China Foreign Exchange Reserves Expand

China’s foreign exchange reserves rose to $3.438 trillion in August 2026, up from $3.419 trillion a month earlier and above market expectations of $3.43 trillion. The increase came as the yuan strengthened 0.5% against the US dollar, while the greenback weakened 0.4% against a basket of major currencies. Meanwhile, the People’s Bank of China extended its gold-buying streak to a 22nd consecutive month, lifting its holdings to 76.73 million fine troy ounces from 76.08 million at the end of July. The value of China’s gold reserves rose to $350.08 billion at the end of August, from $306.35 billion a month earlier.

Official foreign exchange reserves kept by the People's Bank of China rose to an equivalent of $3.419 trillion in July of 2026 from $3.416 trillion in the previous month, aligned with market expectations and remaining relatively close to the record high of $3.442 trillion two weeks prior. The rise was aligned with a drop in the dollar during the last day of July, largely due to some dollar-asset selling by foreign institutions after the Fed decision and the joint Japan-US intervention to strengthen the yen. Meanwhile, gold reserves rose to 76.08 million troy ounces from 75.44 million in the previous month.

China’s foreign exchange reserves fell to $3.416 trillion at the end of June 2026, down from an over ten-year high of $3.442 trillion touched in May and below market expectations of $3.44 trillion. The decline followed a 2.3% rise in the US dollar against a basket of currencies, its strongest monthly gain since July 2025, amid expectations of a Federal Reserve rate hike this year. China’s central bank continued its gold-buying streak for a 20th month, with reserves reaching 75.44 million fine troy ounces by June’s end, up from 74.96 million in May. However, the value of these reserves dropped to $303.72 billion from $340.75 billion.