Regulatory Alerts2026-01-21 | 13799Banks Statement on Electronic Cash Money Settlement Operations and Ensuring Equity in Foreign Currency Deposits
The Central Bank of Lebanon issued Intermediate Decision No. 13799 on January 21, 2026, amending three foundational decisions to redefine "Cash Money" for electronic settlements and enforce equitable repayment of foreign currency deposits. The directive requires all Lebanese banks to withhold pre-October 17, 2019 foreign currency account balances exceeding regulatory ceilings unless granted prior written approval, while formally recognizing newly transferred or received foreign banknotes as eligible for conversion into Lebanese Lira accounts. Effective immediately upon publication in the Official Gazette, these amendments operationalize recent constitutional council rulings to standardize cross-border fund treatments and stabilize banking liquidity.