR | 163.95 million SDR | 442.10 million SDR | 10 |
| 1980s | 430.41 million SDR | 174.45 million SDR | 728.98 million SDR | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.74 billion SDR | 627.08 million SDR | 4.42 billion SDR | 10 |
| 2000s | 11.22 billion SDR | 4.12 billion SDR | 20.69 billion SDR | 10 |
| 2010s | 28.39 billion SDR | 23.00 billion SDR | 33.20 billion SDR | 10 |
| 2020s | 34.38 billion SDR | 30.74 billion SDR | 37.46 billion SDR | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More financial sector data for South Africa
- Total reserves in months of imports, annual growth rate 9.76 % change on previous year (2025)
- Total reserves in months of imports, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Total reserves in months of imports, per capita 0 units per person (2025)
- Reserves excluding gold, foreign exchange (SDR), annual growth rate 1.24 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserves excluding gold, foreign exchange (SDR), per unit of GDP 0.0877 SDR per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserves excluding gold, foreign exchange (SDR), per capita 578.61 SDR per person (2025)
- Reserves excluding gold (SDR), annual growth rate 1.27 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserves excluding gold (SDR), per capita 658.6 SDR per person (2025)
- Total reserves (gold at market value) (SDR), annual growth rate 10.64 % change on previous year (2025)
- Total reserves (gold at market value) (SDR), per capita 857.36 SDR per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is reserves excluding gold, foreign exchange in South Africa?
- Reserves excluding gold, foreign exchange in South Africa was 37.46 billion SDR in 2025, according to International Monetary Fund.
- What is the highest reserves excluding gold, foreign exchange recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 37.46 billion SDR in 2025.
- What is the lowest reserves excluding gold, foreign exchange recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 66.00 million SDR in 1960.
- How does South Africa rank for reserves excluding gold, foreign exchange?
- South Africa ranks 35th out of 188 countries with data for 2025.
- Is reserves excluding gold, foreign exchange rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 33.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund, published as part of Reserves excluding gold, foreign exchange (SDR). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
International Liquidity (IL) 2026 April