Fresh check clearing activity pursued its positive momentum with the total number of checks more than tripling to ~101.89K in 2025 from ~32.61K in 2024. In addition, statistics are showing a much higher prevalence for fresh denominated checks, with their contribution increasing from 14.93% of total clearing activity in 2024 (LBP contribution of 5.42% and USD contribution of 59.65%) to 48.45% in 2025 (20.57% for LBP & 93.62% for USD). In details, the total number of fresh LBP-denominated checks rose from 9,768 in 2024 to 26,739 in 2025, with their value rising by 148.89% to LBP 45,079 billion. Similarly, the total number of fresh USD-denominated checks rose from 22,846 during the year 2024 to 75,155 in 2025, with the value of these checks increasing exponentially to $993.14 million from $302.04 million in 2024. Of the total number of fresh cleared checks, 73.76% was denominated in foreign currency, versus 70.05% a year before.

The value of non-fresh LBP-denominated cleared checks contracted by 20.01% in the full year 2025 to LBP 62,801 billion (distributed over 103,277 checks) from LBP 78,511 billion (distributed over 170,442 checks) a year earlier. Similarly, the value of non-fresh USD-denominated cleared checks contracted by 45.65% y-o-y to $706 million (distributed over 5,120 checks) from $1,299 million (distributed over 15,451 checks) in 2024. Of the total number of non-fresh cleared checks, 95.28% was denominated in local currency, versus 91.69% a year before.

In a related note, the total number of returned checks (fresh and non-fresh) expressed as a percentage of the total number of cleared checks dropped to 0.47% during the year 2025 down from 0.59% a year earlier. In details, the number of LBP-denominated returned checks (fresh & non-fresh) calculated as a percentage of the number of LBP-denominated cleared checks dropped to 0.36% during the year 2025 down from 0.41% a year earlier with that of USD-denominated ones (fresh & non-fresh) calculated as a percentage of total USD-denominated cleared checks dropping to 0.65% down from 1.44% in 2024.