CAIRO, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- Remittances from Egyptian expatriates increased by 40.5 percent in 2025, reaching a record high of 41.5 billion U.S. dollars, up from 29.6 billion dollars in 2024, the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) said on Monday.

The CBE noted that remittances rose in the first half of the fiscal year 2025-2026, which ends in June, to 22.1 billion dollars, compared with 17.1 billion dollars in the same period of the previous fiscal year.

On a monthly basis, remittances rose by 24.0 percent in December 2025 to 4.0 billion dollars, marking a record monthly high, up from 3.2 billion dollars in December 2024, the bank added.

Remittances, along with revenues from the Suez Canal, tourism, and foreign investment, are key contributors to Egypt's foreign currency reserves, helping to support the North African nation's economy. ■