World Gold Council: In February, central banks in various countries net purchased 19 tons of gold; China continued to add to its holdings for the 16th straight month

Gate News update, April 4. This week, the World Gold Council released a February central bank gold-buying monthly report. In February 2026, central banks worldwide net purchased 19 tons of gold. Although this remains below the monthly average of 26 tons reported for 2025, it is up versus the net purchases of 5 tons in January 2026. The World Gold Council said February’s figures seem to indicate that, following a quiet January, central bank gold buying rebounded, highlighting central banks’ recognition and commitment to gold as a reserve asset. The report shows that some central banks maintained a record of continued net gold purchases: from November 2024 to February 2026, cumulative gold buying totaled 44 tons, the Czech Republic reported its 36th consecutive month of net buying, and China has added gold for the 16th consecutive month. A Goldman Sachs research note released at the end of March said that, supported by ongoing gold purchases by central banks and expectations that the Federal Reserve will cut rates two more times this year, the medium-term outlook for gold remains solid, with prices expected to rise to $5,400 per ounce by year-end. UBS, meanwhile, expected at the end of March that gold’s target price at the beginning of 2027 would be $5,900 per ounce.