Global gold buying jumps, Iraq adds nearly 12 tons

Shafaq News– Baghdad

The Central Bank of Iraq purchased 11.9 tons of gold in 2025, ranking the country eighth globally among the world’s largest central bank gold buyers, according to data released by the World Gold Council.

According to the data, 95% of central banks expect global official gold reserves to grow over the next year, the most optimistic reading in the survey’s eight-year history. A record 43% of central banks plan to increase gold holdings, up from 29% in 2024, with none expecting reductions.

Poland topped the list with gold purchases of 101.9 tons, followed by Kazakhstan with 56.9 tons, Brazil with 42.7 tons, Azerbaijan with 38.2 tons, and China with 26.7 tons. Turkiye ranked sixth with 26.6 tons, while the Czech Republic followed with 20.4 tons.

Cambodia and Uzbekistan rounded out the top buyers, purchasing 7.9 tons and 7.7 tons respectively.