The Netherlands has moved 86 tonnes of gold reserves from the United States and Canada to London, citing rising geopolitical tensions.
On Wednesday, the Dutch Central Bank (DNB) said the transfer of 86 tonnes of gold reserves to London was partially carried out through buy-sell transactions and partially through the physical movement of gold.
According to DNB, gold reserves stored in London are easier to trade than those in New York and Ottawa. “This allows DNB to use them most quickly in a crisis situation,” the bank stated.
“With this step, we have improved the ability to use gold reserves operationally. We hope we never have to use them, but it is still necessary to strengthen our resilience and preparedness,” said DNB President Olaf Sleijen.
Changes in gold reserve distribution
The Netherlands’ total gold reserves at the end of 2025 amounted to 612.4 tonnes and were valued at €72.2 billion, DNB reported. Before the transfer, the Dutch bank stored 31.3% of its gold in New York and 19.7% in Ottawa.
After the transfer, each of the two countries—the United States and Canada—now holds 18.5% of the Netherlands’ gold reserves. The share stored in London increased from 18.1% to 32.1%. The bank continues to store 30.8% of its gold in the Netherlands.
Physical movement specifics
The bank moved more than 27 tonnes of physical gold from the United States and Canada to Zeist. An equal amount of gold was then moved from Zeist to London, avoiding the need to remelt gold bars.
“By combining buy-sell transactions and physical transport, we have spread the risks associated with the physical movement of large quantities of gold,” DNB said.
Source: Euronews
