Netherlands transfers 86 tonnes of its gold reserves from the US and Canada to London - Sarmad

The Dutch central bank announced that it had transferred 86 tonnes of its gold reserves from the United States and Canada to London, citing “increasing geopolitical turbulence.”

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

In a statement, the bank said, “This allows the Dutch central bank to use gold more quickly in the event of a crisis,” according to the Agence France-Presse (AFP).

Bank President Olaf Sleijpen said, “With this step, we have strengthened our ability to access our gold reserves when needed... We assume we will never have to use them, but ensuring this possibility is essential to enhancing our resilience and preparedness for crises.”

The Netherlands’ total gold reserves stood at 612.4 tonnes, valued at $83.7 billion (€72.2 billion) at the end of 2025, the bank said.

Before the redistribution of reserves, the bank held approximately 31.3% of its gold in New York and 19.7% in Ottawa. Following the transfer, the share of gold held in both New York and Ottawa fell to 18.5% of the Netherlands’ total reserves, while the share held in London rose from 18.1% to 32.1%. The bank continues to hold approximately 30.8% of its reserves in the Netherlands.

The bank stated that the redistribution of reserves was carried out through a combination of sales, purchases, and physical transfers of gold. It physically transferred more than 27 tonnes of gold from the United States and Canada to the Dutch town of Zeist, and an equivalent amount from Zeist to London, thereby avoiding the melting of gold bars.