The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) announced today (March 31) that the total assets of the Exchange Fund amounted to HK$4,009.0 billion as at February 28, 2025, HK$102.9 billion lower than that at the end of January 2025. Hong Kong dollar assets decreased by HK$76.0 billion and foreign currency assets decreased by HK$26.9 billion.
The decline in Hong Kong dollar assets was mainly due to the decrease in Exchange Fund Bills and Notes issued but not yet settled at month end. The decline in foreign currency assets was mainly due to withdrawals of Fiscal Reserves placements and the redemption of Certificates of Indebtedness, which were partly offset by an increase in the month-end balances of unsettled purchase of securities and interest income from investments.
The Currency Board Account shows that the Monetary Base at the end of February 2025 was HK$1,975.9 billion, decreased by HK$19.0 billion, or 1.0 per cent, from the end of January 2025. The decline was mainly due to the decrease in the outstanding amount of Certificates of Indebtedness, which was partly offset by amortisation of discount on Exchange Fund Bills and Notes issued.
The amount of Backing Assets decreased by HK$13.7 billion, or 0.6 per cent, to HK$2,178.8 billion at the end of February 2025. The decrease was mainly attributable to the redemption of Certificates of Indebtedness, which was partly offset by interest income from investments and mark-to-market revaluation of investments. The Backing Ratio increased from 109.90 per cent at the end of January 2025 to 110.27 per cent at the end of February 2025.
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At present, four press releases relating to the Exchange Fund's data are issued by the HKMA each month. Three of these releases are issued to disseminate monetary data in accordance with the International Monetary Fund's Special Data Dissemination Standard (SDDS). The fourth press release, on the Exchange Fund's Abridged Balance Sheet and Currency Board Account, is made in accordance with the HKMA's policy of maintaining a high level of transparency. For the month of March 2025, the scheduled dates for issuing the press releases are as follows:
| March 7 (Issued) |
SDDS International Reserves (Hong Kong's Latest Foreign Currency Reserve Assets Figures) |
| March 14 (Issued) |
SDDS Analytical Accounts of the Central Bank (Analytical Accounts of the Exchange Fund) |
| March 31 | SDDS Template on International Reserves and Foreign Currency Liquidity |
| March 31 | Exchange Fund Abridged Balance Sheet and Currency Board Account |
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