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U.S. Treasury Confirms October $872 Million SDR Transfer to Argentina for IMF Payment

The operation formed part of a swap and peso-buying strategy that converted central bank exposure into dollar debt and left net reserves well below IMF goals.

Overview

  • Official ESF reports show Argentina’s SDR holdings rose by 640.8 million on October 15 as U.S. holdings fell, and the funds were used for the November 7 $796 million IMF payment.
  • Treasury bought roughly $1.9–$2.0 billion in pesos in October, then closed those positions and activated a bilateral swap that shifted BCRA liabilities from pesos to dollars.
  • The swap added about $2.5 billion in dollar-denominated obligations and coincided with an estimated $3.5 billion drop in net reserves, leaving Argentina roughly $13 billion short of the IMF’s December 2025 reserve target.
  • Following reports of a $20 billion private-bank rescue, Economy Minister Luis Caputo denied any such agreement and later said additional U.S.-backed support had been considered but not carried out.
  • Consultants estimate the U.S. earned about $53–$70 million from the peso interventions, and Argentine stocks and bonds fell as shifting financing expectations unsettled markets.