Gold demand surged to a record high in 2025 (KRISTIANTO PURNOMO) · KRISTIANTO PURNOMO/AFP/AFPGold demand surged to a record high in 2025 as investors and central banks flocked to the safe-haven asset as protection against US President Donald Trump's unpredictable policies and their potential economic impact, industry data showed Thursday. The price of gold has surged in response, pushing on with a meteoric rise this year that saw it near $5,600 a troy ounce (31.1 grams) on Thursday. Although central bank purchases of gold fell slightly in volume from the previous year, their total value increased by 13 percent in 2025. Gold now makes up more than 20 percent of central bank reserves, a level not seen since the early 1990s, the WGC said. "Gold ETFs have made gold more accessible to many investors" by making it as easy to buy as a company stock, Gopaul said.