According to the World Gold Council, Kazakhstan became the largest buyer of monetary gold among the Eurasian Economic Union countries in the first quarter of 2026. The National Bank of Kazakhstan increased its gold reserves by 12.55 tons, bringing their total volume to 353.59 tons, the press service of the National Bank of Kazakhstan reported.
As a result, Kazakhstan ranks second in the EAEU after Russia, which accounts for over 83% of the union's total gold reserves. The total gold reserves of the five EAEU countries amounted to approximately 2,760 tons. Kazakhstan accounts for almost 13% of the union's reserves and approximately 78% of the EAEU's gold reserves excluding Russia.
The active replenishment of its gold reserves reflects Kazakhstan's strategy to strengthen financial stability and reduce its dependence on external currency risks. With the largest gold reserves in Central Asia and a developed mining industry, the country uses the precious metal as an important tool for managing international reserves.
Kazakhstan's gold portfolio growth comes amid more cautious policies among other EAEU members: Russia reduced its reserves by approximately 21.77 tons in the first quarter, while Kyrgyzstan increased them by almost 2 tons.
For Kazakhstan, gold accumulation is also part of a broader policy of asset diversification and strengthening macroeconomic stability. If current trends continue, the country will remain a key hub for Central Asia's gold reserves and one of the leading holders of monetary gold in the region.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
August 6, 2026