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BBCSwinney defends food prices policy ahead of first minister vote·Economic TimesIndia fuel price hike among world's lowest: BJP·SCMPSome Asian airlines could collapse like Spirit without help on rising fuel costs·SCMPTexans accuse Japan of doing ‘deal with the devil’ by funding US fossil fuel projects·SCMPHong Kong property upswing poised to hold despite interest rates risk: Moody’s·SCMPCuba warns of ‘bloodbath’ if US attacks as Washington expands sanctions·NYTOil Prices Climb and Bonds Falter as Iran War Raises Inflation Fears·NYTG7 Finance Ministers Look to Contain Iran Economic Fallout·BBCSwinney defends food prices policy ahead of first minister vote·Economic TimesIndia fuel price hike among world's lowest: BJP·SCMPSome Asian airlines could collapse like Spirit without help on rising fuel costs·SCMPTexans accuse Japan of doing ‘deal with the devil’ by funding US fossil fuel projects·SCMPHong Kong property upswing poised to hold despite interest rates risk: Moody’s·SCMPCuba warns of ‘bloodbath’ if US attacks as Washington expands sanctions·NYTOil Prices Climb and Bonds Falter as Iran War Raises Inflation Fears·NYTG7 Finance Ministers Look to Contain Iran Economic Fallout·
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MWK

Malawian Kwacha

MWK · Malawi

49
Moderate
Risk
Historical Scores
465461Jul 2021Jul 2023May 2026
What does this mean for you?

The Malawian Kwacha is in decent shape overall, scoring 49 out of 100. There are some areas to watch, but no immediate danger. Your money is holding its value reasonably well compared to most currencies.

Your savings need 33.7%/yr returns to not lose value. MWK100 today → MWK76 next year. Calculator ↓

Inflation
32.2%
Debt / GDP
55.6%
GDP Growth
1.7%
FX Volatility
2.3
Governance
Not available
Reserves
1.9 mo
Analysis
What's working well
Limited positive signals
What to watch out for
Restrictions on moving your money out of the country
Prices rising fast (32.2% per year) — your savings lose value quickly
The country is spending much more abroad than it earns — relies on foreign money flowing in
Full Malawi analysis →

Savings Impact Calculator

MWK
Holding cash in MWK32.2% inflation
MWK 248−MWK 752 (75% purchasing power lost)
Your MWK 1,000 buys 75% less in 5 years
What if you invested MWK 1,000 instead? (5yr, in MWK terms)
USD-denominated assets gain an additional ~29.2%/yr from expected MWK depreciation vs USD
Hold USD Cash
MWK 3199
+MWK 2199
+26.2%/yr net in MWK
S&P 500
MWK 5223
+MWK 4223
range: MWK 2836–MWK 8999
10% USD return + 29.2% FX · ±16% vol
Gold
MWK 4858
+MWK 3858
range: MWK 1857–MWK 10.9k
8% USD return + 29.2% FX · ±24% vol
Bitcoin
MWK 8712
+MWK 7712
range: MWK 1009–MWK 39.1k
25% USD return + 29.2% FX · ±54% vol

All values in MWK. USD-denominated assets (S&P 500, Gold, Bitcoin) include an estimated FX gain of ~29.2%/yr based on the inflation differential between Malawi (32.2%) and the US (~3%). This uses purchasing power parity as a long-run approximation — actual FX movements can differ significantly in the short term. S&P 500 based on 1957-2024, Gold on 2000-2024, Bitcoin on 2015-2024. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Not financial advice.

Holding other assets too? Calculate your full portfolio risk →
This score is based on our 12-factor risk model. Think inflation or debt should matter more? Build your own model with custom weights and see how MWK ranks differently.
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