Malawi: Depositors with commercial banks (per 1,000 adults)

Key figures

Over five years it is up 23.1% from 152.71 in 2019 (4.24% a year on average, compounded). Since 2007 it is up 50.16% from 125.19 in 2007 (2.42% a year on average, compounded). The World Bank has no value for 2 of the years in between; the chart leaves those gaps open rather than joining across them.

What the numbers say

In 2024, Malawi's depositors with commercial banks (per 1,000 adults) rose 6.26 on 2023 (from 181.73 to 187.99).

Across the 12 yearly changes before that (2010 to 2023), the average change was +13.22 and a typical year strayed about 12.45 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.6 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 34.25 in 2013 and the biggest yearly fall was 4.72 in 2021. 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 8.99 a year. A straight line explains 94% 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 68th highest value of the 74 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

• Zambia — 64th of 74: 246.28
• Senegal — 65th of 74: 243.54
• Togo — 66th of 74: 197.18
• Mali — 68th of 74: 182.59
• Comoros — 69th of 74: 178.75
• Djibouti — 70th of 74: 160.11

What this measures

Depositors with commercial banks are the reported number of deposit account holders, including both resident non-financial corporations (both public and private) and individuals from the household sector, at commercial banks within the reporting jurisdiction for every 1,000 adults. The major types of deposits are checking accounts, savings accounts, and time deposits.

Limitations: For many countries data cover the total number of deposit accounts due to lack of information on account holders.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a median.

All 16 values

Depositors with commercial banks (per 1,000 adults) in nearby economies

• Benin — 266.61 (2024)
• Botswana — 850.96 (2024)
• Burkina Faso — 234.52 (2023)
• Burundi — 11.83 (2020)
• Cabo Verde — 1,884 (2024)
• Cameroon — 121.45 (2020)
• Chad — 49.02 (2022)
• Comoros — 178.75 (2024)
• Congo, Dem. Rep. — 41.42 (2018)
• Congo, Rep.

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)
• Broad money (current LCU) — 5.34 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)

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
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Questions people ask

What is Malawi's depositors with commercial banks (per 1,000 adults)?

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

How has it changed since 2007?

It is up 50.16% from 125.19 in 2007 (2.42% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 243.08 in 2013 and the lowest 104.78 in 2015.

How does Malawi rank?

68th highest of 74 economies with data for 2024.

Is the latest change in depositors with commercial banks (per 1,000 adults) unusual for Malawi?

In 2024, Malawi's depositors with commercial banks (per 1,000 adults) rose 6.26 on 2023 (from 181.73 to 187.99). Across the 12 yearly changes before that (2010 to 2023), the average change was +13.22 and a typical year strayed about 12.45 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.6 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator FB.CBK.DPTR.P3, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Financial Access Survey, International Monetary Fund (IMF), uri: https://data.imf.org/en/datasets/IMF.STA:FAS 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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