Lebanon's Central Bank Extends Dollar Withdrawal Programs Through 2027

The Bank of Lebanon has opted to prolong the implementation of Circulars 158 and 166 for an additional year, according to informed sources tracking the matter. The extension will preserve the existing framework for monthly cash dollar withdrawals, though beneficiaries will see no increase in their allocated amounts during this period.

Rather than issuing fresh circular directives, the central bank plans to extend the current circulars under substantially identical terms. This decision reflects the persistence of challenging financial and monetary circumstances alongside the absence of comprehensive remedies for the ongoing banking sector crisis.

Under the current arrangement, individuals receiving $1,000 monthly through Circular 158 will continue at that level through July 2027, commencing from July 2026. Policymakers are meanwhile examining a potential adjustment to Circular 166, considering an increase in the maximum benefit threshold from $10,000 to $16,000 to facilitate sustained access to funds during the extension period.

As of late March 2026, the two programs served approximately 578,770 beneficiaries. Among these, 266,166 depositors had successfully recovered their complete savings from subsidiary private accounts, representing 46 percent of total beneficiaries. The total applications submitted reached 610,624.

Since the programs' inception through the end of March 2026, cumulative payments totaled $6.109 billion. The Bank of Lebanon funded $4.183 billion of this sum, constituting 68.46 percent, while commercial banks contributed $1.926 billion, or 31.54 percent.

The Bank of Lebanon confirmed that all depositors who participated in Circular 158 from its outset and held deposits of $40,200 or less had fully recovered their savings by the end of April 2026.