Business & Finance

Dutch central bank shifts billions in gold reserves from North America to London

The Netherlands relocated 86 metric tons of gold to enhance liquidity and crisis readiness amid global political uncertainty.

Updated Sep 2, 2026 · 16:18 UTC2 reports

The short version

De Nederlandsche Bank moved approximately 86 metric tons of gold out of New York and Ottawa between March and August.
The reallocation reduced combined Dutch gold holdings in North America from 51% down to 37%, rebalancing them into London and domestic vaults.
Bank officials stated the transition improves the asset's immediate tradability at the Bank of England in the event of an emergency.

The Dutch central bank transferred 86 metric tons of its gold reserves from vaults in New York and Ottawa to London between March and August.[Associated Press · ABC News]
Following the transfer, holdings in New York fell from 31.3% to 18.5%, and Ottawa's share decreased from 19.7% to 18.5%.[Associated Press · ABC News]
The central bank owns 612.4 metric tons of gold, valued at roughly 72.2 billion euros ($83.6 billion) at the end of 2025.[Associated Press · ABC News]
Over 27 metric tons were physically relocated to a vault near Zeist, Netherlands, while an equivalent weight was moved from Zeist to London.[Associated Press · ABC News]
Approximately 59 metric tons were sold in New York, with the proceeds applied directly to purchase replacement gold in London.[Associated Press · ABC News]
The central bank explained that gold held at the Bank of England aligns with modern trade standards and offers faster crisis liquidity than North American reserves.[Associated Press · ABC News]

The central bank did not disclose specific logistical details or transport methods used to move the physical gold across the Atlantic.[Associated Press · ABC News]