The gold reserve

Gold makes the gold and foreign exchange reserves more stable

Gold contributes to counteracting fluctuations in the total value of the gold and foreign exchange reserves, as the value of gold does not normally follow the same pattern as the value of the foreign exchange reserves. Consequently, the combined value of the gold and foreign exchange reserves is more stable than the value of the gold reserve and the foreign exchange reserves separately.

Geographical spread reduces risk

On 31 December 2023, the Riksbank owned 125.7 tons of gold. The market value of the gold was SEK 83.9 billion at that time.

The Riksbank’s gold reserve is stored at different places around the world as there would be too much of a security risk if it was all stored in the same place. The Riksbank's gold reserve is stored by the central banks of the United Kingdom (the Bank of England), Canada (the Bank of Canada), the United States (the Federal Reserve Bank of New York) and Switzerland (the Swiss National Bank), as well as at the Riksbank’s own depot in Sweden.

Almost half of the Riksbank’s gold reserve is stored by the Bank of England in the United Kingdom, where the world's largest commercial gold market is based. Holding it at the Bank of England allows a large part of the Riksbank’s gold to be converted at very short notice, should the need arise.