The National Bank of Georgia (NBG) plans to gradually increase the share of Chinese yuan in its international foreign exchange reserves from 5% to approximately 15%, NBG President Natia Turnava announced in late October. As of November 2026, Georgia’s international reserves totalled $8.24 billion, meaning a 15% yuan allocation would be equivalent to approximately $1.24 billion.
According to International Monetary Fund (IMF) statistics, the Chinese yuan accounted for just 2.1% of global foreign exchange reserves in the second half of 2026, equivalent to around $280 billion out of a total $13.2 trillion. The US dollar remained the dominant reserve currency with a 56.7% share, followed by the euro at 20.6%, the Japanese yen at 5% and the British pound at 4.6%. The yuan's share was also below that of the Canadian and Australian dollars.
Turnava said the NBG had previously permitted a maximum 5% allocation to the yuan but intends to increase it gradually. She explained that diversifying reserves into different currencies and markets, including China, could improve resilience against financial shocks in Western markets. Georgia has also expanded its exposure to monetary gold and Chinese financial markets, including gaining access to China's Interbank Bond Market (CIBM) in February 2026.
As of the end of October 2026, Georgia's international reserves stood at $8.24 billion, including $6.4 billion in foreign currency assets, $472 million in IMF Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) and $1.36 billion in monetary gold. The NBG also purchased an additional $400 million worth of gold in October, bringing its total gold reserves to 10.9 tonnes. Overall, the central bank has acquired approximately $500 million worth of monetary gold during 2026.
