TEHRAN – Iran’s banking network extended 8.492 quadrillion rials (about $169.85 billion) in loans during the first 10 months of the current Iranian year (March 2025-January 2026), up 45.5 percent from the same period a year earlier, the Central Bank of Iran said.

The increase amounts to 2.654 quadrillion rials (approximately $53.10 billion) compared with the corresponding period last year.

Of the total lending, 6.293 quadrillion rials (around $125.87 billion), or 74.1 percent, went to businesses (corporate and non-corporate), while 2.199 quadrillion rials (about $43.99 billion), or 25.9 percent, was allocated to end consumers and households.

By comparison, lending during the first 10 months of the previous year stood at 5.631 quadrillion rials (roughly $112.62 billion), later revised to 5.837 quadrillion rials (around $116.76 billion) after adjustments by the banking network.

Working capital financing accounted for the bulk of business lending. Loans for working capital across all economic sectors totaled 5.153 quadrillion rials (approximately $103.07 billion), representing 81.9 percent of total facilities granted to businesses.

In the household segment, loans for personal goods purchases reached 937 trillion rials (about $18.75 billion), accounting for 42.6 percent of total lending to end consumers.

The industry and mining sector received 2.33 quadrillion rials (around $46.63 billion) in working capital loans, equal to 45.2 percent of all working capital facilities extended across sectors. Of the 2.6 quadrillion rials (about $53.27 billion) in total loans granted to industry and mining, 87.5 percent was allocated to working capital, underscoring banks’ focus on supporting production and industrial activity.

EF/MA