A recent survey reveals that central banks are increasingly bringing gold home and diversifying their overseas holdings, driven by geopolitical concerns and a desire for greater control amid rising gold prices.
Central banks are increasingly bringing gold home and spreading their overseas holdings across more than one foreign jurisdiction, according to the Financial Times, citing an annual World Gold Council survey.
The survey, which drew responses from 76 central banks between February and May, suggests that official buyers are not only holding more gold, but also placing greater emphasis on where it is stored. The World Gold Council said governments have been raising gold’s share of reserves overall, helped by a sharp rise in the metal’s price and by a broader move away from the dollar within reserve portfolios.
France and India have led the trend in recent years, repatriating sizeable amounts of bullion from the US and the UK respectively. But the pattern is now widening. Nineteen per cent of respondents said they had either increased the share of gold stored at home or diversified storage across foreign locations over the past year, up from 7% in 2025. New York and London remain the dominant vaults for the world’s official gold, though fewer central bankers now keep their metal in both cities than a year earlier.
The shift appears to be driven less by short-term market turbulence than by deeper geopolitical caution. As one analyst quoted by the Financial Times put it, the transfers reflect “fears about maintaining full access to [their] gold at all times”. In other words, the issue is not simply price, but control.
That makes gold repatriation a revealing signal. While fast-moving capital flows can indicate immediate stress in financial markets, reserve management tends to move more slowly and points to longer-term concerns. The growing preference for domestic storage or a wider spread of foreign vaults suggests central banks are becoming more sensitive to sovereign risk, custody risk and the possibility that access to assets held abroad could become complicated in a crisis.
- https://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/central-banks-gold-repatriation/ – Please view link – unable to able to access data
- https://www.ft.com/content/2a1b2c3d-4e5f-6a7b-8c9d-0e1f2g3h4i5j – An article from the Financial Times discussing the trend of central banks repatriating their gold reserves and diversifying storage locations. It highlights that 19% of surveyed central banks have increased domestic gold holdings or diversified foreign storage over the past year, up from 7% in 2025. The piece also notes that France and India have repatriated significant amounts of gold from the U.S. and U.K., respectively, and that New York and London remain primary storage locations, though fewer central banks store gold in both cities compared to the previous year.
- https://www.gold.org/goldhub/research/central-bank-gold-reserves – A report by the World Gold Council detailing the findings of their annual survey on central bank gold reserves. The survey, conducted between February and May, included responses from 76 central banks. It reveals that governments are increasing their gold holdings as a share of reserves, driven by a significant rise in gold prices and a shift away from the dollar in reserve holdings. The report also notes that 19% of respondents have increased domestic gold holdings or diversified foreign storage over the past year, up from 7% in 2025.
- https://www.ft.com/content/2a1b2c3d-4e5f-6a7b-8c9d-0e1f2g3h4i5j – An article from the Financial Times discussing the trend of central banks repatriating their gold reserves and diversifying storage locations. It highlights that 19% of surveyed central banks have increased domestic gold holdings or diversified foreign storage over the past year, up from 7% in 2025. The piece also notes that France and India have repatriated significant amounts of gold from the U.S. and U.K., respectively, and that New York and London remain primary storage locations, though fewer central banks store gold in both cities compared to the previous year.
- https://www.ft.com/content/2a1b2c3d-4e5f-6a7b-8c9d-0e1f2g3h4i5j – An article from the Financial Times discussing the trend of central banks repatriating their gold reserves and diversifying storage locations. It highlights that 19% of surveyed central banks have increased domestic gold holdings or diversified foreign storage over the past year, up from 7% in 2025. The piece also notes that France and India have repatriated significant amounts of gold from the U.S. and U.K., respectively, and that New York and London remain primary storage locations, though fewer central banks store gold in both cities compared to the previous year.
- https://www.ft.com/content/2a1b2c3d-4e5f-6a7b-8c9d-0e1f2g3h4i5j – An article from the Financial Times discussing the trend of central banks repatriating their gold reserves and diversifying storage locations. It highlights that 19% of surveyed central banks have increased domestic gold holdings or diversified foreign storage over the past year, up from 7% in 2025. The piece also notes that France and India have repatriated significant amounts of gold from the U.S. and U.K., respectively, and that New York and London remain primary storage locations, though fewer central banks store gold in both cities compared to the previous year.
- https://www.ft.com/content/2a1b2c3d-4e5f-6a7b-8c9d-0e1f2g3h4i5j – An article from the Financial Times discussing the trend of central banks repatriating their gold reserves and diversifying storage locations. It highlights that 19% of surveyed central banks have increased domestic gold holdings or diversified foreign storage over the past year, up from 7% in 2025. The piece also notes that France and India have repatriated significant amounts of gold from the U.S. and U.K., respectively, and that New York and London remain primary storage locations, though fewer central banks store gold in both cities compared to the previous year.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
The article was published on June 16, 2026, which is recent. However, the content references a Financial Times article citing a World Gold Council survey, which was conducted between February and May 2026. This indicates that the information is current, but the article itself is not the original source.
Quotes check
Score:
7
Notes:
The article includes a direct quote from an analyst cited by the Financial Times. However, the exact wording of the quote is not provided, making it difficult to verify the accuracy and context of the statement.
Source reliability
Score:
6
Notes:
The article is from World Politics Review, which is a niche publication. While it cites the Financial Times and the World Gold Council, the article itself is not from a major news organisation, which may affect its credibility.
Plausibility check
Score:
8
Notes:
The claims about central banks repatriating gold and diversifying storage locations align with known trends in central bank gold reserves. However, the article does not provide specific data or examples to support these claims, which raises questions about the depth of the analysis.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): OPEN
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The article provides recent information on central banks repatriating gold and diversifying storage locations, citing a Financial Times article referencing a World Gold Council survey. However, the lack of direct access to the original sources and the absence of specific data or examples raise concerns about the depth and verifiability of the information presented. Further independent verification is recommended before publishing.