- Samsul Said/Bloomberg
PETALING JAYA: Bank Negara will pay a record-high RM5.25bil as a dividend to the government after it recorded a surge in net profit to RM13.16bil for last year.
This was the highest profit recorded since 1997.
According to Bank Negara’s annual report, its net profit increased 83.8% in comparison with RM7.16bil recorded in 2023.
In its report, the central bank said the surge came on the back of higher total income of RM14.98bil, underpinned by stronger investment returns on its international reserves and portfolio activities in the foreign exchange and global securities markets.
It noted that of the RM13.16bil net profit, RM7.91bil will be transferred to its risk reserve, which stood at RM147.90bil at the end of 2024.
“As our international reserves are in foreign currencies, building sufficient financial buffers is important to cushion against future financial-market volatility and shocks, as well as managing the risk of exchange-rate fluctuations in an uncertain global landscape,” the central bank said in a statement.
It added that total assets dropped to RM621.54bil as of Dec 31, 2024, while international reserves continued to account for the bulk of its assets at 84%.
The central bank said liabilities comprised mainly currency in circulation and deposits by financial institutions, amounting to RM170.72bil and RM131.92bil, respectively, as of the end of last year.
These figures were higher than the RM161.82bil and RM176.66bil registered, respectively, in 2023.
