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The Central Bank of Paraguay has gradually reduced credit and debit card fees to 3% and 2%, respectively, aiming to encourage electronic payments, reduce the use of cash, and promote financial inclusion in the country.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) warned that the rapid growth of consumer credit in Paraguay requires monitoring and macroprudential measures, despite considering the country's banking system solid and resilient.
The EU's sanitary restrictions on Brazilian beef create opportunities for Paraguay to expand its exports to Europe, competing with Uruguay and Argentina for market share.
The new Law 7599/2025, enacted by the Paraguayan government to promote renewable energy, maintains the monopoly of the National Administration of Electricity (ANDE) and discourages private investment, according to an analysis by the state utility's former president, Luis Villordo.
The Atome project, which plans hydrogen production in Paraguay using energy subsidized by the National Electricity Administration (ANDE, Paraguay's state utility), could cost public coffers $1.6 billion over 15 years, reduce jobs, and threaten the country's energy sovereignty, according to criticisms by energy expert Ricardo Canese.
Paraguay is negotiating over $1.6 billion in external credit by 2026 for infrastructure projects, including connectivity, sanitation, and energy, with some funds already under management and others awaiting legislative approval.
Paraguay has expanded its issuance of government bonds to finance investments in 2026, having already placed $362.6 million of the $661.6 million authorized under Law No. 7609/2025, with four additional local issuances scheduled between June and October. The proceeds are earmarked exclusively for public investment projects, and foreign investor interest in the local-currency debt is growing.
Paraguay's net international reserves reached USD 11.46 billion in June 2026, a 16.3% increase compared to January 2025, according to data from the Central Bank of Paraguay.
Paraguay faces the challenge of turning its carbon credit potential into real revenue, with former minister Alfredo Molinas highlighting the gap between projections and concrete gains, despite the country's favorable conditions.
Paraguay argues that the toll on the Paraguay-Paraná Waterway, currently around US$1.30 per ton, should remain stable or even decrease under the new concession, in order to protect the country's foreign trade and preserve the competitiveness of the river corridor.
Platforms like Shein, Temu, and Amazon are reshaping Paraguay's textile market, intensifying competition with local brands through competitive pricing and buoyed by the falling dollar, while the maquila sector records export growth and industry representatives call for equal tax treatment and a crackdown on unfair competition.
The government of Paraguay has added 90 new buses to the metropolitan public transportation system, including 70 electric buses (30 donated by Taiwan and 40 from private investment by Ñandutí S.A.) and 20 combustion-engine buses from Ximex S.A., with private investment exceeding US$11 million, expanding access to approximately 20,000 new passengers without a fare increase.
ANDE has formally rejected Atome PLC's request for a preferential electricity tariff in Paraguay, after a technical and financial analysis concluded that it was not feasible to grant the fixed dollarized tariff of US$30 per MWh sought by the British company.
Public debt interest payments in Paraguay surged 457% between 2015 and 2024, climbing from $187.3 million to $1.0448 billion, which narrows the fiscal space for investments in health, education, and infrastructure, even though the debt level of 36.2% of GDP is still considered sustainable by economists.
Paraguay's DNIT has launched inspections targeting companies that retained profits as optional reserves to defer payment of the Dividend and Profits Tax, under Resolution No. 49 issued in March 2026.
Uruguayan clothing brand Tranquera invested USD 350,000 to open its first store in Paraguay, in the Perseverancia district of Asunción, after two years of studying the local market.
The Paraguay Blockchain Summit 2026, to be held on August 7 in Paraguay, expects around 2,000 participants to discuss topics such as digital asset regulation, tokenization of real-world assets, stablecoins, and financial innovation in Latin America.
Former Finance Minister Manuel Ferreira criticized the proposed issuance of perpetual bonds of up to USD 304 million to settle the state's debt with Paraguay's IPS and defended internal measures as an alternative.
Paraguay's GDP grew by 5.8% in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the same period a year earlier, leading growth in South America, driven notably by agriculture, which expanded 8.2%, buoyed primarily by soybean production.
Paraguay's nighttime minimum wage will rise to G. 3,957,200 starting in July, reflecting a 5% increase from the previous amount of G. 3,768,763.
The EU-Mercosur trade agreement has been provisionally in force since May 1, pending final approval by the European Parliament, which depends on a review by the Court of Justice of the European Union regarding the pact's compatibility with the European bloc's treaties.
Formal employment in Paraguay reached a record high in May 2026, with 842,023 private-sector wage earners contributing to the general regime of the Social Security Institute (IPS).
Family remittances sent by Paraguayans abroad totaled US$ 11.9 billion between 2008 and March 2026, with an average annual growth rate of 11.5%, reaching US$ 1.35 billion in 2025 and maintaining a high level in the first quarter of 2026.
Petropar, the Paraguayan state-owned fuel company, awarded a contract worth up to G$ 15 billion to LMB SA — the sole bidder — for corporate image services across 181 items, including price signs, totems, and LED panels, at stations operating under its brand, several of which are linked to political figures.