Gold has long been viewed as the ultimate financial asset – and never more so than during times of uncertainty and financial crisis. In fact, on February 20 2025, the price of gold hit a record high, reaching $2,955 (£2.3k) an ounce, with experts predicting it could soon breach the $3,000 (£2.4k) mark for the first time.

While we no longer use the gold standard to determine the value of currencies, the precious metal is still incredibly useful and is held by many central banks due to its immunity to political changes and economic shocks. It's also a 'liquid asset', meaning it can be converted to cash if required.

But which countries have the most stashed away? Using the latest data from GoldHub, read on to discover the 30 nations that own the most gold as of the fourth quarter of 2024, unless otherwise stated. 

All dollar amounts in US dollars