The Bank of Jamaica (BOJ) is projecting that the value of currency issued for December 2025 will increase by approximately $21.0 billion or 7.0 per cent, relative to the $300.6 billion in circulation at end-November 2025

The central bank’s currency stock projection of $321.6 billion at end-December 2025 represents an annual growth rate of 12.4 per cent compared to 3.1 per cent for 2024. Such an increase is consistent with the seasonal cash demand to support increased spending over the holiday period and, furthermore, reflects the response to the impact of Hurricane Melissa.

According to the BOJ, “…December’s currency growth is expected to reflect precautionary demand for cash, increased remittance receipts, and an expected increase in inflation. This is expected to be partly offset by dampened domestic demand conditions as a result of Hurricane Melissa.”

“In real terms, the currency stock is projected to increase by 7.2 per cent in December 2025, which compares to the real decline of 1.8 per centfor the previous year,” the central bank added.

Figures from the Statistical Institute of Jamaica show that annualised inflation jumped by 4.4 per cent in November, following the passage of Hurricane Melissa on October 28, 2025. Month over month, the All-Jamaica Consumer Price Index rose by 2.4 per cent, the highest monthly movement since September 2013 when the index rose by 2.8 per cent,

For the first 11 days of December, BOJ recorded net currency issue of $3.3 billion compared to a net currency issue of $2.8 billion recorded over the same period in 2024. Consequently, as at 11 December 2025, the stock of currency in the hands of the public and in the vaults of financial institutions was $303.9 billion.