The public is holding onto cash; 94% of Iraqi currency is outside the banking system.
The public is holding onto cash; 94% of Iraqi currency is outside the banking system.
2026-11-15
Shafaq News – Baghdad
Data from the Central Bank of Iraq showed that about 94% of the total cash in Iraq is outside banks, compared to only 6% within the banking system, an indicator that reflects the amount of cash in circulation among the public compared to the liquidity available within banks.
According to economic indicators issued by the Central Bank, which were reviewed by Shafaq News Agency, the value of currency traded outside banks reached 101.868 trillion dinars during September 2026, compared to 100.186 trillion dinars in August, an increase of 1.682 trillion dinars, and a rise of 1.7%.
In contrast, the total amount of cash issued by the Central Bank reached 108.306 trillion dinars during September, compared to 107.998 trillion dinars in the previous month, an increase of 308 billion dinars.
As for the cash held by banks, it decreased to 6.438 trillion dinars during September, compared to 7.812 trillion dinars in August, a decrease of 1.374 trillion dinars, or 17.6%.
On an annual basis, the value of cash in circulation outside banks increased by about 10% compared to the end of 2025, when it reached 92.560 trillion dinars, while the total cash in circulation in the country increased from 99.799 trillion dinars to 108.306 trillion dinars during the same period.
shafaq.com
