Exchange Fund Abridged Balance Sheet and Currency Board Account
***************************************************************
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) announced today (April 30) that the total assets of the Exchange Fund amounted to HK$3,978.9 billion as at March 31, 2025, HK$30.1 billion lower than that at the end of February 2025. Foreign currency assets decreased by HK$54.2 billion while Hong Kong dollar assets increased by HK$24.1 billion.
The decline in foreign currency assets was mainly due to withdrawals of Fiscal Reserves placements and a reduction in the month-end balances of unsettled purchase of securities, which were partly offset by interest income from investments. The rise in Hong Kong dollar assets was mainly due to an increase in placements with banks.
The Currency Board Account shows that the Monetary Base at the end of March 2025 was HK$1,977.1 billion, increased by HK$1.2 billion, or 0.1 per cent, from the end of February 2025. The increase was mainly due to the amortisation of discount on Exchange Fund Bills and Notes issued, which was partly offset by decrease in the outstanding amount of Certificates of Indebtedness.
The amount of Backing Assets increased by HK$6.9 billion, or 0.3 per cent, to HK$2,185.7 billion at the end of March 2025. The increase was mainly attributable to the interest income from investments and mark-to-market revaluation of investments, which were partly offset by redemption of Certificates of Indebtedness. The Backing Ratio increased from 110.27 per cent at the end of February 2025 to 110.55 per cent at the end of March 2025.
****************************************************************
At present, four press releases relating to the Exchange Fund's data are issued by the HKMA each month. Three of these releases are issued to disseminate monetary data in accordance with the International Monetary Fund's Special Data Dissemination Standard (SDDS). The fourth press release, on the Exchange Fund's Abridged Balance Sheet and Currency Board Account, is made in accordance with the HKMA's policy of maintaining a high level of transparency. For the month of April 2025, the scheduled dates for issuing the press releases are as follows:
| April 7 (Issued) |
SDDS International Reserves (Hong Kong's Latest Foreign Currency Reserve Assets Figures) |
| April 14 (Issued) |
SDDS Analytical Accounts of the Central Bank (Analytical Accounts of the Exchange Fund) |
| April 30 | SDDS Template on International Reserves and Foreign Currency Liquidity |
| April 30 | Exchange Fund Abridged Balance Sheet and Currency Board Account |
Ends/Wednesday, April 30, 2025
Issued at HKT 16:30
Issued at HKT 16:30
NNNN