According to Banque Du Liban statistics, opened letters of credit (L/Cs), a measurement tool for trade activity, increased by 80.93% during the month of March 2025 to reach LBP 1,036.20 billion, up from LBP 572.70 billion a month earlier. On an annual basis, however, the face value of opened L/Cs reached LBP 1,857.60 billion (around $20.76 million) during the first quarter of 2025 compared to LBP 6,520.40 billion in the same period in 2024.

Documentary L/Cs opened to finance imports activities reached LBP 1,290.00 billion ($14.41 million) YTD March 2025, compared to LBP 5,867.70 billion in the equivalent period in 2024. Similarly, utilized credits for imports came in lower at LBP 466.70 billion ($5.21 million) while inward bills for collection, another documentary credit form of financing (backed by invoices), rose by 5.24% to LBP 5,108.40 billion ($57.08 million) YTD March 2025, from LBP 4,853.90 billion in the same period in 2024.

In a related note, documentary L/Cs opened to finance exports activities dropped to LBP 567.60 billion ($6.34 million) YTD March 2025, from LBP 652.70 billion in the same period in 2024. Concurrently, utilized credits to finance exports decreased to LBP 574.40 billion ($6.42 million; 101.20% of opened L/Cs for exports). In parallel, the value of outward bills rose to LBP 2,795.40 billion ($31.23 million) YTD March 2025, while outstanding bills for collection sank to LBP 9,802.20 billion ($109.52 million), from LBP 11,883.60 billion in the first quarter of 2024.