Iraq's foreign reserves fell $7.4 billion in the first five months of 2026 as its gold holdings rose

Data from the Central Bank of Iraq shows the country's foreign reserves stood at $93.673 billion at the end of May 2026, down from $101.082 billion in January 2026. That is a decline of $7.409 billion, or 7.3 percent, over five months. In dinar terms, reserves fell from 131.407 trillion dinars in January to 121.775 trillion dinars at the end of May.

Iraq's gold holdings moved the other way over the same period. Their value reached 33.295 trillion dinars ($25.612 billion) at the end of May 2026, up from 31.488 trillion dinars ($24.221 billion) at the close of 2025, a rise of 5.7 percent. The figure still sits below the record set in March 2026, when it climbed to 38.386 trillion dinars ($29.532 billion).

Total assets of the Central Bank of Iraq also fell, from 94.380 trillion dinars in January to 88.114 trillion dinars ($67.780 billion) at the end of May, a drop of 6.6 percent. Iraq is one of the main dollar and dinar corridors neighbouring Iran.