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Global Central Banks Hold About 38,666 Tons of Gold, Equal to Roughly 17% of Mined Supply

Global Central Banks Hold About 38,666 Tons of Gold, Equal to Roughly 17% of Mined Supply

The data indicates official institutions retain a significant share of the world’s gold, while privately held jewelry remains the largest category at about 97,645 tons.

Fact Check
The World Gold Council’s "Above-ground stock" page directly supports the core numeric claim: central banks hold 38,666 tonnes, jewellery accounts for 97,645 tonnes, and total above-ground stock is 219,891 tonnes. Dividing 38,666 by 219,891 gives about 17.6%, which the same source rounds to 18%. That means the statement "roughly 17% of mined supply" is close but slightly understates the share. The World Gold Council’s "Gold Market Primer: Market size and structure" further corroborates that central banks hold nearly 39,000 tonnes and that jewellery is about 44% of stock. The cited X post repeats these figures consistently with the World Gold Council data.
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Terms & Concepts
  • Central bank reserves: Assets held by monetary authorities, including gold and foreign currencies, to support financial stability and policy operations.
  • Gold reserves: Official gold holdings kept by central banks as part of national reserve assets and long-term stores of value.