CBO Gold Holdings Double Amid Global Price Surge

The Central Bank of Oman (CBO) saw its gold holdings double to RO 468.1 million at the end of 2025, a significant increase from RO 234 million in 2024.

This growth was largely driven by higher global gold prices, which generated a substantial revaluation gain for the CBO's bullion. The central bank recorded a RO 157.01 million revaluation gain on its bullion holdings in 2025, more than three times the RO 48.76 million gain from the previous year.

The value of the CBO's gold position also accounted for about two-thirds of the annual increase in the reported value of its bullion holdings. However, it is unclear how much of this growth was due to new purchases versus changes in valuation.

The CBO's increasing interest in gold is part of a broader trend among central banks. According to the World Gold Council, net purchases by central banks and other official institutions totaled 863.3 tonnes in 2025, down from 1,092.4 tonnes in 2024.