Shafaq News– Baghdad

Currency in circulation in Iraq rose by 1.604 trillion dinars in October 2025, pushing the total above 93 trillion dinars, according to figures released Monday by the Central Bank of Iraq.

The data showed that net currency in circulation climbed to 93.789 trillion dinars in October, up from 92.185 trillion dinars in September. During the same period, total currency issued reached 101.015 trillion dinars, while cash held inside commercial banks stood at 7.226 trillion dinars.

The Central Bank explained that issued currency includes all banknotes and coins printed and released into the market, encompassing both paper and metal denominations circulating outside its vaults. It noted that the continued expansion of cash held outside the banking system, alongside comparatively low bank reserves, indicates a preference among citizens to keep money in cash rather than deposit it in banks.

The bank warned that this pattern weakens financial intermediation and poses challenges to overall financial stability, as large volumes of liquidity remain outside formal channels.

The figures were released shortly after the Central Bank reported a widening fiscal gap in 2025. Public revenues reached 104.434 trillion dinars ($72.0 billion) in the first ten months of the year, while expenditures totaled 115.535 trillion dinars ($79.7 billion), meaning government spending exceeded income over the same period.