Central Bank of Lebanon

BDL Renews the Effects of Circulars 158 and 166

Banque Du Liban (BDL) announced on Thursday that it would be extending the effects of Circulars 158 and 166. In a communique, the financial institution stated that the Central Council, which met on Wednesday, decided to extend the validity of Circulars 158 and 166 for one year, with the possibility of renewal, effective starting July 1, ...

Real Estate Sector Calls on Parliament to Be More Active

The president of Lebanon’s real estate agents and consultants syndicate, Walid Moussa, has called for the regular resumption of work at the land registries, highlighting that their closure has resulted in a loss of revenue to the Treasury of $200 million. Speaking at the opening of Lebanon’s second real estate forum on Tuesday, Moussa ...

Editorial-The Arte Documentary: A Sin of Omission

The documentary titled “Casse du siècle au Liban,” or Heist of the Century in Lebanon, aired on Tuesday night on the Arte channel, is riddled with omissions and frequently neglects the imperative of intellectual honesty that should guide a journalist. It was truly a textbook case of information withholding, reality deformation, and blatant ...

Will Hajjar Get the Better of Ghada Aoun's Judicial Blunders?

Following years of abuse and judicial misconduct, Ghada Aoun, the Public Prosecutor at the Mount Lebanon Court of Appeal, was finally scheduled to appear before the Judicial Disciplinary Council on Monday at 3 PM. Since her dismissal in May 2023, Aoun has repeatedly refused to comply with summonses from this judicial body. Ghada Aoun has ...

Alternative Payment Methods: A Global Rise

Card payments are no longer the only and main consumers’ option. Bank cards are steadily giving way to alternative payment methods. This is a global trend, and Lebanon is no exception; for instance, electronic wallets are gaining significant popularity. The range of options keeps growing. In the coming years, there will be less cash and fewer ...

BDL’s Strategy to Tackle Deposit Crisis: An Increase in Withdrawal Exchange Rate?

The official exchange rate of 89,500 Lebanese pounds to one US dollar is recognized by the Lebanese Central Bank (BDL) as the unified exchange rate, which banks are required to use when drafting their financial statements and periodic reports. This rate aligns with the parallel market exchange rate. BDL’s Acting Governor, Wassim Mansouri, keeps ...

BDL: Reserves Increased by 1.1 Billion Dollars

Vice-Governor and acting Governor of the Central Bank (BDL) Wassim Mansouri declared Friday that the BDL’s foreign currency reserves had increased by $1.1 billion. Speaking at a forum held at the Arab University of Beirut, Mansouri also emphasized that “the BDL cooperates with the government to maintain monetary stability in the country, but ...

BDL’s New Currency Exchange Platform: Updates!

The Central Bank of Lebanon (BDL) is actively working on launching the new official platform that will provide the exchange rate of the dollar against the Lebanese pound in the market. This initiative, developed in partnership with Bloomberg, seeks not only to replace Sayrafa but also to ensure transparency in the exchange rate. Originally ...

Fayad: Electricity Sector Plan Progressing Slowly but Surely

Caretaker Minister of Energy Walid Fayad emphasized in a recent interview with the LBCI television channel that progress in the electricity sector plan is positive, but lamented its slow pace. He underscored the lack of attention from politicians and decision-makers towards the energy sector, stressing its critical role in the economy. “The ...

BDL Promotes Financial Inclusion

The Central Bank of Lebanon (BDL) is seeking to encourage financial inclusion once again in order to reduce the cash economy in the Lebanese market, which is contrary to international anti-money laundering standards. In a statement issued on Thursday, the Central Bank of Lebanon (BDL) said it had worked with international issuers and managers of ...

Mansouri Discusses a New Proposal for Deposits' Categorization

The interim governor of the Central Bank of Lebanon (BDL), Wassim Mansouri, disclosed that the bank is studying a new proposal regarding the categorization of the depositors’ funds, which have been frozen since the onset of the 2019 rampant economic crisis. He estimated the banks' liabilities at nearly $88 billion. In an interview with Al-Sharq ...

Finance: Public Sector Increases Disbursed

The Ministry of Finance confirmed in a statement on Monday that it had transferred to Lebanon’s Central Bank (BDL) the differences in civil servants' salaries (the retroactive effect) for last February, in line with the salary increases approved by the government last month. Those concerned will be able to withdraw the amounts from their banks ...