IMF projects $2.5 billion in 2026 net income despite high uncertainty

The International Monetary Fund said on Friday its board expects net income ‌of about $2.5 billion in the 2026 financial year, ‌following the annual review of its income position for the ​year ended April 30.

“Projections of the Fund’s income position remain subject to high uncertainty, including from heightened geopolitical risks and financial market volatility,” the IMF said.

The IMF’s ‌board in April ⁠approved a net administrative budget for the 2027 financial year, totaling $1.6 billion, which will ⁠cover a period of about one year from May 1, according to a separate statement on Friday.

The ​fund said ​its precautionary balances, which ​provide a buffer to ‌protect it against potential losses from credit, income and other financial risks, are expected to rise to $35.9 billion by the end of the 2026 financial year, above the IMF’s medium-term target.

Looking ahead, the IMF projected ‌net income of about $2.6 billion ​in each of the 2027 ​and 2028 financial ​years.

The executive board agreed to keep the ‌margin on the IMF’s basic ​lending rate ​at 60 basis points above the special drawing rights interest rate for the 2027 to 2028 ​period, maintaining ‌current pricing for member countries that borrow from ​the fund.