Macau’s international banking assets rose 12.7 percent year-on-year to MOP 1.71 trillion (US$214 billion) at the end of last year, the Macau Monetary Authority (AMCM) announced on Thursday.
Among the international banking assets, external assets rose 14.9 percent year-on-year to MOP 1.29 trillion, while local assets in foreign currency rose 6.4 percent to MOP 424 billion. External nonbank loans increased 10.5 percent to MOP 555 billion.
Total international liabilities rose 14.1 percent year-on-year to MOP 1.65 trillion at the end of last year.
Among the international banking liabilities, external liabilities and local liabilities in foreign currencies increased 23.8 percent to MOP 851 billion and 5.3 percent to MOP 802 billion, respectively.
At the end of last year, claims on mainland China and Hong Kong took up 35.8 percent and 30.5 percent of total external assets, while claims on Portugal and the UK accounted for 1.2 percent and 1.0 percent, respectively. Claims on Portuguese-speaking countries and “Belt and Road” nations took up 1.6 percent and 6.7 percent, respectively.
Concerning external liabilities, Hong Kong and mainland China accounted for 44.7 percent and 22.3 percent of the total, respectively. Portuguese-speaking countries and “Belt and Road” nations took up 0.7 percent and 13.4 percent, respectively.
Non-local currencies – HK and US dollars as well as the renminbi (RMB) in particular – continued to dominate Macau’s international banking transactions. At the end of last year, Macau’s pataca accounted for just 0.8 percent of the city’s total international assets and 0.6 percent of its total international liabilities.
The pataca is Macau’s sole legal tender, while the Hong Kong dollar is its customary tender.
(The Macau Post Daily/Macau News)
