Foreign Gold Stored in US: Disclosed Holdings by Country 2026

01Key Facts About Foreign Gold Storage

• World's Largest Repository: The NY Fed vault held about 5,725 metric tons of foreign official gold at the end of August 2026 (Federal Reserve earmarked gold data, preliminary), down from about 5,909 tonnes at the end of 2024
• About 93% Foreign Owned: About 5,725 tonnes of the gold in the NY Fed vault belonged to foreign governments and international organizations at the end of August 2026, against about 418 tonnes (13.45 million oz) owned by the US Treasury (Treasury gold report, Sept 30, 2026)
• Bretton Woods Legacy: Most gold arrived during 1944-1971 when currencies were backed by gold
• Repatriation Movement: Many countries have retrieved their gold since 2010 (Germany, Netherlands and Venezuela); France instead sold the gold it held in New York in 2025-2026 and bought replacement bars in Europe
• No Commingling: Each bar is numbered and returned to the exact owner - gold is never mixed between accounts

02Foreign Gold Holdings by Country

Top Foreign Gold Holders in the United States

Gold held in the US, metric tonnes (chart: countries with a published figure or reported share; the table below also lists large holders that publish no US custody, or none at all). Only Germany, Italy and the Netherlands publish their New York holdings; the Lebanon figure applies a reported share to its total. Most of the 5,725 tonnes belongs to account holders that do not disclose it, shown as Other Nations.

03Storage Location Details

Foreign vs US-Owned Gold in the NY Fed Vault

Federal Reserve Bank of New York Gold Vault

Location	80 feet below street level, 50 feet below sea level in Manhattan
Vault Contents	~507,000 gold bars (~6,331 metric tons as of 2024, all account holders including the US Treasury)
Security	90-ton steel cylinder door, reinforced concrete, 24/7 monitoring
Account Holders	36+ foreign governments, central banks, IMF, and other international organizations
Compartments	122 separate vaults - each account holder has their own secured compartment
Bar Weight	Each bar weighs approximately 28 pounds (400 troy ounces)
Handling Fee	$1.75 per bar for movements between compartments
Staff Protocol	Three Fed staff members required for every transaction

04Why Foreign Nations Store Gold in the US

05Gold Repatriation Movement (2010-Present)

Major Gold Repatriation Operations

Gold repatriated, metric tonnes.

2025-2026 Repatriation Pressures

• Germany: Politicians renewed calls for further repatriation amid Trump tariff concerns
• Italy: Domestic pressure to bring home its ~1,060 tonnes at the NY Fed (about $142 billion at the Oct 16, 2026 spot close)
• Netherlands: De Nederlandsche Bank said on September 2, 2026 that it had moved 86 tonnes from New York and Ottawa to London between March and August 2026, cutting New York's share of its 612.4 tonnes from 31.3% to 18.5%
• France: The Banque de France sold the 129 tonnes it held at the NY Fed between July 2025 and January 2026 and bought the same amount in Europe
• Global Trend: 59% of central banks now hold gold domestically (up from 41% in 2024)
• Trust Issues: Concerns about US political stability and Fed independence
• Cost: Germany's 2013-2017 operation cost €7 million to move 674 tonnes

06Priceless Artifacts Safeguarded in US Vaults

Historical Safeguarding at Fort Knox & Other US Facilities

Beyond gold, the United States has served as custodian for priceless cultural treasures and historical artifacts belonging to foreign nations, particularly during times of war and geopolitical instability. The same vaults have also protected some of America's own treasures and strategic supplies, which are included below and marked as US property.

1945- 1978	Crown of St. Stephen (Hungary) Stored: 1945-1978 (33 years) The Holy Crown of Hungary, dating to the year 1000, was given to US forces by Hungarian Crown Guard to prevent Soviet seizure. Stored at Fort Knox with full royal regalia including scepter, orb, and coronation mantle. Considered divine and more powerful than the king himself. Returned to Hungary by President Carter in January 1978
1939- 1947	Magna Carta (England) Stored: 1939-1947 (8 years) One of four original copies of the 1215 Magna Carta was sent to the British Pavilion at the 1939 New York World's Fair. When WWII erupted, it was transferred to Fort Knox for safekeeping rather than risk return voyage across Atlantic. Returned to Lincoln Cathedral in 1947
1941- 1944	US Constitution & Declaration Stored: 1941-1944 (3 years) Two weeks after Pearl Harbor, America's founding documents were secretly moved from Washington DC to Fort Knox. Sealed in lead containers within 150 pounds of protective gear. Also included Articles of Confederation and Lincoln's Gettysburg Address drafts. Returned to Washington DC in 1944 (US documents, not foreign)
1941- 1944	Gutenberg Bible & Other Texts Stored: 1941-1944 (WWII) Priceless texts from the Library of Congress, including a Gutenberg Bible and an exemplified copy of Magna Carta, were stored at Fort Knox during WWII. Librarian Archibald MacLeish personally cataloged "irreplaceable assets" for underground storage. Returned after WWII (US property, not foreign)
1955- 1993	Strategic Opium & Morphine Stored: 1955-1993 (38 years) Defense Logistics Agency stored 68,269 pounds of opium and morphine at Fort Knox and West Point - enough for one year of US medical needs. Precaution against supply disruptions during potential war with limited poppy exporters. Converted to morphine sulfate and removed after Cold War (US property, not foreign)
Various	Other Wartime Storage Various periods Fort Knox and other secure US facilities have served as temporary custodians for various cultural treasures during wartime, including valuable paintings, historical documents, and artifacts from allied nations seeking protection from Nazi and Soviet threats. Most items returned to countries of origin post-war

07Current Controversies & Transparency Issues

08Sources and Notes

Official Data Sources

• Federal Reserve Bank of New York - Gold Vault
• World Gold Council - Central Bank Gold Reserves
• Deutsche Bundesbank - Official Reports
• Banca d'Italia - Reserve Data
• United States Mint - Fort Knox Information
• Treasury OIG - Audit of the US Mint's Schedules of Custodial Deep Storage Gold and Silver Reserves, September 30, 2025 and 2024 (OIG-26-002)
• GAO-11-768T - Testimony on H.R. 1495, Gold Reserve Transparency Act of 2011 (audit history)
• Swiss National Bank - Investment policy (gold storage locations)
• Reserve Bank of India - Half Yearly Report on Management of Foreign Exchange Reserves, October 2025 - March 2026
• Jimmy Carter Presidential Library - Crown of St. Stephen

Additional References

• IMF International Financial Statistics
• Bank for International Settlements Reports
• US Congressional Records on Gold Repatriation

Last Updated: October 19, 2026 | Gold price: spot close of October 16, 2026 (~$4,166/oz). Total foreign gold at the NY Fed: Federal Reserve, Selected Foreign Official Assets Held at Federal Reserve Banks (earmarked gold, August 2026, preliminary, $7,772 million at the $42.22/oz statutory book value, not the market price). Other Nations is the remainder after the listed countries. Lebanon: 286.8 tonnes (World Gold Council), with about 40% reported to be stored in the United States (L'Orient Today); the US tonnage is that share applied to the total, not a disclosure by the central bank.
Note: Foreign gold holdings are estimates based on available public data. Some nations do not disclose exact storage locations.