The Central Reserve Bank of El Salvador (BCR) has acquired $50 million worth of gold, marking a significant expansion of its unconventional national reserve strategy that pairs the precious metal with Bitcoin. The purchase, finalized in late January 2026, consisted of 9,298 troy ounces of gold, increasing the nation's total gold holdings to 67,403 ounces, valued at approximately $360 million at current market prices.
This acquisition represents El Salvador's second major gold purchase in recent months and only its second such move in over three decades. The first occurred in September 2025, when the BCR bought 13,999 ounces for roughly $50 million, ending a 35-year hiatus from gold accumulation. President Nayib Bukele publicly acknowledged the latest move, describing it on social media as "buying the dip" during a period of price volatility.
The BCR framed the purchase as strengthening the country's long-term assets and maintaining a prudent balance in its International Reserves. It described gold as a "universally strategic reserve asset" that supports financial stability, protects against global market shifts, and enhances investor confidence.
El Salvador's reserve composition now reflects a deliberate dual-asset approach: 7,547 BTC valued at ~$635 million alongside its ~$360 million in gold. This strategy aims to reduce reliance on any single asset class, balancing exposure between the traditional safe-haven asset and its pioneering digital asset holdings.
The move aligns with a broader global trend of central banks increasing gold reserves amid geopolitical uncertainty and currency risks. Gold prices reached record levels near $4,429 per ounce earlier in January 2026. Other major buyers include the National Bank of Poland, which plans to expand reserves to 700 tonnes, and China, which analysts suggest is acquiring gold at a significantly higher rate than officially reported.
The timing is also notable within the crypto ecosystem, where demand for tokenized gold has risen. On-chain data indicates increased large-scale purchases of assets like Tether Gold (XAUT) and Paxos Gold (PAXG), with Tether itself reportedly adding roughly 27 tonnes of gold in Q4 2025.
