What was the SNB's foreign currency reserves at the end of August?

According to data published by the Swiss National Bank, foreign currency assets stood at 771 billion francs at the end of August, up 1.9 billion from the previous month. Considering all reserves, excluding gold, the total rose from CHF 780 billion to CHF 782 billion.

What are the reference euro and dollar exchange rates at the end of August?

The monthly statistics of the SNB indicate the euro at 0.9378 francs at the end of August, compared to 0.9291 at the end of July (+0.9%). The US dollar rose from 0.8064 to 0.8089 francs, an increase of 0.3%.

What is the currency composition of the SNB's reserves?

The source indicates that the US dollar and the euro together represent about 80% of the currency reserves of the Swiss National Bank. The quota, quoted verbatim, explains the sensitivity of the central bank's balance sheet to the evolution of currency markets.

Is the increase in August the result of new currency purchases?

The SNB note does not specify this. The institution merely points out that the monthly fluctuations in reserves can derive both from the evolution of currency markets and from monetary policy interventions, without attributing a specific weight to the August figure.

Where are the SNB's reserve data published?

Data on the foreign currency reserves of the Swiss National Bank are published on the institution's official website on a monthly basis, together with the period-end reference exchange rates for the main currencies.

SNB: foreign currency reserves rise to 771 billion in August (cross-border guide)

Di Redazione Frontaliere Ticino · Published on 7 September 2026

Swiss National Bank foreign currency reserves, August data published on the SNB website.

Foreign currency assets at CHF 771 billion (+1.9 on July); total reserves, excluding gold, from 780 to 782 billion. Euro and dollar cover 80% of the portfolio.

Context

In a nutshell

SNB reserves (excluding gold) increasing: from CHF 780 billion to CHF 782 billion
Total foreign currency assets increased to 771 billion, +1.9 billion in July
Euro at 0.9378 CHF (+0.9%), US dollar at 0.8089 CHF (+0.3%)
Dollar and euro cover about 80% of the SNB's foreign exchange reserves

Key facts

What: Foreign currency reserves of the Swiss National Bank (SNB) increasing
When: Data reported at the end of August, published today
Where: Switzerland (institute based in Zurich and Bern)
Who: Swiss National Bank (SNB), led by Managing Director Martin Schlegel
Total amount of reserves (excluding gold): CHF 782 billion (from CHF 780 billion)
Amount of foreign currency assets: CHF 771 billion (+1.9 billion compared to July)
Euro/franc exchange rate: 0.9378 (end of August), compared to 0.9291 at the end of July
Dollar/franc exchange rate: 0.8089 (end of August), compared to 0.8064 at the end of July
Currency composition: US dollar and euro together represent about 80% of reserves

The foreign exchange reserves held by the Swiss National Bank increased again in August. According to data published on the institute's website, foreign currency assets amounted to CHF 771 billion, an increase of CHF 1.9 billion compared to the previous month.

The detail of the monthly data

Considering all reserves, excluding gold, the total rose from CHF 780 billion to CHF 782 billion.

Operational details

What the August variation really says

The August figure fits into a precise framework: the source indicates that fluctuations in reserves are not a rare event, but reflect two distinct phenomena. On the one hand, the evolution of currency markets, and on the other, possible monetary policy interventions. For the month under review, the SNB simply recorded the data, without announcing new measures.

The composition of the portfolio remains concentrated on two currencies: the dollar and the euro together account for about 80% of foreign exchange reserves. This share, quoted verbatim by the source, explains the sensitivity of the central bank's balance sheet to the monetary policy decisions of other central banks.

How to read gearbox numbers

The strengthening of the euro against the franc (+0.9%) and the dollar (+0.3%) are limited movements but consistent with the overall increase in reserves expressed in francs. When the foreign currencies in which the reserves are invested appreciate compared to the franc, the value in francs rises even in the absence of new purchases.

Conversely, the source recalls that the institution has been making massive purchases of foreign currency for years, particularly after the abandonment of the minimum exchange rate threshold with the euro at the beginning of 2015. That change of course had led the franc to strengthen rapidly, with effects on the real Swiss economy that the SNB had countered by accumulating foreign currency assets.

What the SNB note doesn't say

The

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Key points

Where to find the data and how to consult it

Data on the SNB's foreign currency reserves are published on the bank's official website. The figures are released monthly and include both the total reserves (excluding gold) and the reference exchange rates for the main currencies.

What the monthly statistics contain

The monthly statistics published by the SNB include the total amount of reserves (excluding gold), a breakdown of the main foreign currency items, and end-of-period exchange rates for the euro, the dollar, and other relevant currencies. For August, the source reports a move from 780 to 782 billion francs in total reserves (excluding gold) and from 769.1 to 771 billion in foreign currency assets, a change of +1.9 billion.

The euro/franc exchange rate at the end of August (0.9378) and dollar/franc (0.8089) can be directly compared with the end-of-July values previously published (0.9291 for the euro, 0.8064 for the dollar).

Who needs to monitor these figures

Foreign currency reserves held by the central bank are an indicator followed by investors, financial analysts, economists, and foreign exchange market operators. Their change can offer clues — not confirmations — about the SNB's monetary policy stance, especially when currency purchases or sales deviate from simple portfolio revaluation.

For those who want to track trends over time, the SNB publishes historical series on its portal, where data on other balance sheet items are also available. The note released today contains no forecasts or qualitative indications on expected developments in the coming months: it simply reports the August figure and provides the exchange rate context.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What was the SNB's foreign currency reserves at the end of August?: According to data published by the Swiss National Bank, foreign currency assets stood at 771 billion francs at the end of August, up 1.9 billion from the previous month. Considering all reserves, excluding gold, the total rose from CHF 780 billion to CHF 782 billion.
What are the reference euro and dollar exchange rates at the end of August?: The monthly statistics of the SNB indicate the euro at 0.9378 francs at the end of August, compared to 0.9291 at the end of July (+0.9%). The US dollar rose from 0.8064 to 0.8089 francs, an increase of 0.3%.
What is the currency composition of the SNB's reserves?: The source indicates that the US dollar and the euro together represent about 80% of the currency reserves of the Swiss National Bank. The quota, quoted verbatim, explains the sensitivity of the central bank's balance sheet to the evolution of currency markets.
Is the increase in August the result of new currency purchases?: The SNB note does not specify this. The institution merely points out that the monthly fluctuations in reserves can derive both from the evolution of currency markets and from monetary policy interventions, without attributing a specific weight to the August figure.
Where are the SNB's reserve data published?: Data on the foreign currency reserves of the Swiss National Bank are published on the institution's official website on a monthly basis, together with the period-end reference exchange rates for the main currencies.