World Gold Association: a net increase of 62 per cent over the same year in the total gold reserves of global central banks and other official institutions in the second quarter

On 30 July, the World Gold Association released the Global Gold Demand Trends Report for the second quarter of 2026, which showed that, in the second quarter, global central banks and other official agencies had combined a net increase of 289 tons in gold reserves, an increase of 62 per cent over the same period, and that central banks in several countries had recovered their money purchases. The first half of the year, however, was somewhat less than the high levels of recent years. The Global Central Bank Gold Reserve Study 2026, published by the World Gold Association, shows that 45 per cent of the central banks interviewed expect to increase their own gold reserves in the coming year, highlighting the importance of long-term stability of gold in official reserves. Kim Xian