The Hague (AFP) - The Dutch Central Bank announced Wednesday that it had transferred 86 tons of its gold reserves from the United States and Canada to London, citing "increasing geopolitical unrest."

Published on: 09/02/2026 - 16:59

The bank explained that gold reserves in London can be traded more easily than those in New York and Ottawa.

“This allows the Dutch central bank to use gold more quickly in the event of a crisis,” he said in a statement.

Bank President Olaf Slieben said, “With this step, we have strengthened our ability to dispose of gold reserves when needed. We assume that we will never have to use them, but ensuring this capability is necessary to enhance our ability to withstand and prepare for crises.”

The Netherlands' total gold reserves amounted to 612.4 tons, worth 72.2 billion euros at the end of 2025, according to the bank.

Before the reallocation of reserves, the bank held 31.3 percent of its gold in New York and 19.7 percent in Ottawa.

After the transfer, the share of gold in New York and Ottawa became 18.5 percent of the total Dutch reserves.

The share of gold in London rose from 18.1 percent to 32.1 percent, while the bank still maintains 30.8 percent of its reserves in the Netherlands.

The bank said that the redistribution of reserves took place through a combination of buying and selling operations and the actual transfer of gold.

The bank actually transported more than 27 tons of gold from the United States and Canada to the Dutch city of Zeist.

The same amount was transported from Zeist to London, which made it possible to avoid melting the gold bullion.

“By combining buying and selling operations and actual transportation, the risks associated with transporting a large amount of gold have been distributed,” the bank said.

© 2026 AFP

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