Same Dollar, Two Prices: A Regulatory Conundrum
The US dollar trades in the Maldives at prices far above the official exchange-rate band, including through licensed money changers. The resulting question goes... Read more.
Maldives Has Gained Time, Not Safety: What IMF, Fitch and the World Bank Are Really Saying
The Maldives has moved beyond its most immediate financing pressures, but the vulnerabilities that brought the economy close to crisis remain. Assessments by the... Read more.
Fitch Upgrades Maldives, But the Real Story Lies in the Warnings
Fitch’s upgrade of the Maldives from CC to CCC- signals an easing of immediate default risk following the April 2026 sukuk repayment. But weak reserves, high public... Read more.
From Oversight to Ownership: How SOE Control Is Being Recentralised
A ministry renamed and a governance model reshaped: How centralisation of authority risks weakening oversight and increasing political influence over state enterprises.... Read more.
The Rufiyaa Question
The widening gap between official and parallel exchange rates has intensified debate over the future of the Rufiyaa. This article examines whether greater exchange-rate... Read more.
Central Bank Independence Matters
Central bank independence is more than an institutional principle. For the Maldives, where foreign exchange pressures and fiscal constraints remain significant,... Read more.
Global Tensions, Local Pressures
Global conflict is feeding directly into the Maldivian economy through higher fuel and transport costs, weaker tourism and rising food prices. The pressures expose... Read more.
Market Power and Public Benefit: Lessons from Banking and Telecom in the Maldives
Banking and telecommunications offer contrasting lessons about competition in the Maldives. Comparing the two sectors shows how market concentration can affect pricing,... Read more.
Before the Ink Dries: What the Maldives Must Get Right on MIFC
The Maldives International Financial Centre could become a major source of investment and economic diversification. But a project of this scale requires rigorous... Read more.
Hurt, Pain and Recovery: The Path Forward for the Maldives
The Maldives faces mounting debt, inflation and external vulnerabilities, but a deeper crisis is not inevitable. Timely fiscal reform, stronger institutions and... Read more.