Malawi: Broad money (current LCU)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2024, Malawi's broad money (current LCU) rose 45.1% on 2023 (from 3.68 trillion to 5.34 trillion).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was +29.4% and a typical year strayed about 15% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.1 standard deviations above that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 67.8% in 1998 and the biggest yearly fall was 5% in 1976. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2015 to 2024 the straight-line trend is upward, about 432.97 billion a year. A straight line explains 80% of the movement over 10 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2024, Malawi had the 11th highest value of the 32 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Malawi in the 2024 ranking

• Thailand — 8th of 32: 26.34 trillion
• Madagascar — 9th of 32: 21.72 trillion
• Czechia — 10th of 32: 7.01 trillion
• Rwanda — 12th of 32: 5.2 trillion
• Serbia — 13th of 32: 5.16 trillion
• Sweden — 14th of 32: 4.97 trillion

What this measures

Broad money is the sum of all liquid financial instruments held by money-holding sectors that are widely accepted in an economy as a medium of exchange, plus those that can be converted into a medium of exchange at short notice at, or close to, their full nominal value. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This series is expressed in local currency units.

All 60 values

Broad money (current LCU) in nearby economies

• Angola — 17.82 trillion (2025)
• Benin — 4.23 trillion (2025)
• Botswana — 115.36 billion (2024)
• Burkina Faso — 6.96 trillion (2025)
• Burundi — 8.01 trillion (2025)
• Cabo Verde — 281.73 billion (2025)
• Cameroon — 4.75 trillion (2018)
• Central African Republic — 488.93 billion (2022)
• Chad — 1.5 trillion (2021)
• Comoros — 285.91 billion (2025)
• Congo, Dem. Rep. — 42.99 trillion (2025)

More financial sector data for Malawi

• DEC alternative conversion factor (LCU per US$) — US$1,751 (2025)
• Official exchange rate (LCU per US$, period average) — US$1,161 (2023)
• Net domestic credit (current LCU) — 7.84 trillion (2024)
• Net foreign assets (current LCU) — -1.65 trillion (2024)
• Claims on central government (annual growth as % of broad money) — 49.15% (2024)
• Claims on private sector (annual growth as % of broad money) — 9.6% (2024)
• Broad money (annual % growth) — 45.13% (2024)
• Broad money to total reserves ratio — 3.46 (2020)
• Consumer price index (2010 = 100) — 1,313 (2025)
• Lending interest rate (%)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Malawi's broad money (current LCU)?

5.34 trillion in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1965?

It is up 21.13 million% from 25.27 million in 1965 (23.1% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 5.34 trillion in 2024 and the lowest 25.27 million in 1965.

How does Malawi rank?

11th highest of 32 economies with data for 2024.

Is the latest change in broad money (current LCU) unusual for Malawi?

In 2024, Malawi's broad money (current LCU) rose 45.1% on 2023 (from 3.68 trillion to 5.34 trillion). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was +29.4% and a typical year strayed about 15% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.1 standard deviations above that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator FM.LBL.BMNY.CN, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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