The World Gold Council released its 2026 Central Bank Gold Reserves Survey on June 16, 2026, covering responses from 76 central banks. The headline finding: a record 90% of respondents cited gold’s performance during crises as a primary reason to hold it. That’s the highest figure the survey has recorded in its history.
The numbers behind the shift
According to the survey, 45% of respondents said they plan to increase their gold reserves over the next 12 months. That’s the highest share since the survey began tracking forward-looking intentions.
Meanwhile, 89% of respondents expect global central bank gold reserves to rise overall in the coming year. The survey also revealed that 93% of respondents currently hold gold, up from 81% in the previous survey.
Central banks have averaged 1,000 tonnes of gold purchases annually over the past four years. That’s double the pace of the previous decade.
