Certificates of Deposit Issued by Banque du Liban and Accounts Held in Foreign Currencies at BDL

Intermediary Circular No. 749
To Banks and Financial Institutions

We enclose a copy of Intermediary Decision No. 13789 dated December 30, 2025, regarding the amendment of:

• Basic Decision No. 5258 dated September 17, 1993 (regarding the deposit of Lebanese Lira deposits at BDL) attached to Basic Circular No. 14;
• Basic Decision No. 7534 dated March 2, 2000 (regarding the issuance of foreign currency certificates of deposit by BDL) attached to Basic Circular No. 67.

Beirut, December 30, 2025
Central Bank of Lebanon
Karim Saïed

Intermediary Decision No. 13789
Amendment of Basic Decisions No. 5258 dated September 17, 1993 and No. 7534 dated March 2, 2000

The Central Bank of Lebanon,
Pursuant to Articles 70 and 76 of the Banking Law, And Basic Decision No. 5258 dated September 17, 1993 and its amendments regarding the deposit of Lebanese Lira deposits at BDL, And Basic Decision No. 7534 dated March 2, 2000 and its amendments regarding the issuance of foreign currency certificates of deposit by BDL, And since the beginning of the crisis, trading in Lebanese Lira has been largely suspended throughout the Lebanese economy and especially within the banking sector, And since most deposits in the banking sector have become demand deposits, And additionally, considering the losses in BDL’s portfolios, And taking into account the principle of fairness in transactions between BDL and the banking sector, And aiming to be able to reduce the financial reserve (Hajwa), which assists in managing deposits, And after consulting the opinion of the Banking Commission, And based on the decision of the Central Council of BDL taken in its meeting held on December 17, 2025, It has decided as follows:

Article One: The text of "Article Four bis" of Basic Decision No. 5258 dated September 17, 1993 is repealed and replaced as follows:
"The Central Bank of Lebanon shall deduct 90% from the foreign currency certificates of deposit held by operating banks at BDL, and these shall be credited in the same currency to the bank’s general current account under the name 'Financial Funds'."

Article Two: The text of "Article Six bis" of Basic Decision No. 7534 dated March 2, 2000 is repealed and replaced as follows:
"The Central Bank of Lebanon shall deduct 90% from the foreign currency certificates of deposit issued by banks operating in Lebanon, and these shall be credited in the same currency to the bank’s general current account under the name 'Financial Funds'."

Article Three: This decision shall take effect from January 1, 2026.
Article Four: This decision shall be published in the Official Gazette.

Beirut, December 30, 2025
Central Bank of Lebanon
Karim Saïed