Nepal Rastra Bank’s Foreign Exchange Reserves Cross Rs. 2.5 Trillion

Nepal Rastra Bank’s (NRB) foreign exchange reserves have reached a new milestone, crossing Rs. 2.5 trillion by mid-August 2025, marking a significant strengthening of Nepal’s external position. According to NRB’s latest macroeconomic data, the reserves increased by 4% in just one month, rising from Rs. 2.41 trillion in mid-July to Rs. 2.51 trillion. This steady growth reflects a favorable balance of payments (BoP) surplus and strong remittance inflows, which have remained the backbone of Nepal’s foreign currency earnings.

Out of the total reserves, convertible currencies account for Rs. 1.86 trillion while inconvertible reserves stand at Rs. 643 billion, showing a healthy diversification of Nepal’s currency composition. Economists suggest that this increase enhances Nepal’s import capacity, which now stands at 20.4 months for goods and 16.6 months for goods and services, providing the strongest external liquidity position in recent years.

Experts believe the surge in reserves will support exchange rate stability, ensure timely external debt servicing, and enhance investor confidence. However, they warn that the growth is still remittance-driven, highlighting the need for export diversification, FDI inflows, and productive capital utilization to sustain this momentum.