Central banks’ gold reserves hit new highs amid global turmoil

GOLD COUNCIL SAYS CENTRAL BANKS SEE YELLOW METAL AS SHIELD AGAINST RISKS

- BY JUSTIN VARGHESE

Central banks around the world are on a gold buying spree and it’s not slowing down anytime soon.

For the third year in a row, global central banks have added over 1,000 tonnes of gold to their reserves, far above the average 400 to 500 tonnes seen annually over the past decade. The data comes from the World Gold Council’s (WGC) latest 2025 Central Bank Gold Reserves (CBGR) survey, which tracks sentiment and strategy among reserve managers.

The jump in gold demand comes at a time of growing uncertainty across the globe - with ongoing conflicts, trade tensions and inflation all clouding the economic outlook. For reserve managers, gold remains a key tool to manage risk, protect value, and diversify away from overreliance on any single currency.

A reliable store of value

The WGC survey found that 95 per cent of central bank respondents expect global gold reserves to grow further in the next 12 months. That’s nearly unanimous.