The United States holds the most gold in the world, with over 8,100 tonnes, significantly more than any other nation, with much of it stored in Fort Knox and the New York Fed; Germany, Italy, and France follow with large reserves, while China has been rapidly increasing its holdings, making the U.S. the undisputed leader in national gold stockpiles.
Official data for the start of 2025 says that the United States continues to lead the global gold rankings with a massive 8,133.5 tonnes of gold held in reserve.
The gold reserve of the United Kingdom is the amount of gold kept by Bank of England as a store of value of part of the United Kingdom's wealth. Left over from the Gold Standard which the country abandoned in 1931, it is the 17th largest central bank reserve in the world with 310.29 tonnes of gold bars.
1. United States. The United States holds the world's largest gold reserves at 8,133 tonnes. This massive accumulation is mainly due to its historical role in the global monetary system.
Gravitas | Top 10 countries with the largest gold reserves: The global gold race
Where is gold naturally found?
About 244,000 metric tons of gold has been discovered to date (187,000 metric tons historically produced plus current underground reserves of 57,000 metric tons). Most of that gold has come from just three countries: China, Australia, and South Africa. The United States ranked fourth in gold production in 2016.
There is one set of financial institutions that is hedging against Trump's ability to inject volatility into global markets: central banks, which are hoarding gold. Traditionally, central banks have fueled their reserves with the U.S. dollar.
The countries with the largest gold reserves, according to the most recent data (often updated to 2025 or 2024 depending on the source, and generally including only official reserves held by central banks), are: United States: with over 8,133 tonnes. Germany: with over 3,350 tonnes. Italy: with about 2,452 tonnes.
How Much Gold Still Lies Undiscovered? While we've extracted most of the gold on the planet already, there are still about 186,000 tonnes that remain underground. An estimated 54,770 tonnes of these deposits qualify as reserves that can be economically extracted using current technology.
Key Takeaways. Russia and China have each added over 1,800 tonnes of gold to their reserves since 2000, more than triple the next highest country. Gold buying by central banks has surged in recent years as countries diversify away from the U.S. dollar and hedge against geopolitical risk.
In its early years, UK Gold broadcast various classic BBC and Thames shows. The channel has had a number of owners over the years - though the BBC has had a stake in the channel throughout its history. BBC Studios is currently the sole owner. #OnThisDay1992.
The period takes its name from Gordon Brown, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who decided to sell approximately half of the United Kingdom's gold reserves in a series of auctions. This amounted to 395 tonnes of gold sold for $3.5 billion.
The Bank of England has one of the world's largest gold vaults. We are the second-largest custodian of gold in the world, after the New York Federal Reserve.
Key Takeaways. The United States holds the largest official gold reserves, with over 8,100 tonnes as of 2025. Central banks worldwide hold about 35,940 tonnes of gold, more than a fifth of all gold ever mined. Emerging economies, especially China, India, Poland, and Turkey, are rapidly increasing their gold holdings.
The rules do vary depending on where in the states you are planning to search for gold but, largely, as long as the use is recreational and you're not using any sluices or high-powered tools, any gold findings should be yours to keep.
Our oceans contain around 20 million tons of dissolved gold. However, this means there is only about one gram of gold for every 110 million tons of ocean water. Many gold deposits exist deep within the sea floor, and some deposits can often be trapped underneath rock as far down as 35,000 feet.
Countries such as Switzerland, Australia, and Canada are known for producing high-purity gold, while countries such as China and Russia are the largest producers of gold in the world. When it comes to jewelry, the purity and color of gold used can vary depending on the desired durability and aesthetic.
The Welcome Stranger is the largest alluvial gold nugget ever found, which had a calculated refined weight of 97.14 kilograms (3,123 ozt). Three of the biggest nuggets come from the Brazilian Serra Pelada mine.
Executive Order 6102 is an executive order signed on April 5, 1933, by US President Franklin D. Roosevelt forbidding "the hoarding of gold coin, gold bullion, and gold certificates within the continental United States".
A 1980 $200 gold coin, typically an Australian Koala coin containing 10 grams of 91.67% gold (0.2948 oz), is generally worth significantly more than its face value, with current market values ranging from roughly $1,300 to over $2,000 USD (or £1,000-£1,200+ GBP), depending heavily on gold price fluctuations, its condition (proof vs. uncirculated), and specific design, often trading based on its gold content plus a small premium for collectibility.
