Gold Reserves by Country: The 2026 Rankings

From GoldSilver

When ranking gold reserves by country, the United States leads all nations — holding 8,133.5 tonnes stored primarily at Fort Knox and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. [World Gold Council] However, that stockpile has barely moved since the early 2000s.

So the real story in 2026 is not who has the most. It’s who is buying — and why.

In Q1 2026, central banks purchased a net 244 tonnes, exceeding both the prior quarter and the five-year average. [World Gold Council Gold Demand Trends Q1 2026, published April 29, 2026] Notably, that’s not speculative activity. Instead, it reflects deliberate, strategic accumulation — and it tells you more about the future of the monetary system than any single price chart.