Recent declines in Egyptian interest rates – totaling 6.25% in 2025 – are prompting citizens to reassess investment strategies amid fluctuating economic conditions. Despite the Central Bank holding rates steady at its latest meeting, a growing number of Egyptians are diversifying their portfolios, seeking alternatives to traditional savings accounts. This shift is driving increased interest in both fixed-rate bank certificates,currently offering yields as high as 17% from institutions like Banque Misr and National Bank of Egypt,and physical gold as a hedge against potential further devaluation of the Egyptian pound.
Interest rates in Egypt have fallen by a total of 6.25% in 2025, coinciding with a recent decline in gold prices driven by decreased demand.
During its latest rate-setting meeting, the Central Bank maintained interest rates on deposits and loans unchanged.
As a result, Egyptian citizens are increasingly exploring diversification strategies for their investments, weighing options between gold and savings certificates.
Many investors are allocating 100,000 Egyptian pounds to a combination of bank certificates and gold, splitting the amount equally – 50,000 Egyptian pounds for each asset class.
Bank certificates are favored for their fixed returns throughout the investment period and lack of risk, bolstering personal savings.
For a 50,000 Egyptian pound investment over three years in a certificate yielding 17%, investors can expect a monthly return of 708 Egyptian pounds.
The highest fixed-rate savings certificate currently available offers a 17% annual yield, translating to a monthly return, and is offered by Banque Misr and the National Bank of Egypt for a term of three years, or 36 months.
Investors are also allocating 50,000 Egyptian pounds to purchase three gold ingots, each weighing 2.5 grams and priced at 16,000 Egyptian pounds per ingot, anticipating a rise in global gold demand and subsequent price increases.
