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Central Bank Gold Buying Trends
Average annual gold accumulation in metric tons over time.
Primary Sources
Central Banks 'Scoop Up a Load' of Gold in Bumpy First Quarter
Central banks added gold holdings at the fastest pace in more than a year in the first quarter, as a slump in prices encouraged a wave of buying that more than offset sales by a handful of ...
Gold Repatriation: A Shift in Central Bank Strategy
The gold price has appreciated by 290 percent in the past decade on accelerated demand for safe-haven assets.Rising geopolitical conflicts and global economic disruptions are fueling demand for the precious metal, with both retail and institutional investors seeking gold as a hedge against such uncertainty.How much of a role are central banks playing in the gold price outlook? Let’s take a look at some of the major central bank gold buying trends that may be shaping the market. 16 years of net buying World Gold Council (WGC) data shows that central banks have been net buyers of gold for 16 consecutive years, however the average annual purchase rate really picked up steam beginning in 2022. Signaling a long-term strategic shift in how cental banks view gold in terms of monetary policy, central bank gold buying topped out over a 1,000 metric tons per year in 2022 to 2024.That pace slowed slightly in 2025 to 863 metric tons, yet that figure is still well above the annual average of 473 metric tons accumulated between 2010 and 2021. Higher gold prices may be tamping down central bank gold buying in 2026, but analysts still expect another year of strong demand compared to the historical average. In more recent years, the most active central bank gold purchasing has come from emerging market economies such as China, Poland, India, Turkey and Kazakhstan. With the mercurial US President Donald Trump in the White House, the United States is not viewed as such a reliable partner, hence these nations are seeking to reduce their reliance on the US dollar by building out their gold reserves as strategic assets. Central banks repatriating gold Another significant trend taking shape in recent months is central banks repatriating their gold reserves out of foreign custody and into domestic vaults. According to the WGC’s 2025 Central Bank Survey, 59 percent of central banks store at least part of their gold domestically, up from 41 percent in 2024 and 50 percent in 2020.For example, as of April 2026, since mid-2025 the Banque de France has reportedly sold 129 metric tons of gold it had stored in New York for €13 billion (US$15 billion) and used the funds to repurchase bullion for storage in Paris. Perhaps a different tactic from physically transporting the gold across the Atlantic, but with the same aim–to secure its sovereignty and direct control over its strategic assets. Germany’s central bank may be next. Citing the political uncertainty surrounding the Trump admin...
Global gold shifts from New York, London as central banks diversify ...
The New York Fed states that it holds gold not only for its own government but also for foreign central banks and governments, and international organizations. As of 2024, it holds about 507,000 ...
Gold Repatriation: A Shift in Central Bank Strategy - 2026-4-24
Overall though, central bank gold buying provides a structural floor for prices of the precious metal and validates gold as a core strategic asset for long-term wealth preservation. "For private investors, this is a quiet but persistent factor pointing to solidification of long-term demand," he explained.
