Current account balance in South Africa
South Africa: Current account balance was -1.81 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Current account balance in South Africa, 1960–2025
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in BoP, current US$.
Analysis
South Africa recorded -1.81 billion BoP, current US$ for current account balance in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 30.0% on the previous year and up 87.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, current account balance in South Africa peaked at 15.84 billion BoP, current US$ in 2021 and was at its lowest, -21.40 billion BoP, current US$, in 2013.
South Africa ranks 144th of 199 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | -75.60 million BoP, current US$ | -516.60 million BoP, current US$ | 429.80 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1970s | -467.16 million BoP, current US$ | -2.40 billion BoP, current US$ | 2.97 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 654.58 million BoP, current US$ | -4.98 billion BoP, current US$ | 5.10 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | -150.95 million BoP, current US$ | -2.49 billion BoP, current US$ | 2.80 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | -6.74 billion BoP, current US$ | -16.40 billion BoP, current US$ | 1.01 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | -12.97 billion BoP, current US$ | -21.40 billion BoP, current US$ | -5.42 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.14 billion BoP, current US$ | -4.21 billion BoP, current US$ | 15.84 billion BoP, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 141 Benin -1.61 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 142 Latvia -1.64 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 143 Cameroon -1.75 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 145 Rwanda -1.81 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 146 Belarus -1.82 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 147 Namibia -1.83 billion BoP, current US$ compare
More economy & growth data for South Africa
- Gross domestic savings 15.3% (2025)
- Households and NPISHs final consumption expenditure 65.8% (2025)
- Final consumption expenditure 361.93 billion current US$ (2025)
- Final consumption expenditure 6.47 trillion current LCU (2025)
- Final consumption expenditure 324.56 billion constant 2015 US$ (2025)
- Final consumption expenditure 2.7% (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added 52.35 billion current US$ (2025)
- Final consumption expenditure 84.7% (2025)
- Exports of goods and services 134.18 billion current US$ (2025)
- Gross national expenditure 98.6% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is current account balance in South Africa?
- Current account balance in South Africa was -1.81 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest current account balance recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 15.84 billion BoP, current US$ in 2021.
- What is the lowest current account balance recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was -21.40 billion BoP, current US$ in 2013.
- How does South Africa rank for current account balance?
- South Africa ranks 144th out of 199 countries with data for 2025.
- Is current account balance rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 87.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Current account balance (BoP, current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Balance of current transactions (transactions in goods and services, earned income and transfer income) between residents and non-residents. The term current account balance is used in the external accounts and is expressed from the perspective of resident units. The term current external balance is used in the national accounts and is expressed from the perspective of the non-resident units, and therefore with the opposite sign. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This indicator is expressed in United States dollars.