El Salvador stockpiles gold, Bitcoin amid market jitters

El Salvador’s Central Reserve Bank (BCR) said Thursday it bought 9,298 troy ounces of gold worth $50 million, its second gold purchase since 1990 and the first this year.

El Banco Central de Reserva realizó una nueva adquisición de 9,298 onzas troy de oro en los mercados internacionales, equivalentes a US$50 millones, como parte de su estrategia de incremento en las tenencias de este metal. pic.twitter.com/1GD7H4Bd0X

— Banco Central de Reserva (@bcr_sv) January 29, 2026

The acquisition follows El Salvador’s purchase of $50 million worth of gold in September 2025, bringing the national gold stash to 67,403 troy ounces valued at approximately $360 million.

The BCR stated the acquisition “consolidates the country’s long-term patrimony” and maintains “a prudent balance in the composition of the assets that make up the International Reserves.”

Gold has staged a powerful price surge in the past year. Since last September, the precious metal has jumped nearly 50%, per TradingView. The bank said its September purchase generated around $13 million in profits.

Alongside gold, El Salvador continues its daily Bitcoin accumulation. According to data from the National Bitcoin Office, the country has grown its holdings to 7,546 BTC, worth about $618 million.

El Salvador’s acquisitions come as central banks around the world are rapidly stockpiling and repatriating gold amid rising geopolitical tensions and dollar jitters, pushing gold prices to record highs.

According to data from the World Gold Council, central banks added a net 863 tonnes of gold in 2025, with purchases strengthening in Q4 as prices hit record highs.

Poland was the largest buyer for a second straight year, followed by Kazakhstan, Brazil, Turkey, and China, while selling activity remained limited.

Gold and Bitcoin both came under heavy selling pressure on the day, with gold retreating from above $5,500 to $5,100 and Bitcoin falling from $88,000 to about $82,000.