Central Banks Bought a Record 289 Tonnes of Gold Despite a 14% Price DropEnglish 日本語한국어繁體中文ไทยPortuguêsItalianoDeutschFrançaisEspañolCentral banks purchased a net 288.9 tonnes of gold in the second quarter of 2026, a 62% increase from the 177.9 tonnes bought in Q2 2025, according to the World Gold Council’s Gold Demand Trends Q2 2026 report published on 30 July. Uzbekistan (16 tonnes), Kazakhstan (15 tonnes), Jordan (6 tonnes), and the Czech Republic (6 tonnes) rounded out the notable buyers. A further 89% expect global central bank gold reserves to rise. Shaokai Fan, Global Head of Central Banks at the WGC, told Kitco News: “Central banks are still very positive on gold. For gold, the floor built by central banks may matter more than the ceiling set by traders.