Bank of Korea lifted gold ETF stake 40 percent in third quarter

The Bank of Korea raised its SPDR Gold shares holding 40.8 percent in the third quarter to 956,869 shares worth $364.41 million, a position the fourth quarter gold price fall has since trimmed by an estimated $24.29 million.

Why it matters: Seoul resumed buying gold only this year after a 13 year pause, and the disclosure shows a central bank adding to a rally at the top of the market, with the mark to market cost of that timing now visible in its own filing.

Data as of Yonhap News Agency report of November 15, 2026 (Korea time), read in full in this run via Yonhap, in Korean, reporting the Bank of Korea's holdings report filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Single sourced: the fourth quarter valuation change is Yonhap's estimate assuming third quarter holdings were maintained, not a reported loss against purchase cost. Developing item.

The Bank of Korea kept adding to gold after resuming purchases in the second quarter for the first time in 13 years. Its report to the US Securities and Exchange Commission shows it held 956,869 shares of the SPDR Gold trust at the end of the third quarter, up 277,104 shares, or 40.8 percent, from the second quarter, with the position’s value up 45.5 percent to $364.41 million.

The fourth quarter has run the other way. The fund closed at $355.45 on November 13, 6.7 percent below its third quarter end valuation of $380.84 a share, which on unchanged holdings would cut the position to about $340.12 million, a fall of $24.29 million, about 32.5 billion won. The same filing shows the bank also raised its S&P 500 index fund holdings by 14 to 18 percent in the quarter, and Yonhap reports it is pursuing purchases of domestically produced physical gold as early as next month.

Bank of Korea lifted gold ETF stake 40 percent in third quarter

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