South Africa: Total reserves, excluding gold (current US$)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2025, South Africa's total reserves, excluding gold (current US$) rose 6.3% on 2024 (from US$54.91 billion to US$58.4 billion).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2024), the average change was +23.7% and a typical year strayed about 78% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.2 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 409.7% in 1997 and the biggest yearly fall was 70.6% in 1984. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2016 to 2025 the straight-line trend is upward, about US$1.59 billion a year. A straight line explains 96% 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 2025, South Africa had the 35th highest value of the 131 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 South Africa in the 2025 ranking

• Türkiye — 32nd of 131: US$71.62 billion
• Colombia — 33rd of 131: US$65.15 billion
• Australia — 34th of 131: US$62.12 billion
• Sweden — 36th of 131: US$56.54 billion
• Ukraine — 37th of 131: US$53.42 billion
• Algeria — 38th of 131: US$52.45 billion

What this measures

This series includes external assets (excluding monetary gold) that are readily available to and controlled by monetary authorities for meeting balance of payments financing needs, for intervention in exchange markets to affect the currency exchange rate, and for other related purposes (such as maintaining confidence in the currency and the economy, and serving as a basis for foreign borrowing). Reserve assets must be denominated and settled in foreign currency. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This indicator is expressed in United States dollars.

All 66 values

Total reserves, excluding gold (current US$) in nearby economies

• Angola — US$13.54 billion (2025)
• Botswana — US$3.46 billion (2024)
• Burundi — US$88.36 million (2023)
• Cabo Verde — US$1.26 billion (2025)
• Cameroon — US$5.06 billion (2024)
• Central African Republic — US$489.29 million (2024)
• Chad — US$1.55 billion (2024)
• Comoros — US$406.54 million (2025)
• Congo, Dem. Rep. — US$5.1 billion (2023)
• Congo, Rep.

More economic policy & debt data for South Africa

• Trade in services (% of GDP) — 9.32% (2025)
• Communications, computer, etc. (% of service imports, BoP) — 44.9% (2025)
• Primary income payments (BoP, current US$) — US$20.32 billion (2025)
• Imports of goods and services (current US$, BoP) — US$126.24 billion (2025)
• Insurance and financial services (% of service imports, BoP) — 5.58% (2025)
• Goods imports (current US$, BoP) — US$104.47 billion (2025)
• Service imports (current US$, BoP) — US$21.77 billion (2025)
• Charges for the use of intellectual property, payments (BoP, current US$) — US$1.74 billion (2025)
• Imports of goods, services and primary income (current US$, BoP)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is South Africa's total reserves, excluding gold (current US$)?

US$58.4 billion in 2025, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1960?

It is up 64,075% from US$91 million in 1960 (10.46% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was US$58.4 billion in 2025 and the lowest US$91 million in 1960.

How does South Africa rank?

35th highest of 131 economies with data for 2025.

Is the latest change in total reserves, excluding gold (current US$) unusual for South Africa?

In 2025, South Africa's total reserves, excluding gold (current US$) rose 6.3% on 2024 (from US$54.91 billion to US$58.4 billion). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2024), the average change was +23.7% and a typical year strayed about 78% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.2 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 FI.RES.XGLD.CD, 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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