From time to time, questions arise about the funds of the Social Security Fund, considering it a savings and pension fund for the Jordanian people. These questions often focus on the government’s debts to the fund. At the extreme, some exaggerate by saying the government wants to swallow the Social Security funds, forgetting that the government guarantees these funds. There have been no delays in the repayment of installments and interest on the Social Security loans; on the contrary, payments have been made on time with great precision. The Social Security benefits from lending to the government not only because the funds are guaranteed but also because the returns are among the best compared to other diverse Social Security portfolios. These doubts dissipate when we read the performance results of the Social Security Investment Fund, especially the bond portfolio.

News reports indicate that the Social Security Investment Fund achieved unprecedented growth in its assets during the first half of 2025 by 1.2 billion Jordanian dinars, reaching approximately 17.3 billion dinars by the end of June, with a growth rate of 7.2%. Net income came from profits of various investment portfolios, which grew by about 15% compared to the same period last year. The income mainly came from the bond portfolio, amounting to about 296 million dinars, confirming the benefit the fund gains from this safe investment. The fund competes with banks in offering bond purchase prices, sometimes winning and sometimes not, but the government is obliged to diversify its debt portfolio and must give all creditors the same opportunity. The important thing is repayment on time without delay, which has not been violated so far, as confirmed by international institutions monitoring debt sensitivity.

It is not a flaw that most of the fund’s profits come from government debt bonds, as they represent the best investment and best return compared to other investments. Nevertheless, other investments have shown distinguished performance. In conclusion, fears about the Social Security Investment Fund’s money being in the government’s custody are unjustified; in fact, it is safer than being in other portfolios or those vague ideas once proposed to invest these funds in global financial markets before the global financial crisis erupted. Had that happened, the fund would be without money today. It is wise for the Social Security Fund to venture into strategic projects in industry and agriculture, aiming at food security, water, energy, and even land.

The author of this column does not consider government bonds as securities but rather fixed assets that achieve fixed returns, considering them guaranteed funds in the government’s custody.