invisible balance

[ThomasSlege]

the difference in value over a period of time of a countrys imports and exports of services and payments of property incomes

[AliceAstes]

Invisible balance, also known as invisibles, refers to the portion of a countrys balance of payments that pertains to services, such as tourism, banking, royalties, shipping, and insurance, rather than the trade of physical goods. It includes earnings from abroad such as interest, dividends, and remittances from citizens working overseas. It is termed “invisible” because these transactions do not involve tangible commodities that can be seen or touched. This is often gauged in combination with the visible balance, which covers trade in goods, to assess a countrys overall trade performance or balance of trade.

[Larrysaelek]

The invisible balance or balance of trade on services is that part of the balance of trade that refers to services and other products that do not result in the transfer of physical objects. Examples include consulting services, shipping services, tourism, and patent license revenues. This figure is usually generated by tertiary industry. The term invisible balance is especially common in the United Kingdom.
For countries that rely on service exports or on tourism, the invisible balance is particularly important. For instance the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia receive significant international income from financial services, while Japan and Germany rely more on exports of manufactured goods.