The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) announced today (28 January) that the total assets of the Exchange Fund amounted to HK$4,082.4 billion as at 31 December 2024, HK$55.7 billion higher than that at the end of November 2024. Hong Kong dollar assets increased by HK$110.7 billion while foreign currency assets decreased by HK$55.0 billion.
The rise in Hong Kong dollar assets was mainly due to the increase in Exchange Fund Bills and Notes issued but not yet settled at month end. The decline in foreign currency assets was mainly due to reduction in the month-end balances of unsettled purchase of securities and mark-to-market revaluation of investments.
The Currency Board Account shows that the Monetary Base at the end of December 2024 was HK$1,957.6 billion, increased by HK$7.4 billion, or 0.4%, from the end of November 2024. The increase was mainly due to the amortisation of discount on Exchange Fund Bills and Notes issued and increase in the outstanding amount of Certificates of Indebtedness.
The amount of Backing Assets increased by HK$3.6 billion, or 0.2%, to HK$2,144.6 billion at the end of December 2024. The increase was mainly attributable to interest income from investments and the issuance of Certificates of Indebtedness, which were partly offset by mark-to-market revaluation of investments. The Backing Ratio decreased from 109.79% at the end of November 2024 to 109.56% at the end of December 2024.
The figures in the Exchange Fund Abridged Balance Sheet and the Currency Board Account are unaudited. The audit of the Exchange Fund’s annual financial statements by the Director of Audit is in progress.
Annex 1: Abridged Balance Sheet of the Exchange Fund
Annex 2: Currency Board Account
Hong Kong Monetary Authority
28 January 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 January 2025, the scheduled dates for issuing the press releases are as follows:
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7 January
(Issued)
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SDDS International Reserves
(Hong Kong’s Latest Foreign Currency Reserve Assets Figures)
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14 January
(Issued)
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SDDS Analytical Accounts of the Central Bank
(Analytical Accounts of the Exchange Fund)
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28 January
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SDDS Template on International Reserves and
Foreign Currency Liquidity
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28 January
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Exchange Fund Abridged Balance Sheet and
Currency Board Account
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