Dutch Central Bank Shifts Gold Reserves to London Amid Crisis Preparedness Concerns

The Dutch central bank has relocated a significant portion of its gold reserves to London in a move aimed at improving crisis preparedness. The relocation, which took place between March and August, involved transferring 86 metric tons (94.8 tons) of gold from the combined total of around 313 metric tons (345 tons) held in New York and Ottawa, Canada. This means that both cities now hold 18.5% of the Dutch gold, down from 31.3% in New York and 19.7% in Ottawa.

The bank's governor, Olaf Sleijpen, stated that this relocation was done to improve the tradability of their gold reserves, emphasizing that they expect not to use them but want to strengthen their resilience and preparedness. The total value of the gold reserves is approximately 72.2 billion euros ($83.6 billion) at the end of 2025.

The relocation process involved both physical transfers from North America to Zeist, where it was then transferred to London, as well as selling around 59 metric tons (65 tons) of gold in New York and using the proceeds to buy gold in London. The bank highlighted that gold held at the Bank of England meets modern international trade standards and is considered the world's most easily tradable gold.