Import purchases of gold worldwide totaled $395.1 billion in 2021, an average increase of 32.7 percent for all importing countries since 2017, during which gold imports were worth $297.7 billion.
On an annual basis, the value of imported gold globally decreased by -2.1 percent from $403.6 billion in 2020.
The world’s top 10 gold importers in 2021 are Switzerland, India, the United Kingdom, China and Hong Kong. Together, these countries bought more than two-thirds (69.5%) of the world’s total of precious metals. In sixth place, Singapore came, followed by the United States, Germany, the United Arab Emirates, and Thailand, with a total of 14.2% of the world’s total gold imports.
Asian countries ranked first as the largest dollar buyer of imported gold during 2021, with purchases amounting to $191.6 billion, or 48.6% of the global total of gold imports.
European importers came in second place with 44.5% of total gold imports.
Imports into the 27-nation European Union represent a much smaller proportion (7.4%); Because the two main gold importers (Switzerland and the UK) are not members of the European Union.
Another 5.2% of international gold purchases were delivered to North American importers.
The smallest percentages were in Oceania (1.3%), led by Australia, Africa (0.4%) and Latin America (0.1%) excluding Mexico, including the Caribbean.
