According to the statistics released today by the Monetary Authority of Macao, the proportion of international business in the local banking sector rose in the first quarter of 2023.  At end-March 2023, the share of international assets in total banking assets increased to 85.6% from 85.4% at end-December 2022, while the share of international liabilities in total banking liabilities rose to 83.4% from 81.9%.

Non-local currencies continued to be the dominant denomination in international banking transactions.  At end-March 2023, the shares of the pataca in total international assets and total international liabilities were 0.8% and 0.6% respectively.  The Hong Kong dollar, the US dollar, the renminbi and other foreign currencies accounted for 30.3%, 42.8%, 22.8% and 3.4% of total international assets while their respective shares in total international liabilities were 33.4%, 38.8%, 23.8% and 3.5%.

International Banking Assets

At end-March 2023, total international assets increased by 2.8% from a quarter ago to MOP2,270.9 billion (USD280.9billion).  Within this total, external assets rose by 4.2% from the previous quarter to MOP1,666.5 billion whereas local assets in foreign currencies dropped by 1.0% to MOP604.4billion.  As a major component of international assets, external non-bank loans decreased by 3.6% to MOP676.4billion.  

International Banking Liabilities

Total international liabilities increased by 4.3% from three months ago to MOP2,212.8 billion (USD273.7 billion). Of this total, external liabilities and local liabilities in foreign currencies grew quarter-to-quarter by 5.7% to MOP1,269.6billion and 2.6% to MOP943.2 billion respectively.  Deposits taken from external banks constituted a major component of international liabilities.  This type of deposits rose by 15.6% to MOP712.0 billion at end-March 2023.

Breakdown of External Banking Assets and Liabilities by Region

The majority of external assets and liabilities of the local banking sector were related to Asia.  At end-March 2023, claims on Mainland China and Hong Kong occupied 42.1% and 25.2% of total external assets. Meanwhile, claims on Portuguese-speaking countries and countries along the “Belt and Road” occupied respective shares of 0.7% and 10.8%.  On external liabilities, Mainland China and Hong Kong accounted for 42.0% and 41.0% of the total respectively.Portuguese-speaking countries and countries along the “Belt and Road” represented 0.6% and 5.2% respectively.

The compilation of International Banking Statistics mainlyfollows the methodology advocated by the Bank for International Settlements in order to facilitate Macao SAR’s participation in the “Locational International Banking Statistics” project of the international organisation.