Remittances sent home by migrants grew by 94 per cent between 2016 and 2025, far exceeding the 28 per cent increase in the number of migrants from the countries covered, according to the International Fund for Agricultural Development. Some 220 million migrants and people from the diaspora now support an estimated 1.1 billion relatives, with the widening gap indicating that migrants are sending larger amounts on average.
Individual transfers are typically worth $300 to $400 and are sent nine or 10 times a year. IFAD said the total sent home in 2025 was more than four times global official development assistance and exceeded foreign direct investment to low- and middle-income countries.
Latin America and the Caribbean recorded the fastest regional growth over the decade, rising 132 per cent to $168.6 billion. The United States remains the region’s dominant source, leaving recipient families and economies vulnerable to deportations, employment restrictions or weaker labour demand. IFAD said current figures do not show a broad reduction in remittances, noting that family needs tend to keep transfers resilient during crises.
Central America is particularly exposed. Remittances were equivalent to 30 per cent of GDP in Honduras in 2025, 28 per cent in El Salvador and 27 per cent in Nicaragua. In a study cited by IFAD, 61 per cent of returnees surveyed in Guatemala had been the main income earner in their household, demonstrating how involuntary return can abruptly cut income for relatives who remain behind.
Asia and the Pacific remained the largest recipient region, receiving $384.9 billion, or 53 per cent of the global total. Africa received $124.2 billion in 2025, an increase of 86 per cent over the decade, and Egypt overtook Nigeria as the continent’s largest recipient. Almost $233 billion—about one dollar in every three sent home—reached rural economies, while recipient households invested an estimated $22 billion annually in rural agrifood systems.
Around three quarters of remittances pay for immediate needs including food, shelter and utilities. The remaining quarter, more than $180 billion annually, goes toward healthcare, education, housing, savings and businesses. IFAD also highlighted their role in helping families respond to climate-related shocks, while stressing that private family resources cannot replace public investment, social protection, humanitarian assistance or climate finance.
More than half of remittances now begin digitally, but only 35 per cent of services measured in 2025 were fully digital from sender to recipient. Digital transfers cost about 4.6 per cent on average, compared with 7.3 per cent for non-digital services. IFAD is calling for cheaper, more transparent transfers, broader access to financial services and more opportunities for recipient families to save, obtain insurance and invest.