CBI reserves fall sharply to $77.8B

Shafaq News- Baghdad

The Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) has recorded notable shifts and a marked decline in its financial indicators, with the bank's net claims on the government rising even as official reserves shrink, economist Manar al-Obaidi, head of the Future Iraq Foundation for Economic Studies and Consultancy, revealed on Thursday.

CBI net claims on the government registered a sharp increase, reaching 66.6 trillion dinars (approximately $50.8B), compared to 35 trillion dinars (approximately $26.7B) at the start of 2025, al-Obaidi said, based on an economic reading drawing on the latest operational and banking data.

Net official reserves held by the central bank fell to 102 trillion dinars (approximately $77.8B), down from 130 trillion dinars (approximately $99.2B) at the start of 2026, al-Obaidi added, noting that July alone saw the central bank lose approximately 10.3 trillion dinars (approximately $7.9B) from its foreign currency and banking reserves.