Currency in circulation in Tunisia, known as BCC (banknotes and coins in circulation), has surpassed a new threshold, confirming a strong upward trend.
According to statistics published by the Central Bank of Tunisia, the volume of cash in circulation reached 28.021 billion dinars as of March 13, 2026, continuing the rise observed since the beginning of the year.
A year earlier, the amount stood at 23.243 billion dinars, representing an increase of 4.778 billion dinars.
This surge mainly reflects the continued preference for cash payments in the Tunisian economy. Despite initiatives aimed at promoting electronic payment methods, cash remains widely used by households and businesses in everyday transactions.
Currency in circulation is therefore a key indicator of liquidity held outside the banking system.
Several factors explain this trend, notably the recent reform of the cheque system, which has reduced the use of cheques in commercial transactions and pushed many actors toward cash payments.
In addition, the size of the informal economy continues to drive demand for liquidity, as a significant share of transactions still takes place outside formal financial channels.
While the Ramadan period typically encourages higher use of cash, it alone does not explain the sharp increase.
The rise in cash in circulation could also have implications for bank liquidity and monetary policy management.
For monetary authorities, the challenge is to further promote payment digitalisation and financial inclusion in order to bring part of this liquidity back into the banking system and improve the traceability of financial flows within the national economy.
