Countries worldwide build bigger buffers for overseas payments

Countries across the world expanded their foreign exchange reserves in 2025, strengthening buffers for overseas payments. Reserves rose 28.3% in Zambia and 27.5% in New Zealand.

Zambia: Foreign exchange reserves grew 28.3% in 2025, following growth of 30.2% in 2024.
New Zealand: Foreign exchange reserves rose 27.5% in 2025. Total reserves covered 3.91 months of imports, up from 3.16 months in 2024.
Hungary: Foreign exchange reserves grew 26.9% in 2025. Growth excluding gold was 17.3%.
Iceland: Foreign exchange reserves rose 19.5% in 2025. Total reserves covered 5.3 months of imports, up from 4.81 months in 2024.
Uruguay: Foreign exchange reserves grew 9.1% in 2025. Reserves covered 8.63 months of imports, up from 7.72 months in 2024.

Across these countries, larger reserves strengthened financial buffers for overseas payments, with import cover also improving wherever reported.