The Central Bank of Bolivia is evaluating whether to stop buying gold domestically, a change it estimates could channel an additional USD 150 million to USD 250 million a month into the financial system through gold export proceeds. The proposal remains under review by its board and follows domestic gold purchases that have withdrawn USD 4.552 billion from the financial system since 2023. The central bank has recovered all but 1.2 metric tons of the 6.6 metric tons of gold pledged as of November 2025. It plans to settle the remainder in 2026 and already holds the gold needed for the transaction. Dollar repayments to financial intermediaries will also continue monthly, with a second phase covering institutional depositors starting Sept. 15, 2026. The central bank reported more than USD 1.1 billion in highly liquid reserve assets and net international reserve accumulation exceeding USD 400 million. It said these resources support its capacity to counter exchange-rate movements not driven by fundamentals and guide inflation toward single-digit levels.
2026-09-01Ministry of Finance (Bolivia)
Central Bank of Bolivia weighs ending domestic gold purchases to add up to USD 250 million monthly to the financial system
The Central Bank of Bolivia is considering ending domestic gold purchases, which it estimates could add USD 150 million to USD 250 million a month to the financial system through gold export proceeds. It has recovered all but 1.2 metric tons of previously pledged gold and reported more than USD 1.1 billion in highly liquid reserve assets. Dollar repayments will expand to institutional depositors from Sept. 15, 2026.