Banque du Liban

What Banque du Liban does

Banque du Liban (BDL) is the central bank of Lebanon, established in 1964 under the Code of Money and Credit promulgated by Decree No. 13513 on August 1, 1963. It is a government state entity headquartered in Beirut that issues the Lebanese pound, manages monetary policy, supervises the banking sector, and operates Lebanon's national payment infrastructure. BDL's primary institutional customers are Lebanese commercial banks, financial institutions holding current accounts at BDL, the Central Securities Depositary (MIDCLEAR), and government entities. Its regulatory perimeter is enforced through Banking Control Commission (BCC), Special Investigation Committee (SIC), and Capital Markets Authority (CMA).

BDL's core technology platform is the National Payment System (NPS), comprising three components: BDL-RTGS (Real-Time Gross Settlement System, launched July 9, 2012) for irrevocable, real-time, four-currency (LBP, USD, EUR, GBP) settlement; BDL-CLEAR (Retail Payment & Clearing System, launched November 2013) for cheques, direct debits, credit transfers, and card transactions; and BDL-PayGov for government payments with prefunded settlement at BDL. The NPS connects participants via SWIFT with SITI as contingency and has enforced IBAN usage since April 2009. Beyond payment infrastructure, BDL issues Lebanese banknotes (six denominations from 1,000 to 100,000 LBP) and coins, publishes monetary statistics (money supply, balance sheet, exchange rates, Sayrafa rates, T-Bills), and operates the BDL Museum.

BDL does not operate on a commercial revenue basis. Its inflows derive from seigniorage on currency issuance, returns on foreign currency reserves (USD 10.135 billion as of end-December 2024) and gold reserves (286 tons, valued at up to $50 billion at peak prices), interest from monetary policy operations, and regulated payment system fees — including a Merchant Discount Rate capped at 1.25% for vital sectors and an interchange fee cap of 0.9%. As a central bank, BDL is not an investable commercial entity; the relevant investment-relevant signals are the direction of monetary policy, the trajectory of reserve accumulation, and the resolution of the post-2019 banking crisis in which approximately $80 billion in deposits remain frozen.

Name

Banque du Liban

Legal name

Banque du Liban

Website

https://bdl.gov.lb

Company type

Public

Founded year

1964

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Banque du Liban is Lebanon's central bank, established in 1964. It issues the Lebanese pound, conducts monetary policy, manages foreign currency and gold reserves, supervises banks, and operates the National Payment System (RTGS, CLEAR, PayGov) serving Lebanese commercial banks, financial institutions, and government entities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Beirut

HQ country

Lebanon

HQ region

Middle East

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Seigniorage: Revenue generated from issuing currency (banknotes and coins). The difference between the face value of currency and the cost of production represents seigniorage income.
2. Foreign Currency Reserve Management: Returns on foreign currency reserves held by the central bank, including USD 10.135 billion in foreign currency reserves as of end of December 2024. Also includes returns from gold reserves of 286 tons valued at up to $50 billion.
3. Payment System Fees: Merchant Discount Rate capped at 1.25% for locally issued bank-card transactions in vital sectors. Interchange fee to card issuers capped at 0.9%. Fees for RTGS and CLEAR system participation.
4. Monetary Policy Operations: Revenue from discount rates, repo operations, and lending to commercial banks. Interest income from various credit facilities extended to the banking sector.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Banque du Liban is Lebanon's central bank, established by decree under the Code of Money and Credit. It issues the Lebanese pound currency (banknotes and coins), manages monetary policy and foreign reserves, regulates and supervises the banking sector, and operates Lebanon's National Payment System comprising BDL-RTGS (real-time gross settlement), BDL-CLEAR (retail payment clearing), and BDL-PayGov (government payments) across four currencies (LBP, USD, EUR, GBP).

Product overview

Banque du Liban operates as Lebanon's central bank with a multi-component product and service portfolio. The core infrastructure is the National Payment System (NPS), which comprises three integrated components: BDL-RTGS (Real Time Gross Settlement System, launched July 2012) for high-value real-time payments, BDL-CLEAR (Retail Payment & Clearing System, launched November 2013) for low-value bulk payments including cheques and card transactions, and BDL-PayGov (Government Payment System) for government transactions. The NPS operates across four currencies (LBP, USD, EUR, GBP) with SWIFT and SITI network connectivity. Beyond payment infrastructure, BDL issues Lebanese currency (banknotes in 6 denominations from 1,000 to 100,000 LBP, and coins in 5 denominations from 25 to 500 LBP), publishes monetary statistics and financial data (money supply, balance sheets, exchange rates, T-Bills data), manages real estate assets, operates a currency museum, and issues regulatory circulars governing the financial sector.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• BDL-RTGS (Real Time Gross Settlement System) A secure, reliable, real-time gross settlement payment system that settles fund instructions on a gross basis in real time, supporting four currencies (LBP, USD, EUR, GBP). Transactions are final and irrevocable. For use by Lebanese banks, financial institutions with current accounts at BDL, and the Central Securities Depositary (MIDCLEAR).
• BDL-CLEAR (Retail Payment & Clearing System) An automated retail payment and clearing system for low-value high-volume bulk payments including cheques, direct debits, credit transfers, and card transactions (ATM, POS). For use by Lebanese banks and financial institutions participating in retail clearing.
• BDL-PayGov (Government Payment System) A government payment system component of the National Payment System that enables government institutions to make and receive payments securely and quickly, with prefunded settlement at BDL to minimize risk.
• National Payment System (NPS) Lebanon's integrated national payment infrastructure platform comprising BDL-RTGS, BDL-CLEAR, and BDL-PayGov, designed to enhance speed of money movement, enable efficient utilization of financial resources, reduce liquidity risk, and provide timely data for monetary policy decisions.
• Lebanese Banknotes Physical banknote currency issued by Banque du Liban in six denominations (1,000; 5,000; 10,000; 20,000; 50,000; 100,000 LBP), featuring security elements such as watermarks, security threads, microprinting, holograms, and color-shifting ink. Distributed through commercial banking channels.
• Lebanese Coins Physical coin currency in circulation including 25 LBP, 50 LBP, 100 LBP, 250 LBP, and 500 LBP denominations, with various compositions and issuance years. Distributed through commercial banking channels.
• BDL Museum A museum operated by Banque du Liban showcasing the evolution of Lebanese currency, offering guided tours, virtual tours, group bookings for schools and organizations, and educational outreach to the public.
• BDL Real Estate Portfolio Management and disposal of real estate properties owned by Banque du Liban through a formal tender process, including lots, built lots, apartments, stores, and offices, administered by the Real Estate & Asset Management Department.

Quantifiable outcome

• Foreign currency reserves increased by USD 814 million in 2024 to reach USD 10.135 billion
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Financial Action Task Force (FATF)coreOthers · 25 October 2025Lebanon was placed on the FATF 'List of Jurisdictions Under Increased Monitoring' (Grey List) on October 25, 2024. BDL has been implementing AML/CFT reforms in line with FATF requirements. Lebanon failed to implement 21 Key Recommended Actions.
• Special Investigation Committee (SIC)coreOthersRegulatory body for investigating money laundering and suspicious transactions in Lebanon's banking sector. BDL website provides link to SIC as a related entity. SIC works under BDL's oversight for AML/CFT enforcement.
• Banking Control Commission (BCC)coreOthersRegulatory commission responsible for supervising and controlling banks operating in Lebanon. Linked as related entity on BDL website. Operates under BDL's regulatory framework.
• Capital Markets Authority (CMA)coreOthersRegulatory authority overseeing Lebanon's capital markets and securities sector. Listed as related entity on BDL website. Coordinates with BDL on financial sector regulation.
• MIDCLEARcoreOthersCentral Securities Depositary for Lebanon operating as participant in BDL-RTGS for settlement of securities transactions. Critical infrastructure for clearing and settlement of securities in the Lebanese market.
• International Monetary Fund (IMF)flagshipOthersLebanon's government, led by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, is in negotiations with IMF regarding a law for recovering trapped funds. IMF has raised concerns about the draft law's structure and debt sustainability. A 2022 IMF staff-level agreement for $3 billion over 46 months remains incomplete.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Bank of Israel: BOI is an advanced regional central bank operating modern RTGS, multi-currency reserves, and FX-market intervention frameworks—a benchmark for where BDL's payment and reserves-management capabilities could mature under successful reform.

Regional players

• Central Bank of Jordan: CBJ is the regional MENA peer that has long maintained a USD-pegged dinar with limited reserves, running similar payment-system infrastructure and operating under chronic fiscal/regional pressures analogous to Lebanon's.
• Banque Centrale de Tunisie: Tunisia's central bank manages a multi-currency reserves base, IMF program engagement, and payment-system modernization in a politically constrained environment—closely mirroring BDL's reform-versus-political-resistance dynamic.
• Banque Centrale de Syrie: Syria's central bank is the immediate geographic neighbor managing parallel-currency dynamics, sanctions exposure, and reserve erosion under severe economic stress—a direct comparator for Lebanon's geopolitical and macro-overlap context.

Direct peers

• Central Bank of Egypt: Egypt's central bank operates RTGS and retail payment systems, manages multi-currency reserves, and has navigated a 2022–2024 float-driven currency adjustment with IMF support—directly comparable to BDL's peg-stabilization and IMF-engagement trajectory.
• Central Bank of Nigeria: CBN operates the Nigerian payment system infrastructure (NIBSS, RTGS), manages multi-currency reserves, and has dealt with naira-dollarization and FX unification—comparable to BDL's 99.1% deposit dollarization and payment-system modernization mandate.
• Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye: Türkiye's CBRT operates modern RTGS/electronic payment infrastructure and has grappled with FX-reserve adequacy, multi-currency pressures, and orthodox-vs-unorthodox policy tensions—closely paralleling BDL's reserve-vs-liabilities and policy-credibility challenges.
• Banco Central de la República Argentina: Argentina's central bank manages chronic high inflation, multi-tier FX regimes, IMF program conditionality, and recurring reserve adequacy crises—an emerging-market peer with similar macro stabilization, FX, and IMF-program dynamics to BDL.
• Central Bank of Iraq: CBI manages a heavily USD-dollarized economy with currency stability mandates, public-sector payment infrastructure, and reconstruction-linked reform programs—a structurally similar emerging-market central bank with comparable reserves-vs-liabilities tension.

Emerging players

• Central Bank of Cyprus: CBCY operated as a small, crisis-stricken central bank pre-Euro adoption with RTGS infrastructure, banking-sector restructuring, and EU/IMF program engagement—an instructive precedent for a small-system central bank navigating crisis recovery.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/banqueduliban
• Facebookfacebook.com/163658130356459
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/88625

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Banque du Liban