HKMA Reports February 2026 Exchange Fund Accounts: Foreign Assets Rise by HK$32.8 Billion

Analytical Accounts of Exchange Fund

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) released today (March 13) the key analytical accounts of the Exchange Fund at the end of February 2026.

Foreign assets, representing the external assets of the Exchange Fund, increased during the month by HK$32.8 billion to HK$3,630.1 billion.

The Monetary Base, comprising Certificates of Indebtedness, Governmentissued currency notes and coins in circulation, the balance of the banking system and Exchange Fund Bills and Notes issued, amounted to HK$2,071.5 billion.

Claims on the private sector in Hong Kong amounted to HK$371.3billion.

Foreign liabilities amounted to HK$72.5 billion.

The analytical accounts of the Exchange Fund are released in accordance with the International Monetary Fund's Special Data Dissemination Standard (SDDS) and are referred to as the Analytical Accounts of the Central Bank under SDDS (Annex).

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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 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 2026, the scheduled dates for issuing the press releases are as follows:

March 6

(Issued)

SDDS International Reserves

(Hong Kong's Latest Foreign Currency Reserve Assets Figures)

March 13

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

Source: AI-found images

Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected cannabis buds worth about $2.1 million

Hong Kong Customs yesterday (March 12) seized about 10 kilograms of suspected cannabis buds, with a total estimated market value of about $2.1 million, in Tuen Mun. A 33-year-old man suspected to be connected with the case was arrested.

During an anti-narcotics operation conducted in Tuen Mun last night, Customs officers intercepted a suspicious man and found about 10kg of suspected cannabis buds in his private vehicle. He was then arrested.

The arrestee has been charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug and will appear at the Shatin Magistrates' Courts tomorrow (March 14).

Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.

Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected cannabis buds worth about $2.1 million Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases