Global demand for gold broke records in 2025 as investors rushed into the metal and prices surged to repeated all-time highs, according to new data from the World Gold Council.

Total gold demand crossed 5,000 tonnes for the first time, helped by heavy buying of bars, coins and gold-backed funds. The gold price set 53 new records during the year, lifting the total value of global gold demand to an unprecedented $555 billion.

Research analysts and market strategists at the World Gold Council described 2025 as a “groundbreaking year for gold,” driven mainly by investment demand and safe-haven buying. (Check latest UAE gold prices here, alongside prices in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and India.)

Investors drive gold record boom

Investment was the main force behind gold’s record year.

Global gold exchange-traded funds added 801 tonnes, the second-strongest year on record. Bar and coin buying climbed to a 12-year high, showing that both large investors and everyday buyers were turning to physical gold.

 “Safe-haven and diversification motives were consistent themes driving investment interest throughout the year,” the analysts at the World Gold Council said in the report.

They added that price momentum itself pulled more buyers into the market, reinforcing demand across investment products.

For UAE residents, this trend shows up clearly in retail activity. Bar and coin demand across the Middle East rose in 2025, with the UAE recording a year-on-year increase in physical investment buying.

Jewellery buys fell, spending rose

Record prices made jewellery harder to afford.

Global jewellery demand fell sharply in volume terms as buyers reduced how much gold they could purchase. Yet the total amount of money spent on gold jewellery still climbed to a record $172 billion, as higher prices more than offset lower volumes.

 “A decline in jewellery demand volumes was entirely expected in the environment of successive record gold price highs,” the WGC market strategists noted. They said interest in gold jewellery remained strong even as buyers adapted to higher prices.

In the Middle East, jewellery demand volumes declined, including in the UAE, where purchases eased as costs rose. Yet spending values moved higher, reflecting continued cultural and investment interest in gold despite affordability pressures.

For many buyers, this meant choosing lighter pieces, trading old jewellery for new, or shifting part of their budget into small bars and coins.

Central banks stayed big buyers

Another major support came from central banks. Official institutions bought 863 tonnes of gold during 2025. While slightly lower than the previous two years, purchases remained historically high and spread across many countries.

“Central bank purchases remain historically elevated and geographically widespread,” the research analysts added. Their continued buying reinforced gold’s role as a reserve asset during a year marked by geopolitical tension, market volatility and currency uncertainty.

How this impacts UAE gold buyers

For UAE residents, the numbers reflect what many have already felt in shops and trading platforms.

Gold jewellery costs more, so buyers are purchasing less weight or turning to exchanges and upgrades. At the same time, interest in small bars, coins and digital gold products continues to grow as people look for ways to protect savings.

The World Gold Council expects investment demand to remain strong into 2026, supported by global uncertainty and ongoing central bank buying, while jewellery volumes may stay under pressure if prices remain high.

For everyday buyers, the message is simple. Gold is no longer just an ornament. For many in the UAE, it is increasingly a financial decision.

GN

Day three of Gulfood 2026 marked a decisive inflection point in the evolution of the world’s most influential food and beverage platform, reinforcing the UAE’s role as a global engine for agri-trade while signalling Gulfood’s transition into a system-shaping ecosystem spanning agriculture, technology, manufacturing, brands and future food solutions.

Building on the success of its dual-venue expansion, Gulfood advanced its next phase with the launch of Gulfood360 Africa/Kenya, extending the platform into a new continent and firmly positioning agri-tech and innovation at the centre of the farm-to-fork-to-future continuum.

Emphasising Gulfood’s role as a catalyst for ecosystem-level collaboration, Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) and the UAE Food Cluster signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding, strengthening cooperation across the food and agri-ecosystem. Saleh Lootah, Chairman of UAE Food Cluster, said, “The cluster strategy has brought ecosystem players together, enabling the UAE to position itself as a smart global food hub capable of addressing today’s challenges.” The UAE Food Cluster also granted Gulfood with a prestigious award, for its contribution towards building a strong UAE food ecosystem and connection of food clusters on a global level.

At the commercial core of day three was the Big Deal Hub, reinforcing Gulfood’s position as a deal-making engine connecting buyers, suppliers and growth markets at scale.

Reflecting its role as a global launchpad, Gulfood 2026 hosted a wave of new-to-market product launches, investments and brand debuts.

As the exhibition progressed, focus sharpened on the farm-to-fork-to-future continuum, bringing together agri-tech pioneers, food-tech start-ups and sustainable innovators to translate breakthroughs in precision aquaculture, functional nutrition and plant-based protein into scalable solutions.

Reinforcing this spirit of creativity and product excellence, the Gulfood Innovation Awards recognised standout achievements and winners across 11 categories.

WAM

H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, arrived today in the Kuwaiti capital on a working visit to the sisterly State of Kuwait. He was received upon arrival at the Amiri Airport by Abdullah Ali Al Yahya, Kuwait’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, along with a number of officials.

The visit coincides with the UAE’s celebration of its deep-rooted fraternal relations with Kuwait, taking place from 29 January for one week across all emirates under the theme “UAE and Kuwait… Brothers Forever”.

Accompanying H.H. Sheikh Abdullah are Sheikh Theyab bin Saif Al Nahyan; Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Foreign Trade; Shamma bint Suhail Al Mazrui, Minister of Community Empowerment; Ahmed bin Ali Al Sayegh, Minister of Health and Prevention; Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism; Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar, Minister of State; Dr Sultan bin Saif Al Neyadi, Minister of State for Youth Affairs; Saeed bin Mubarak Al Hajeri, Minister of State; Humaid Obaid Abushibs, Chairman of the UAE Accountability Authority; Sheikh Nahyan bin Saif Al Nahyan, Deputy Minister of State; Sheikh Maktoum bin Butti Al Maktoum, Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Office in Dubai; Dr Matar Hamed Al Neyadi, UAE Ambassador to Kuwait; and Hassan Jassim Al Nowais, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology.

WAM