Alias registrations in Paraguay reached 5,355,557 in July 2026, up 54% in 12 months. Separately, information about QR Hub describes plans to expand interoperable payments, while the available material does not establish how much of the Alias growth has translated into actual merchant use.
Banco Central del Paraguay
The BCP is Paraguay's central bank. It oversees monetary policy, financial stability, and key economic statistics such as inflation, interest rates, and exchange-rate data.
The dollar was selling for about G. 5,940 in Paraguay on August 31, 2026, close to average levels at the end of 2018, as the guarani’s appreciation affected exporters and benefited buyers of products and services abroad.
Ueno Bank’s solvency ratio could fall from 12.4% to about 6.12% at the end of 2025 if G. 876.7 billion invested in UPay and Wepa were deducted, below the legal minimum of 8% for Tier 1 capital.
The dollar fell to G. 5,950 in Paraguay, its lowest rate since 2019, putting pressure on exporters and real estate projects, while the Central Bank of Paraguay attributes the exchange rate to supply and demand and is assessing measures to reduce volatility.
Paraguay’s Senate is investigating whether IPS requires beneficiaries, retirees and pensioners to open accounts at Ueno Bank to receive loans, following a complaint of a possible monopoly and the concentration of ₲5.1 trillion in state funds at the institution.
While economist Sergio Sapena advocates raising Paraguay's debt to 70% of GDP to finance development, the Santiago Peña government has already issued $5.4 billion in bonds, and experts warn of the risks of accelerated indebtedness amid fiscal deficits.
Diesel price increases of up to 39% in Paraguay are pressuring freight transport and agricultural sector costs, while also raising the technical fare for public transportation, with risk of pass-through to consumer prices.
Ueno Bank expanded its public deposits in Paraguay to US$862 million in July, capturing US$52 million in one month and sparking debate about limits for state funds in financial institutions, while denying irregularities and rebutting criticism about its investments and intangible assets.
Paraguay launched a national financial inclusion strategy for 2026-2031, which aims to promote responsible use of financial services and combat overindebtedness, following rapid growth in consumer credit in the country.
Exports from Paraguay's maquila sector totaled $858.7 million through July 2026, with growth driven mainly by new products like ethyl alcohol and biodiesel.
Ueno Bank reported intangible assets related to software systems for 2025 whose book value is around three times higher than the corresponding assets of nine other major banks in Paraguay combined. The unusual scale of the figure has raised questions within the financial sector. According to opposition lawmaker Mauricio Espínola, the Paraguayan banking association Asoban may also have approached the Central Bank over the matter.
Paraguay's securities market recorded 25% growth in the first half of 2026, reaching $6.6 billion in custodial assets, with 5,500 new investors and $625 million in primary issuances.
The Paraguayan government is negotiating the assignment of $400 million to pay part of its roughly $1 billion debt to pharmaceutical suppliers, with $320 million already available for negotiation.
Workers from various sectors protest in Asunción against the deterioration of public services, labor precarity, and the high cost of living, blaming the government of Santiago Peña, which completes three years, while an analyst points to the strengthening of tax collection as a positive achievement.
Consumption in Paraguay grew 4.1% in June, driven mainly by the services, commerce, and manufacturing sectors, closing the first half of the year with an accumulated increase of 4.5%.
The Paraguayan Senate postponed the vote on the fuel transparency law and the insurance bill to form working groups, following objections from regulatory bodies and lack of consensus in committees.
Since 2008, the real estate sector has concentrated 44% of foreign direct investment in Paraguay, leading capital attraction with $4.4 billion, followed by manufacturing (26%) and financial services (20%), according to a report from the Central Bank of Paraguay.
Paraguay's banks warn that the recently achieved investment grade requires fiscal and pension reforms, along with strong institutions and regulation aligned with international standards, to ensure macroeconomic stability and competitiveness in the financial sector.
Paraguay's Ministry of Economy will begin a comprehensive review of the public budget and seek a loan to settle accumulated debts with Health Ministry suppliers.
Paraguay accumulated US$10 billion in foreign direct investment between 2008 and 2024, with emphasis on non-financial services, manufacturing, and the financial sector, according to a study by the Central Bank of Paraguay and the Latin American Reserve Fund (FLAR) that points to macroeconomic stability and investment grade as attraction factors.
The Central Bank of Paraguay reported that dollar credit grew 22.47% in the first half of 2026, reaching $13.7 billion, with services, construction, and housing sectors leading the expansion, while local currency credit advanced 3.77%.
Paraguayan lawmaker Rocío Vallejo of the Partido Patria Querida had her Itaú bank account emptied following a cyberattack while accessing the bank's official website, which is under investigation and prompted a digital security alert from Paraguay's Central Bank.
Paraguay recorded its second consecutive monthly deflation in July, with a 0.1% drop in the CPI driven mainly by lower food and fuel prices, while the annual inflation rate fell to its lowest level in several years.
An Ecuadorian business group, formed by Novacero and Holding Swissôtel, will invest $200 million in Paraguay for a hotel complex and to transform an acquired steel distributor into an industrial unit, attracted by economic growth, investment promotion laws, and cheap energy.