Press release on the reduction of the required reserve ratio

At its meeting on 13 January 2026, the Monetary Council decided to lower the required reserve ratio by 2 percentage points, from 8 percent to 6 percent. Credit institutions will be subject to the new reserve requirements starting from the March 2026 maintenance period. The non-interest-bearing part of the required reserves will remain 2.5 percent of the reserve base. This decision does not represent a change in central bank interest rate conditions. The average sterilisation interest rate paid on the banking system’s liquidity absorbed through central bank instruments will remain unchanged. This measure supports banks’ liquidity management as previous central bank programmes expire. With the normalisation of the required reserve ratio, the MNB continues to converge to the practice of the European Central Bank.

Budapest, 11 February 2026
Magyar Nemzeti Bank
Monetary Council

Vissza a tetejére

The primary objective of the MNB shall be to achieve and maintain price stability. (...) Without prejudice to its primary objective, the MNB shall support the maintenance of the stability of the system of financial intermediation, the enhancement of its resilience, its sustainable contribution to economic growth; furthermore, the MNB shall support the government’s economic policy and its policy related to environmental sustainability, using instruments at its disposal.