World Gold Council: Central bank gold purchases plummeted 80% in January, but new players entering the market hint at a larger trend

Odaily Planet Daily reports that the latest data from the World Gold Council shows that in January, central banks’ gold purchases were less than 20% of the average monthly demand in 2025. However, the market has welcomed new sovereign players, indicating that the demand for accumulating gold reserves is expanding.

“Compared to the average monthly gold purchase of 27 tons over the past 12 months, the momentum of central bank gold buying has slowed at the beginning of the year,” said Marissa Salim, Senior Research Director for Asia-Pacific at the World Gold Council (WGC), in her latest monthly report. “The net purchase total for January was 5 tons. Gold price fluctuations and holiday factors may have caused some central banks to hold back, but the nearly unchanged geopolitical tensions are likely to sustain gold buying into 2026 and beyond.”