Bank of Jamaica issues more currency stock for Christmas period
/ Our Today
administrator
For the period 12 to 22 December 2025, Bank of Jamaica (BOJ) issued currency of $17.9 billion, which was $5.3billion more than the $12.6 billion it redeemed from the financial system.
This net currency issue of $5.3 billion represented an increase of 1.7 per cent in the total stock of currency for the period. The 1.7 per cent increase was lower than the 3.4 per cent increase in the stock for the same period in 2024.
The net currency issue for the period under review translated to an increase of $12.6 billion or 2.9 per cent in the currency stock for the period 01 to 22 December 2025. This increase was lower than the Bank’s projection for an expansion of 4.2 per cent for the period, as well as the 4.5 per cent growth in net currency issue for the corresponding period in 2024.
As at 22 December 2025, the stock of currency was $309.1 billion, representing an annual nominal growthof 11.7 per cent, relative to 2.2 per cent as at the corresponding period in 2024.
When the forecasted change in the general level of consumer prices is considered, the currency stock in real terms is estimated to have increased for the period by 6.5 per cent, which compares to the real decline of 2.7 per cent for the same period of the previous year.
As previously stated by the BOJ in its 15 December 2025 press release, the currency stock is projected to increase in December 2025 by $21.0 billion (7.0 per cent) to $321.6 billion relative to the previous month.
Typically, Bank of Jamaica (BOJ) issues and redeems notes and coins daily in order to meet the demand for cash from individuals and businesses.
There is normally a stronger demand for currency during December, associated with increased spending over the holiday period.
Financial institutions, therefore, request more currency from the BOJ to satisfy this demand.
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