Bank Negara Malaysia published an update showing its international reserves stood at USD 128.8 billion as at 15 April 2026, equivalent to 4.7 months of imports of goods and services and 0.9 times total short-term external debt. Under the previous import coverage measure, the reserves would cover 5.8 months of retained imports of goods. The short-term external debt ratio combines reserves as at 15 April 2026 with short-term external debt data as at fourth quarter 2025, valued using the fourth quarter 2025 exchange rate; the debt comprises non-resident borrowing with maturity of one year or less and is accounted mostly by resident banks’ foreign currency liquidity operations and multinational corporations’ borrowing from overseas parents or headquarters, with obligations expected to be met from their external asset holdings rather than claims on Bank Negara Malaysia’s reserves.
Bank Negara Malaysia 2026-04-22
Bank Negara Malaysia reports USD 128.8 billion international reserves covering 4.7 months of imports and 0.9 times short-term external debt
Bank Negara Malaysia reported international reserves of USD 128.8 billion as at 15 April 2026, equivalent to 4.7 months of imports of goods and services and 0.9 times total short-term external debt. Under the previous import coverage measure, reserves would cover 5.8 months of retained imports of goods, while the short-term external debt ratio mainly reflects resident banks’ foreign currency liquidity operations and multinational corporations’ intra-group borrowing, expected to be serviced from external asset holdings rather than central bank reserves.