Reserves excluding gold, foreign exchange in China
China: Reserves excluding gold, foreign exchange was 2.45 trillion SDR in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Reserves excluding gold, foreign exchange in China, 1977–2025
Source: International Monetary Fund. Measured in SDR.
Analysis
China recorded 2.45 trillion SDR for reserves excluding gold, foreign exchange in 2025.
That represents a change of down 0.1% on the previous year and up 2.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, reserves excluding gold, foreign exchange in China peaked at 2.65 trillion SDR in 2014 and was at its lowest, 1.20 billion SDR, in 1978.
That places China 1st out of 188 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Reserves excluding gold, foreign exchange in China, year by year
| Year | SDR | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 1.93 billion SDR | — |
| 1978 | 1.20 billion SDR | -38.1% |
| 1979 | 1.64 billion SDR | +36.8% |
| 1980 | 1.77 billion SDR | +8.5% |
| 1981 | 4.11 billion SDR | +131.7% |
| 1982 | 10.09 billion SDR | +145.6% |
| 1983 | 13.83 billion SDR | +37.0% |
| 1984 | 17.04 billion SDR | +23.3% |
| 1985 | 10.85 billion SDR | -36.4% |
| 1986 | 8.60 billion SDR | -20.7% |
| 1987 | 10.74 billion SDR | +24.9% |
| 1988 | 13.04 billion SDR | +21.4% |
| 1989 | 12.95 billion SDR | -0.7% |
| 1990 | 20.10 billion SDR | +55.2% |
| 1991 | 29.83 billion SDR | +48.4% |
| 1992 | 14.14 billion SDR | -52.6% |
| 1993 | 15.43 billion SDR | +9.1% |
| 1994 | 35.36 billion SDR | +129.1% |
| 1995 | 49.50 billion SDR | +40.0% |
| 1996 | 73.04 billion SDR | +47.6% |
| 1997 | 103.68 billion SDR | +41.9% |
| 1998 | 102.95 billion SDR | -0.7% |
| 1999 | 112.69 billion SDR | +9.5% |
| 2000 | 127.08 billion SDR | +12.8% |
| 2001 | 168.82 billion SDR | +32.8% |
| 2002 | 210.67 billion SDR | +24.8% |
| 2003 | 271.37 billion SDR | +28.8% |
| 2004 | 392.74 billion SDR | +44.7% |
| 2005 | 572.93 billion SDR | +45.9% |
| 2006 | 708.82 billion SDR | +23.7% |
| 2007 | 967.09 billion SDR | +36.4% |
| 2008 | 1.26 trillion SDR | +30.6% |
| 2009 | 1.53 trillion SDR | +21.1% |
| 2010 | 1.85 trillion SDR | +20.8% |
| 2011 | 2.07 trillion SDR | +12.1% |
| 2012 | 2.15 trillion SDR | +4.0% |
| 2013 | 2.48 trillion SDR | +15.2% |
| 2014 | 2.65 trillion SDR | +6.9% |
| 2015 | 2.40 trillion SDR | -9.4% |
| 2016 | 2.24 trillion SDR | -6.8% |
| 2017 | 2.20 trillion SDR | -1.5% |
| 2018 | 2.21 trillion SDR | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 2.25 trillion SDR | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 2.23 trillion SDR | -0.6% |
| 2021 | 2.32 trillion SDR | +4.0% |
| 2022 | 2.35 trillion SDR | +1.2% |
| 2023 | 2.41 trillion SDR | +2.7% |
| 2024 | 2.46 trillion SDR | +1.7% |
| 2025 | 2.45 trillion SDR | -0.1% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 2.45 trillion SDR is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 4.72 billion SDR, 520.0× the median. (56 countries reporting)
- China's 2.45 trillion SDR is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 18.09 billion SDR, 135.5× the median. (25 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Reserves excluding gold, foreign exchange 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | +145.6% | 4.11 billion SDR | 10.09 billion SDR |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.59 billion SDR | 1.20 billion SDR | 1.93 billion SDR | 3 |
| 1980s | 10.30 billion SDR | 1.77 billion SDR | 17.04 billion SDR | 10 |
| 1990s | 55.67 billion SDR | 14.14 billion SDR | 112.69 billion SDR | 10 |
| 2000s | 621.33 billion SDR | 127.08 billion SDR | 1.53 trillion SDR | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.25 trillion SDR | 1.85 trillion SDR | 2.65 trillion SDR | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.37 trillion SDR | 2.23 trillion SDR | 2.46 trillion SDR | 6 |
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 reserves excluding gold, foreign exchange in China?
- Reserves excluding gold, foreign exchange in China was 2.45 trillion SDR in 2025, according to International Monetary Fund.
- What is the highest reserves excluding gold, foreign exchange recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 2.65 trillion SDR in 2014.
- What is the lowest reserves excluding gold, foreign exchange recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.20 billion SDR in 1978.
- How does China rank for reserves excluding gold, foreign exchange?
- China ranks 1st out of 188 countries with data for 2025.
- Is reserves excluding gold, foreign exchange rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China 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 consists of all the resources that are available to the monetary authorities of countries for the purpose of meeting balance of payments financing needs.