The 10 Countries With the Largest Gold Reserves in 2026
The United States holds 8,133.4 tonnes of gold, more than Germany and Italy combined. China and Poland are buying fast, while Russia has been selling.
Quick Answer
The United States has the largest official gold reserves in the world, with 8,133.4 tonnes. Germany is second with 3,350.3 tonnes, followed by Italy (2,451.8), France (2,437.0) and China (about 2,387). The ten countries on this list hold about 24,400 tonnes combined.
This ranking covers official gold reserves: gold held by a country's central bank or government, as reported to the International Monetary Fund and compiled by the World Gold Council (WGC). It does not include gold owned by households, companies or investment funds. International bodies are left out, even though the IMF holds about 2,814 tonnes, which would put it third. For China, Russia and Poland, which are actively buying or selling, we use the WGC's October 2026 update with holdings at the end of August 2026. For the other seven countries, whose holdings have barely changed, we use the WGC's table as published in September 2026. Holdings are measured in metric tonnes.
Tonnes, not dollars
This ranking is by weight, not value, because the dollar value of a gold reserve moves every day with the gold price. The figure for each country's gold as a share of its total reserves also changes with the price, so treat those shares as approximate. China's reported holdings are the official figure; some analysts believe it holds more gold than it reports, but there is no official data to confirm that.
Official gold reserves, tonnes
Source: World Gold Council (September and October 2026 updates)Tap any country to jump to its full breakdown below.
Ranked #10 to #1
Poland
Bought 98 t in 2026 to end-August- Official gold reserves:
- 648 t
- Category:
- Europe
Poland's central bank holds 648 tonnes of gold after buying 98 tonnes in the first eight months of 2026, more than any other central bank over that period, according to the World Gold Council.
The WGC says Poland is nearing its 700-tonne target. MintedMetal reports that Poland was also the largest official buyer in 2025, adding 102 tonnes.
Source: World Gold Council, October 2026; MintedMetal
Japan
About 8.5% of reserves- Official gold reserves:
- 845.9 t
- Category:
- Asia
Japan holds 845.9 tonnes of gold. Because Japan has one of the world's largest stocks of foreign currency reserves, gold makes up only about 8.5% of its total reserves.
Japan holds 34.6 tonnes less gold than India, and gold is a much smaller share of its reserves: about 8.5%, compared with 16.7% for India.
Source: World Gold Council, September 2026
India
About 16.7% of reserves- Official gold reserves:
- 880.5 t
- Category:
- Asia
The Reserve Bank of India holds 880.5 tonnes of gold, about 16.7% of India's total reserves.
MintedMetal reports that India has added about 320 tonnes of gold since 2017.
Source: World Gold Council, September 2026; MintedMetal
Switzerland
About 12.3% of reserves- Official gold reserves:
- 1,039.9 t
- Category:
- Europe
Switzerland holds 1,039.9 tonnes of gold, the seventh-largest official reserve in the world.
With a population of about 9 million, Switzerland holds more official gold than India or Japan.
Source: World Gold Council, September 2026
Russia
Sold 56 t in 2026 to end-August- Official gold reserves:
- 2,271 t
- Category:
- Europe
Russia's central bank holds 2,271 tonnes of gold. It sold 56 tonnes in the first eight months of 2026, and the WGC named it the largest seller in the second quarter.
Gold makes up about 40.6% of Russia's reserves, a far higher share than China's.
Source: World Gold Council, October 2026
China
Buying for 22 months in a row- Official gold reserves:
- 2,387 t
- Category:
- Asia
The People's Bank of China reports about 2,387 tonnes of gold. It added 20 tonnes in August 2026, its 22nd consecutive month of buying, and 80 tonnes so far in 2026.
Even after all that buying, gold is only about 9% of China's total reserves, according to the WGC.
Source: World Gold Council, October 2026
France
About 81.8% of reserves- Official gold reserves:
- 2,437.0 t
- Category:
- Europe
France holds 2,437.0 tonnes of gold, about 81.8% of its total reserves.
France is only about 50 tonnes ahead of China, which added 80 tonnes in the first eight months of 2026.
Source: World Gold Council, September 2026
Italy
About 80.6% of reserves- Official gold reserves:
- 2,451.8 t
- Category:
- Europe
Italy holds 2,451.8 tonnes of gold, just 14.8 tonnes more than France, making it the third-largest holder in the world.
Gold makes up about 80.6% of Italy's total reserves.
Source: World Gold Council, September 2026
Germany
About 84.0% of reserves- Official gold reserves:
- 3,350.3 t
- Category:
- Europe
Germany's Bundesbank holds 3,350.3 tonnes of gold, the second-largest official reserve and the largest in Europe.
Gold makes up about 84.0% of Germany's reserves, the highest share among the ten countries on this list.
Source: World Gold Council, September 2026
United States
About 81.4% of reserves- Official gold reserves:
- 8,133.4 t
- Category:
- North America
The United States holds 8,133.4 tonnes of gold, by far the largest official reserve in the world and about 2.4 times Germany's.
The US holds more gold than Germany and Italy combined (5,802.1 tonnes).
Source: World Gold Council, September 2026
What the numbers tell us
The ten countries on this list hold about 24,400 tonnes of gold combined, and the US alone accounts for about a third of that. The biggest movers in 2026 are going in opposite directions: Poland added 98 tonnes and China 80 tonnes in the first eight months of the year, while Russia sold 56 tonnes.
- Data period:
- End-August 2026 for China, Russia and Poland (WGC, October 2026); WGC table published September 2026 for the other countries
- Last updated:
- October 20, 2026
- Sources:
- World Gold Council, Central Bank Gold Statistics (October 6, 2026) and Gold Demand Trends Q2 2026; World Gold Council official holdings table as published by MintedMetal (updated September 6, 2026)
Countries are ranked by official gold reserves in metric tonnes, as reported to the IMF and compiled by the World Gold Council. For China, Russia and Poland, holdings are taken from the WGC's October 2026 statistics update (end of August 2026). For the other seven countries, holdings are from the WGC table published in September 2026; these countries reported little or no change in 2026. International institutions such as the IMF (about 2,814 tonnes) and the European Central Bank are excluded. Gold's share of total reserves is shown as approximate because it changes with the gold price; China's share is from the October 2026 update and the others from the September 2026 table. Combined totals and comparisons are our own calculations.
Figures marked as estimates are based on publicly available information and may vary from other published sources.
Frequently Asked Questions
The United States, with 8,133.4 tonnes of official gold reserves according to the World Gold Council. That is about 2.4 times Germany's 3,350.3 tonnes and more than Germany and Italy combined.