IMF Definition
An international organization with 146 members, including the United States. The main functions of the International Monetary Fund are to lend member nations funds to finance solutions to temporary balance of payments problems, to facilitate the expansion and balanced growth of international trade, and to provide international monetary cooperation among nations. The IMF also creates additional reserves for member nations called special drawing rights. Member nations must subscribe to a Fund quota, making payments mainly in their own currency. The IMF grew out of the Bretton Woods Conference of 1944.