Dutch Central Bank Shifts Billions in Gold to London Amid Global Unrest

The Dutch central bank has moved billions of dollars worth of its gold reserves from North America to London in a move it calls 'crisis preparedness'. Between March and August, around 86 metric tons (94.8 tons) of gold were transferred from the combined total of 313 metric tons held in New York and Ottawa, Canada.

The bank now holds a significant amount of gold at the Bank of England, which it says is 'the world's most easily tradable gold' and will be readily available for use in a crisis situation. The relocation was achieved through a combination of physical transfers and buying gold in London using proceeds from selling around 59 metric tons in New York.

The Dutch bank owns 612.4 metric tons (675 tons) of gold worth 72.2 billion euros ($83.6 billion) at the end of 2025. The governor, Olaf Sleijpen, said that the relocation 'has improved the tradability of our gold reserves' and will strengthen their resilience and preparedness.