Saudi Foreign Reserves Drop 4% to 1.75 Trillion Riyals
Saudi Arabia's foreign reserve assets fell by about 81.1 billion riyals, or 4%, during September to 1.75 trillion riyals, according to Saudi Central Bank data.
Saudi Arabia's foreign reserve assets fell by about 81.1 billion riyals, equivalent to 4 percent, on a monthly basis to reach 1.75 trillion riyals in September 2026, according to data from the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) reported by Argaam. This monthly decline is considered one of the largest recorded drops in reserve volume in recent months.
On the other hand, net foreign assets rose 3 percent on an annual basis, equivalent to 56.9 billion riyals, meaning that the comparison with last year remains positive despite the monthly decline. This discrepancy indicates that the current level is lower than the previous month but higher than the level recorded in September of last year.
Foreign currency reserves, which represent about 95 percent of total assets, rose 4 percent on an annual basis to 1.65 trillion riyals, according to the same data. This figure shows that the largest portion of reserves is held in foreign currencies that can be used for exchange rate interventions or covering external liabilities.
Gold reserves remained stable at 1.62 billion riyals, unchanged since February 2008, a constant level indicating that the metal is not used as a tool to adjust reserve size in current policy. The volume of reserves remains one of the indicators tracked by debt and currency markets to assess the Kingdom's ability to meet its external obligations.
What Do These Terms Mean?
Foreign Reserves: Assets held by the central bank in foreign currencies, gold, and bonds, used to support the local currency and settle external liabilities.
Net Foreign Assets: Foreign reserves after deducting liabilities owed by the central bank to external entities.
Year-on-Year Basis: Comparing the figure in a specific month to the figure recorded in the same month of the previous year, measuring the trend apart from seasonal changes.
Saudi Central Bank: The institution responsible for monetary policy, reserve management, and banking sector supervision in Saudi Arabia, known by its acronym 'SAMA'.
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