The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) announced today (March 31) that the total assets of the Exchange Fund amounted to HK$4,293.5 billion as at February 28, 2026, HK$7.9 billion higher than that at the end of January 2026. Foreign currency assets increased by HK$47.4 billion while Hong Kong dollar assets decreased by HK$39.5 billion.
      
     The rise in foreign currency assets was mainly due to interest income and mark-to-market revaluation of investments, and issuance of Certificates of Indebtedness. The decline in Hong Kong dollar assets was mainly due to a decrease in placements with banks.
      
     The Currency Board Account shows that the Monetary Base at the end of February 2026 was HK$2,071.5 billion, grew by HK$12.8 billion, or 0.6 per cent, from the end of January 2026. The growth was mainly due to the increase in the outstanding amount of Certificates of Indebtedness and the amortisation of discount on Exchange Fund Bills and Notes issued.
      
     The amount of Backing Assets increased by HK$26.1 billion, or 1.1 per cent, to HK$2,306.0 billion at the end of February 2026. The increase was mainly attributable to the issuance of Certificates of Indebtedness, mark-to-market revaluation of investments and interest income from investments. The Backing Ratio increased from 110.74 per cent at the end of January 2026 to 111.32 per cent at the end of February 2026.
 
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     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 March 2026, the scheduled dates for issuing the press releases are as follows:
 

March 6  (Issued)	SDDS International Reserves (Hong Kong's Latest Foreign Currency Reserve Assets Figures)
March 13  (Issued)	SDDS Analytical Accounts of the Central Bank (Analytical Accounts of the Exchange Fund)
March 31	SDDS Template on International Reserves and Foreign Currency Liquidity
March 31	Exchange Fund Abridged Balance Sheet and Currency Board Account

Ends/Tuesday, March 31, 2026
Issued at HKT 16:30

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