How Rare Is Gold? A Look At Global Gold Stock And Who Holds It?
More than half of the world’s gold consists of jewellery rather than sitting in reserve vaults.
Amid ongoing geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty, global central banks’ gold-buying spree continues to make headlines. Yet, it may surprise many to learn that these institutions collectively hold only about 17% of all the gold ever mined, according to a report by Statista.
More than half of the world’s gold remains in jewellery rather than sitting in reserve vaults. What may be even more surprising is that all the gold ever mined could almost fit into just three Olympic-sized swimming pools.
Yet, this precious commodity continues to be the talk of the town. As rare as it is, gold’s true power lies in its versatility. From finance to technology, it remains a universal symbol of security and stability.
This was widely reflected this past month when gold soared to its all time high value of above $4,000 per ounce (over Rs 1,30,000 per 10 gram 24-karat). Now experts are studying the commodity’s movement to analyse when it may cross the landmark milestone of $5,000 per ounce.
According to a Statista report, gold prices are expected to reach $5,000 per ounce at least intermittently next year. Renewed investor interest and a weakening dollar making gold cheaper in other currencies, the precious metal is experiencing a high demand as a safe haven asset.
Despite its widespread appeal, gold’s long-term performance tells a different story. While the yellow metal has delivered over 50% returns so far in 2025, its average annual return over the past 50 years stands at around 8%, according to Investing.com.
Still, it’s loved by everyone, from financial experts to central banks and jewellery collectors, particularly in India, where gold holds deep cultural and economic significance.
Of all the gold ever mined, about 17% is held in central bank reserves, while roughly 8% is tied to financial investments. Nearly 54% of the world’s gold exists in the form of jewellery and around 21% has been cast into coins and bars, Statista report noted citing platforms such as World Gold Council.
Even as demand for the metal reaches an all-time high, it’s worthy to note that the total global above-ground stock of gold amounts to just about 2,16,265 tonnes. For context, the infamous RMS Titanic ship, when fully loaded, weighed 52,310 tonnes.
