Foreign Exchange Reserves by Country

What is Foreign Exchange Reserves?

Foreign exchange reserves are foreign-currency assets held by a country's monetary authorities, including deposits and securities. Total international reserves can also include monetary gold, SDR holdings and the reserve position in the IMF. Publishers do not all report the same aggregate: check the source definition before comparing countries.

Why it matters for FX

Reserves provide a buffer for external payments and foreign-exchange intervention. Their adequacy depends on import needs, short-term external debt and the exchange-rate regime, not just the size of the stock. A fall in reported reserves alone does not establish that intervention occurred.

How to read this page

Start with the unit and reference period in each row. These are native publisher figures, not a ranking converted into a common currency. Even rows with the same unit may differ in whether gold is included. Open a country for its history and methodology; separate transactions from exchange-rate and asset-price valuation effects when explaining a change.

What to watch for

• Reporting currency and scale, such as millions versus billions
• Reference periods and publication frequency
• Foreign-currency assets versus total reserves including gold
• Valuation changes versus purchases, sales and other transactions
• Import cover and short-term external debt when judging adequacy

Definitions and methodology

• IMF guide to international reserves and foreign currency liquidity

Common questions

What are foreign exchange reserves?

Foreign exchange reserves are foreign-currency assets held by monetary authorities. Gold, SDRs and IMF reserve positions belong to the broader international-reserves aggregate. Country series can cover different aggregates, so read the publisher definition.

Which countries have the largest foreign reserves?

This table does not rank the largest reserve holders: it preserves each publisher's units and coverage. A valid ranking requires a common currency, scale, reference date and definition. Use the country pages to check those details before comparing levels.

Does a fall in reserves prove currency intervention?

No. Exchange-rate movements, security prices, income and other transactions also change reported reserves. Check official intervention disclosures and valuation adjustments before attributing a change to sales.