List of 34 Countries That Own The World's Gold

EDITOR NOTE: Countries hold gold reserves as a form of insurance against the effects of various economic crises, from currency devaluation to hyperinflation. The fact that the wealthiest nations happen to possess the largest reserves tells you a lot about their approach to monetary matters. For most Americans, the idea of gold is synonymous with that of a relic. It yields “nothing” and can’t be used to make day-to-day purchases. Yet considering that almost all financial assets in the US derive their value from the US dollar or are considerably affected by its exposure, gold and silver are the only assets that can reliably preserve the value of the dollar or protect against its decline. While most people hold reserves in cash, central banks hold reserves in gold, knowing that “paper wealth” represents, at best, a fleeting form of economic stability. 

The world’s nations held a combined 35,218 tonnes of gold reserves as of February 2021, up from 34,700 tonnes the year before. Countries hold gold reserves to support their currency in cases of hyperinflation or other economic crises.

Though holding gold reserves is a luxury every nation would like to afford, less than 100 countries have substantial gold reserves. Just five countries hold the majority of the 35,000 tonnes of the world’s gold reserves. Only 34 nations have over 100 tonnes of gold reserves on hand.

To determine the countries that control the world’s gold, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data on gold reserves by country in tonnes (metric tons) as of February 2021 from the World Gold Council. 

Unsurprisingly, many of the countries on this list rank as the wealthiest in the world. These are the richest counties in the world.

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