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BBCSwinney defends food prices policy ahead of first minister vote·Economic TimesIndia fuel price hike among world's lowest: BJP·SCMPSome Asian airlines could collapse like Spirit without help on rising fuel costs·SCMPTexans accuse Japan of doing ‘deal with the devil’ by funding US fossil fuel projects·SCMPHong Kong property upswing poised to hold despite interest rates risk: Moody’s·SCMPCuba warns of ‘bloodbath’ if US attacks as Washington expands sanctions·NYTOil Prices Climb and Bonds Falter as Iran War Raises Inflation Fears·NYTG7 Finance Ministers Look to Contain Iran Economic Fallout·BBCSwinney defends food prices policy ahead of first minister vote·Economic TimesIndia fuel price hike among world's lowest: BJP·SCMPSome Asian airlines could collapse like Spirit without help on rising fuel costs·SCMPTexans accuse Japan of doing ‘deal with the devil’ by funding US fossil fuel projects·SCMPHong Kong property upswing poised to hold despite interest rates risk: Moody’s·SCMPCuba warns of ‘bloodbath’ if US attacks as Washington expands sanctions·NYTOil Prices Climb and Bonds Falter as Iran War Raises Inflation Fears·NYTG7 Finance Ministers Look to Contain Iran Economic Fallout·
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XAF

Central African CFA Franc

XAF · Used by 6 countries

42
Moderate
Risk
Historical Scores
394551Jul 2021Jul 2023May 2026
What does this mean for you?

The Central African CFA Franc is in decent shape overall, scoring 42 out of 100. There are some areas to watch, but no immediate danger. Your money is holding its value reasonably well compared to most currencies. The XAF is shared by 6 countries, so conditions vary depending on where you are.

You only need about 5.2%/yr to stay ahead. A basic savings account is enough. Calculator ↓

Inflation
3.7%
Debt / GDP
52.5%
GDP Growth
2.7%
FX Volatility
10.0
Governance
Not available
Reserves
3.8 mo
Analysis
What's working well
Prices are stable — your money holds its value well
What to watch out for
Banks are struggling — 19% of loans aren't being repaid
Restrictions on moving your money out of the country
The country is spending much more abroad than it earns — relies on foreign money flowing in

Countries using the Central African CFA Franc

CountryScoreLevelInflationDebt/GDP
🇬🇶 Equatorial Guinea54High2.9%Not available
🇹🇩 Chad49Moderate8.9%Not available
🇨🇲 Cameroon40Moderate4.5%79%
🇨🇫 Central African Republic39Moderate1.5%Not available
🇨🇬 Congo36Moderate3.1%25%
🇬🇦 Gabon33Moderate1.2%Not available
Detailed Equatorial Guinea analysis →

Savings Impact Calculator

XAF
Holding cash in XAF3.7% inflation
XAF 835−XAF 165 (17% purchasing power lost)
Your XAF 1,000 buys 17% less in 5 years
What if you invested XAF 1,000 instead? (5yr, in XAF terms)
USD-denominated assets gain an additional ~0.7%/yr from expected XAF depreciation vs USD
Hold USD Cash
XAF 889
−XAF 111
-2.3%/yr net in XAF
S&P 500
XAF 1661
+XAF 661
range: XAF 761–XAF 3263
10% USD return + 0.7% FX · ±16% vol
Gold
XAF 1516
+XAF 516
range: XAF 435–XAF 4112
8% USD return + 0.7% FX · ±24% vol
Bitcoin
XAF 3136
+XAF 2136
range: XAF 189–XAF 18.7k
25% USD return + 0.7% FX · ±54% vol

All values in XAF. USD-denominated assets (S&P 500, Gold, Bitcoin) include an estimated FX gain of ~0.7%/yr based on the inflation differential between Central African CFA Franc zone (3.7%) and the US (~3%). This uses purchasing power parity as a long-run approximation — actual FX movements can differ significantly in the short term. S&P 500 based on 1957-2024, Gold on 2000-2024, Bitcoin on 2015-2024. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Not financial advice.

Holding other assets too? Calculate your full portfolio risk →
This score is based on our 12-factor risk model. Think inflation or debt should matter more? Build your own model with custom weights and see how XAF ranks differently.
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