Annual Report & Statement of Accounts, 2025
Published: Friday May 8th, 2026
The Central Bank of The Bahamas is pleased to announce the release of its 2025 Annual Report, which includes a summary of the Bank's operations during the year, an analysis of regulatory developments affecting the financial sector, a review of monetary policy, as well as payment systems developments. The Annual Report also provides an examination of both the domestic and international economic and financial environment during 2025, and presents a comprehensive analysis of the Bank's Statement of Accounts for the year ending 31 December 2025.
The Report reveals that the Bahamian economy maintained its growth pace in 2025, as compared to the previous year. In the tourism sector, the expansion was moderated from 2024, given continued capacity constraints in the stopover segment and softer demand from US travellers; albeit, estimated cruise earnings gains remained robust. Meanwhile, healthy stimulus was sustained from varied-scale foreign direct investment projects, including activities concentrated in cruise port developments. In the labour market, employment indicators were mixed, as the increase in labour force participation outpaced job gains. Further, domestic inflation firmed during the review year, reflecting higher international oil prices. Moreover, in the fiscal outturn, the deficit reduced notably in FY2024/25, relative to the preceding year, as the expansion in revenue—led by VAT receipts—outstripped the increase in total expenditure. Similarly, during the first six months of FY2025/26, the deficit decreased, underpinned by revenue gains. In the financial sector, bank liquidity fell, despite the growth in the deposit base outpacing the rise in domestic credit. However, external reserves increased in 2025, supported by net foreign currency inflows from real sector activities, and the receipt of proceeds from the Government’s external borrowings.
Given the continued healthy buffers in liquidity and external reserves, the Central Bank maintained an accommodative monetary policy posture, in an effort to spur further credit growth and support aggregate demand.
In terms of other major developments in 2025, the Bank advanced several financial inclusion initiatives. Public consultation was undertaken on respective papers for Agency Banking and Access to Basic Banking Services, which would together advance the goal of increasing affordable access to financial services in The Bahamas. The agency banking framework would allow banks and credit unions to engage authorised non-bank entities to extend the reach of their services in underbanked regions; while basic banking provision would mandate access to low-fee or no-fee transaction or payments accounts to low-income earners.
A comprehensive breakdown of the Statement of Accounts for the year 2025, indicated that the Bank recorded a growth in total comprehensive income, largely attributed to a reduction in expenses, which outpaced the decline in revenue.
