The Dominican Republic’s booming tourism sector continues to act as a key engine of the nation’s economic expansion, and its ripple effects are now fueling growing demand for private sector financing, pushing annual credit growth to a stronger-than-expected pace by mid-2026, according to new data from the Association of Multiple Banks of the Dominican Republic (ABA).
The industry group reported that as of the end of June 2026, total credit to the private sector had climbed 9.1% year-over-year. This figure marks a clear acceleration from the 7.4% cumulative growth recorded at the close of December 2025. In total, Dominican financial institutions injected more than 80 billion Dominican pesos (RD$) into the private sector over the first six months of 2026 – a sum equal to 1.0% of the country’s total gross domestic product.
ABA analysis shows that the most robust growth in lending is concentrated in two core segments: commercial loans and mortgages. These lending flows are intentionally directed to strategic growth-driving sectors of the Dominican economy, most notably tourism, alongside construction, transportation, and private domestic and foreign investment projects.
The association emphasized that directing capital toward these productive activities is critical to reinforcing the Dominican economy’s ability to maintain consistent long-term growth. This stability is particularly valuable at a time when the global economic landscape is defined by elevated geopolitical and market uncertainty, making resilient domestic growth more important than ever.
Aligning with ABA’s observations, the Central Bank of the Dominican Republic (BCRD) projects that the upward trend in national currency private sector credit will continue its gradual acceleration through the remainder of 2026. By the end of the full year, BCRD forecasts growth will reach 10.5% year-over-year.
If the projection holds, that full-year expansion will translate to a total increase in private sector financing of RD$149.818 billion, which equals 1.9% of the country’s annual GDP. For ABA, the consistent upward trajectory of credit growth confirms that the Dominican financial system is effectively fulfilling its core role: supporting the high-impact activities that power the country’s overall expansion, with disproportionate positive benefits for tourism and construction.
Beyond credit growth, the first half of 2026 also saw a notable acceleration in public deposits held by Dominican financial institutions. The annual growth rate of deposits jumped from 9.2% in December 2025 to 14.9% by June 2026. Over the six-month period, the total deposit base available to financial intermediaries increased by RD$257.124 billion – an amount equal to 3.3% of national GDP.
Data collected by the Superintendency of Banks, reviewed by ABA, confirms that the Dominican financial system remains on solid footing despite the rapid expansion of lending. The sector maintains a liquid asset ratio above 40%, well above regulatory requirements, while the delinquency rate on outstanding loans has stayed stable below 2.0%.
ABA notes that these strong health indicators demonstrate the Dominican financial system’s ability to maintain stable operating conditions while continuing to channel much-needed capital to the productive sectors that underpin the country’s sustained economic expansion.