China's Gold Imports Jump 65 Percent to a Record $158.8 Billion in First Eight Months of 2026

China imported about $158.8 billion worth of gold in the first eight months of 2026, a 65 percent jump over the full-year total for 2025 (about $96.5 billion), Mehr News Agency reported Monday, October 5, 2026 (13 Mehr 1405), citing the Financial Times. China brought in more than 1,000 tonnes of gold in the period, already surpassing all of last year's roughly 886-tonne total.

Analysts point to two main drivers: geopolitical risk and weak returns from China's domestic housing and stock markets. Part of the jump may also reflect a June change to China's gold import licensing rules that gave banks more incentive to use their import quotas. China remains the world's largest gold producer, mining about 384 tonnes last year, meaning its imports are now more than double domestic output.