Higher Pensions Take Effect
Retirees in Syria are set to receive a 30 percent increase in their pensions under Legislative Decree No. 135 of 2026. The raise applies to pension payments and is intended to lift the incomes of retired public-sector workers.
The change came into focus on 7 July 2026, when the country's main state-owned bank moved to adjust how pensioners access their money.
Banks Adjust Withdrawal Limits
The Commercial Bank of Syria announced it was raising the daily cash withdrawal ceiling on its automated teller machines. The bank said the step responds to pensioners' demands after the increase and aims to make it easier for them to collect their benefits.
The measure is also meant to reduce crowding at cash machines, which tends to build when higher payments are released at the same time.
Who Is Affected
The decision targets pensioners, a group whose fixed incomes have been squeezed as the Syrian pound (SYP) has weakened against the US dollar (USD). The currency traded at about 13,175 SYP to the dollar on 7 July 2026.
Pressure on Fixed Incomes
The pound has lost ground over the past month, down roughly 7 percent against the dollar, eroding the real value of salaries and pensions paid in local currency. A nominal increase helps offset part of that erosion, though it does not fully restore lost purchasing power.
What Comes Next
The withdrawal change takes effect immediately for customers of the state bank. No further adjustments to pension levels or withdrawal ceilings were announced alongside the decision.