Gold as a Reserve Asset
The Case for Diversification
Gold has been held as a reserve asset by central banks for centuries. While gold does not yield interest (unlike bonds), it is free from counterparty risk, immune to sanctions and asset freezes, and serves as a hedge against inflation and currency debasement.
- Global central bank gold purchases reached record highs in 2022, 2023, and 2024 — driven by geopolitical uncertainty, dollar risk, and inflation concerns.
- The World Gold Council reports that emerging market central banks (China, India, Turkey, Poland, Russia) have been the primary buyers.
- India's gold reserves trajectory: from approximately 357 tonnes (early 2000s) to approximately 880 tonnes (late 2025).
- Gold at 880 tonnes is valued at approximately $95-102 billion at prevailing prices, representing the RBI's second-largest reserve asset after dollar-denominated securities.
- Gold's share of India's reserves: approximately 13.6% (September 2025) — a 20-year high.
- The IMF includes gold in its definition of international reserves and gold is used to back emergency liquidity arrangements.
● Tracked since February 22, 2026 · last seen May 01, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
See it in today’s brief.
Daily current affairs with every static concept explained in place.
Read the daily brief