PBOC Added 650000 Ounces of Gold in August Its Largest Monthly Purchase Since October 2023
China's central bank added 650,000 troy ounces of gold in August 2026, its largest single-month purchase since October 2023 and the 22nd consecutive monthly addition, bringing total holdings to 76.73 million troy ounces. Monthly purchases have risen in nearly every month of 2026, accelerating from 40,000 ounces in January to 650,000 in August. No official PBOC statement has established a numerical diversification target or formal rationale for the buying streak; the reserve diversification framing comes from secondary commentary rather than Chinese authorities.