New Data: Which Countries Have The Most Gold?

Central banks have been net buyers of gold for 11 consecutive years. According to World Gold Council (WGC) data, central banks around the world bought 272.9 tonnes of bullion in 2020.

The top 10 central banks with the largest gold reserves have remained mostly unchanged for the last few years. The United States holds the number one spot with over 8,000 tonnes of gold in its vaults – nearly as much as the next three countries combined – and accounting for 79% of total reserves. The only countries where gold represents a higher percent of reserves are Portugal at 80.1% and Venezuela at 82.4%.

Figures are as of April 2021 and do not include the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as a country, or else it would hold the number three spot with 2,814 tonnes.

10 central banks made net purchases of one tonne or more in 2020, highlighting the continued demand for the precious metal. Turkey was the number one buyer for the second straight year – adding 134.5 tonnes – and was also the largest seller after decreasing holdings by 36.3 tonnes. WGC notes sales were concentrated among a small number of central banks that buy gold from domestic production, including Mongolia and Uzbekistan.

Editor’s Note:  The original article by Frank Holmes has been edited ([ ]) and abridged (…) above for the sake of clarity and brevity to ensure a fast and easy read.  The author’s views and conclusions are unaltered and no personal comments have been included to maintain the integrity of the original article.  Furthermore, the views, conclusions and any recommendations offered in this article are not to be construed as an endorsement of such by the editor. Also note that this complete paragraph must be included in any re-posting to avoid copyright infringement.

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