Commodities & Metals

These Are the Countries That Control the World's Gold

studiocasper / Getty Images

The World Gold Council has just reported its figures for the first half of the year. It breaks its data into jewelry, gold used for industrial purposes, gold as an investment and gold held by central banks. Total demand was up 1,833.1 tonnes. This metric measurement translates to 1.1 U.S. tons.

Among central banks, buying grew by 333 tonnes. The U.S. central bank remained the largest holder by far at 8,133 tonnes. It was followed by Germany at 3,359. The International Monetary Fund was third at 2,814. The new report stated: “Global central bank net buying reached 200t in Q2. Large-scale purchases by Thailand, Hungary and Brazil drove the growth in global gold reserves.”
[in-text-ad]
Reuters recently pointed out:

As gold carries no credit or counterparty risks, it serves as a source of trust in a country, and in all economic environments, making it one of the most crucial reserve assets worldwide, alongside government bonds.


These are the countries that control the world’s gold:

  • United States, 8,133.5 tonnes
  • Germany, 3,359.1 tonnes
  • International Monetary Fund, 2,814.0 tonnes
  • Italy, 2,451.8 tonnes
  • France, 2,436.3 tonnes
  • Russian Federation, 2,292.3 tonnes
  • China, 1,948.3 tonnes
  • Switzerland, 1,040.0 tonnes
  • Japan, 846.0 tonnes
  • India, 705.6 tonnes
  • Netherlands, 612.5 tonnes
  • European Central Bank, 504.8 tonnes
  • Taiwan, 423.6 tonnes
  • Turkey, 408.2 tonnes
  • Kazakhstan, 385.9 tonnes
  • Portugal, 382.6 tonnes
  • Uzbekistan, 358.0 tonnes
  • Saudi Arabia, 323.1 tonnes

Click here to see why the demand for gold is lagging.

Want to Retire Early? Start Here (Sponsor)

Want retirement to come a few years earlier than you’d planned? Or are you ready to retire now, but want an extra set of eyes on your finances?

Now you can speak with up to 3 financial experts in your area for FREE. By simply clicking here you can begin to match with financial professionals who can help you build your plan to retire early. And the best part? The first conversation with them is free.

Click here to match with up to 3 financial pros who would be excited to help you make financial decisions.

Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.