China Increases Gold Reserves Amid Crypto Regulation

China’s massive gold spree showcases a strategic response to cryptocurrency regulations. Through monthly purchases, the country’s People’s Bank of China has expanded its gold reserves to 2,303.5 tonnes by the third quarter of 2025.

The People’s Bank of China plays a critical role in this shift. Alongside rigorous crypto bans, China mandates insurance allocation to physical gold, gradually escalating demand and impacting stablecoins and exchanges like Yunfeng Financial Group.

Impacts include shifts in global gold markets and Chinese crypto user behavior. With 59 million users moving offshore, crypto markets face volatility marked by Bitcoin’s rise to $124,566.17, showcasing the effects of these policies.

Financial implications of China’s regulations include a heightened focus on crypto versus physical assets. This environment encourages a preference for seizure-resistant assets, reflecting historical trends of gold as a hedge against geopolitical uncertainties.

Historical precedents show a consistent move towards gold as geopolitical tensions rise. Global central banks adopt similar strategies, reinforcing gold’s role in risk management while diminishing cryptocurrency adoption.

PBoC’s gold acquisition strategy continues past trends. By following historical examples of asset shift during sanctions, gold remains a favored store of value, with correlative evidence supporting a Bitcoin-gold narrative, as noted by market data with a 0.67 correlation.

“Gold keeps hitting new all-time highs. The Bitcoin-gold correlation remains elevated. The digital-gold narrative isn’t dead.” – Ki Young Ju, CEO, CryptoQuant