Argentina faces US$800 million IMF payment

Argentina's Economy Minister, Luis Caputo, faces a new debt payment to the International Monetary Fund worth US$800 million, according to the newspaper Ámbito in its September 25, 2026 edition. The obligation follows the official schedule agreed with the international body, as the economic team reviews the details of the deal reached in 2025.

Meeting these foreign-currency obligations requires drawing on the central bank's international reserves. When a country must set aside foreign currency to pay principal and interest on its external debt, the financial cushion available to intervene in the foreign exchange market or support local macroeconomic stability shrinks.

The payment comes as Argentina's country risk index, compiled by J.P. Morgan, has fluctuated throughout the year. The indicator stood at 588 basis points in March 2026, fell to 561 in April, kept declining to 520 in May, dropped to 453 in June and hit a low of 419 basis points in July, before rebounding to 465 basis points in August.

One basis point equals one-hundredth of a percentage point, so these movements measure the yield gap investors demand on Argentine bonds over US Treasury securities, which are considered risk-free. A higher risk premium raises the cost of financing for the state and makes it harder to access international credit markets.