Argentina’s Central Bank (BCRA) confirmed on Monday that it paid US$17.7 million in interest after activating its swap line with the United States in the lead-up to the legislative elections in October 2025.
Officials also said they want to extend the swap line with China, while ruling out any near-term easing of currency controls for companies.
The announcements came at a press conference held by BCRA President Santiago Bausili and Vice President Vladimir Werning at the bank’s headquarters, where they presented the First-Quarter 2025 Monetary Policy Report (IPOM, in Spanish).
The swap with the United States
The BCRA’s 2025 financial statements, published last week, showed that the bank had paid US$17.7 million to the U.S. Treasury Department in interest on the bailout. What the filings didn’t say was whether that figure represented the full cost of the operation.
