The monetary base at Qatar Central Bank declined by 12.3% year-on-year in April 2026 to 84.7 billion Qatari riyals, according to official data released Sunday.
The drop was primarily driven by a sharp decline in mandatory bank reserves following the central bank’s recent move to ease liquidity conditions for the country’s banking sector.
Data showed that money market deposits fell by 4.5% during April to 18.2 billion riyals, while total required reserves dropped 23.7% to approximately 42.6 billion riyals.
The decline followed the Qatar Central Bank’s decision to reduce the reserve requirement ratio on deposits from 4.5% to 3.5% starting in March 2026, a measure aimed at boosting liquidity available to Qatari banks amid evolving regional and global economic conditions.
In contrast, the total value of currency in circulation rose 11.6% year-on-year in April to 23.4 billion riyals, reflecting continued growth in cash demand across the economy.
Meanwhile, excess reserve balances remained largely stable at around 515 million riyals.
The latest figures come as Qatar’s financial authorities continue balancing liquidity support measures with broader monetary stability goals amid regional market volatility and shifting global financial conditions.
Earlier data from the central bank showed that Qatar’s central bank assets climbed to 322 billion riyals in April, supported by stronger liquidity levels and higher gold holdings.
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