Foreign currency deposits rise to $6.8bn in March 2026

April 13, 2026 (MLN):  Foreign currency deposits rose by $29.35m to $6.814 billion as of March 2026 compared to the previous month, the latest data released by the State Bank of Pakistan showed.

On a year-on-year basis, total deposits were nearly flat, edging up just $8.90m or 0.13% compared to $6.805bn in March 2025.

According to the data, foreign currency deposits by residents stood at $5.88bn during the month under review, representing an increase of $30.24m or 0.52% compared to $5.85bn reported in the previous month. On a year-on-year basis, resident deposits rose marginally by $10m or 0.17% from $5.87bn in March 2025.

Meanwhile, non-resident deposits edged slightly lower, falling to $934.72m in March 2026, a decline of $0.89m or 0.10% compared to $935.61m in February 2026. Year-on-year, non-resident deposits also dipped slightly by $1.1m or 0.12% from $935.82m in March 2025.

The resident deposits comprised $2.10bn in demand deposits, $1.78bn in savings deposits, and $2bn in time deposits. Non-resident deposits consisted of $599.56m in demand deposits, $213.98m in savings deposits, and $121.18m in time deposits.

As these deposits help to finance large fiscal and external current account deficits, during the month $785.23m was utilized for pre-shipment financing, $138.82m for post-shipment financing, and $939.99m was utilized for import financing.

Further, $1.48bn was placed with SBP and Pakistani banks, of which $388.39m was placed under CRR1 requirements, $717.54m under SCRR2, $14.13m with banks within Pakistan, and $358.02m with banks outside Pakistan.

Additionally, $698.70m were held as balances abroad, while $268.76m remained as cash in hand.

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