ArmInfo. According to data from the Central Bank of Armenia, the country's Gross International Reserves (GIR) continue to demonstrate strong growth, reaching a record high of $5.863 billion as of June 2026, while the growth recorded during the same period in 2025 was more modest, at 21.1% ($678.8 million), bringing the reserves to $3.897 billion at that time. In May alone, GIR increased slightly - by 2.4% (or $138.9 million), against a decline of 0.5% (or $18.9 million) a year earlier in the same month. Over the 5 months of this year, GIR increased by 15.3% (or $776.3 million), while a more modest growth of 5.7% (or $211.4 million) was recorded a year ago for the same period.
Specifically, the annual growth in May 2026 was driven primarily by a 50.8% increase in foreign assets in convertible currencies, which reached $5.847 billion. Meanwhile, the share of Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) held at the IMF declined by 23.8% to $15.3 million. In the same period of 2025, a more modest growth of the former by 21.2% was accompanied by a subdued growth of the latter by 9%. Over the first 5 months of this year, the growth of GMR was due to a similar growth of external assets in foreign currency by 15% and an 11-fold jump in the share of SDRs in the IMF, which was also observed a year earlier during the same period, when the growth of the former by 5.2% was accompanied by a significant 10-fold increase in the latter.
It should be noted that Armenia's gross international reserves (GIR) increased by 38% or $1.4 billion in 2025, reaching $5.086 billion, while in 2024 there was a weak growth of 2.2% or $76.2 million, reaching $3.685 billion. In particular, external assets in foreign currency increased by 38.1% to $5.085 billion, with a decline in the share of SDRs in the IMF by 32.1% to $1.3 million, while in 2024 there was a weak growth of the former by 2.1% and a jump in the latter by 4 times.
It is worth mentioning that in August 2023, both the GIR and external assets in foreign currency reached a record high of $4.220 billion and $4.217 billion, respectively, a level that was surpassed two years later, with subsequent monthly record-breaking and a continuation of this trend in 2026. The historical maximum of the SDR share in the IMF was recorded in August 2021 - $178.2 million. The share of bank gold in Armenia's GIR was reset to zero back in December 2003.
Recall, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), under the new SBA (Stand-By Arrangement), granted granted Armenia access to credit equivalent to 18.4 million SDR (approximately $25.1 million). This brings the total volume of funds made available since the program's inception in December 2025 to 36.8 million SDR (approximately $50.2 million). The SBA's objective is to support government policies and the reform program to maintain macroeconomic stability, foster sustainable and inclusive growth, and provide a buffer against downside risks in an uncertain economic environment.
Prior to this, in early December 2025, the IMF Executive Board approved a new three-year SBA (Stand-By Arrangement) with Armenia for a total of SDR 128.8 million, or approximately $175 million (100% of Armenia's IMF quota). Concurrently, the IMF completed the previous sixth review under the SBA, which was set to expire on December 11, 2025.
