The Netherlands moved 86 metric tons of gold from the U.S. and Canada due to geopolitical risks
The Dutch Central Bank (DNB) repatriated 86 metric tons of gold reserves from the United States and Canada. The bank explained that the decision was driven by a desire to be better prepared for potential crises amid growing geopolitical instability.
The operation lasted from March to August. A significant portion of the gold was transferred to the Bank of England, as gold stored in London is considered among the most liquid in the world and can be accessed more quickly in a crisis.
“This was necessary to strengthen our resilience and preparedness,” said DNB President Olaf Sleypen.
A portion of the reserves was physically relocated. A total of 27 metric tons of gold bullion was transported from New York and Ottawa to Zeist in the Netherlands, after which a stockpile of equivalent volume and quality was shipped to London. The remainder of the transaction was carried out by selling the gold in New York and repurchasing it in the British capital.
“The combination of buying, selling, and physical transportation allowed DNB to diversify the risks associated with such a complex gold transfer,” the bank explained.
Following the transaction, the share of Dutch gold held in New York fell from 31.3% to 18.5%. In Canada, the figure decreased from 19.7% to 18.5%. In contrast, the share of reserves in London rose from 18.1% to 32.1%. The Netherlands continues to store another 30.8% of its gold on its own territory.
At the end of 2025, the country’s total gold reserves stood at 612.4 metric tons, with a value estimated at 72.2 billion euros.
DNB did not specify exactly which events it meant by “geopolitical instability.” At the same time, the decision was made against the backdrop of the U.S.-Iran conflict, which affected global trade, and a bitter tariff dispute between Washington and Ottawa.
Source: BBC.
Ukraine urgently requested 2 billion euros in military aid from the Netherlands.
Belgian Defense Minister Theo Franken stated that Brussels categorically rejects the possibility of transferring frozen Russian assets worth approximately 200 billion euros to Ukraine and does not intend to change its position.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga expressed his gratitude to the foreign ministers of Sweden, Poland, the Netherlands, and Spain for their joint initiative. This refers to a letter to the European Commission calling for the use of frozen Russian assets to benefit Ukraine.
