i watched a video youtube where it explained the top 10 countries with gold reserves, a method that has been the longest means of securing a countries future if there were to be a collapse in currencies. it explained that for exchange of gold, you were given a piece of paper that would guarantee the value of the gold that you had given. the earliest form of money made from paper, which i thought was pretty interesting.

1. United States: Holds the largest gold reserves with 8,133 tonnes.

2. Germany: Second largest holder with 3,352 tonnes.

3. Italy: Holds 2,452 tonnes.

4. France: Has 2,437 tonnes.

5. Russia: Has 2,332 tonnes.

the video also mentioned how canada has sold all of its reserve in favour of investing in infrastructure and businesses that bring in money for them.

does it make sense to you to horde gold, so that if the financial system collapsed there is still something of value or do we live in an age where it makes no sense to stock so much gold? i thought this would be an interesting, but different type of discussion.

its scary to think if something happens, the most valuable things would be gold, food and water.

Just as a matter of interest the UK are now 17th on that list with 310.29 tonnes of Gold Bars.

Investing in gold is very popular & it does increase in value over time.

Rather than investing in Gold the UK is a significant international investor, holding substantial amounts of foreign bonds and equities.

The UK has a large stock of outward foreign direct investment (FDI) and is a major player in global fund management. 

The UK is a prominent player in international investment.The UK are fourth on the international list for FDI outward investment (£1.9 trillion in 2024).

(Source Google)

Gold definitely still has its place in the world, and it looks like it’ll always be a valuable asset for countries wanting to stay stable. For example, Japan is pretty much banking on people borrowing money from them instead of using gold directly. I think Canada is being clever with its approach. They might just end up putting their cash back into gold after selling it.

I remember reading that the UK stores a lot of gold that is owned by America and other countries.

When Germany invaded countries during WWII, one thing they took was gold and expensive artifacts. That tells you that there's worth in it, and I can imagine more will see that gold will be wanted with value forever; therefore, keeping it in reserve does make sense. Spending it to improve life and investing in areas where it can bring a return is also a very smart idea.

It's really interesting to think about how so much of the world's gold just sits in vaults, often for years without being touched. It makes you wonder if that gold could actually do more good if it were used to support advancements in things like technology, healthcare, or renewable energy. Instead of just gathering dust and going up in value, wouldn’t it be better if it actually helped drive some progress? Investing in these areas could lead to innovations that really benefit everyone, instead of just sitting there in a safe. The difference between what it could do and what it is actually doing is pretty mind-blowing.

Gold might not be used in everyday trade anymore, but in a crisis, it’s one of the few things people still trust. That alone gives it lasting value.

I read that central banks have actually been increasing their gold reserves lately. That suggests they still see it as a safety net, even in modern times.

You’d be daft not to keep hold of your gold. Canada is putting money into building its infrastructure and finding new ways to earn, which makes sense. But having no safety net is a bit naïve. I think it’s true that the UK stores gold for several countries, and most of it doesn’t even belong to us.