Deutsche Bank sees parallels between Gold and Bitcoin as central banks boost gold reserves

• Deutsche Bank says gold now makes up 24% of central bank reserves, the highest share since the 1990s.
• Analyst Marion Laboure sees parallels between gold and Bitcoin as safe-haven, low-correlation assets.
• Deutsche Bank predicts both Bitcoin and gold could join central bank reserves by 2030.

Global central banks are expanding their gold holdings at a pace not seen in decades, a trend that could have major implications for Bitcoin, according to a new report from Deutsche Bank.

The bank’s strategists noted that gold’s share of central bank reserves climbed to 24% in the second quarter, its highest level since the 1990s, marking a renewed confidence in the precious metal amid shifting global monetary dynamics.

Deutsche Bank’s findings highlight how gold’s resurgence and Bitcoin’s momentum in 2025 share several common characteristics, particularly as investors and policymakers seek alternative stores of value in an uncertain economic environment.

Central Banks’ Gold accumulation reaches multi-decade highs

The report shows that official demand for gold has doubled compared to the 2011–2021 average, signaling an intensified effort by central banks to diversify away from fiat currencies.

The strategists described this as a “significant shift in global finance,” echoing patterns seen throughout the 20th century when gold played a dominant role in global reserves.

Gold’s renewed accumulation coincides with its climb past inflation-adjusted all-time highs.

Although gold prices have been setting nominal records for several years, Deutsche Bank noted that only recently has the metal surpassed its real-adjusted peak from 1980.

“It’s only in recent weeks that gold has finally surpassed its real-adjusted all-time highs from around this point 45 years ago,” the bank’s strategists wrote.

They attributed the decades-long gap between those milestones to a combination of factors, including central bank gold sales, institutional sell-offs, and the rise of the fiat currency era.

The report also recalled that gold’s formal role as a reserve asset ended in 1979 when the International Monetary Fund (IMF) prohibited member countries from pegging exchange rates to gold — a move that cemented the end of the Bretton Woods system.

Bitcoin emerges as a modern parallel to Gold

Deutsche Bank’s macro strategist Marion Laboure explored potential parallels between gold and Bitcoin in a report titled “Gold’s reign, Bitcoin’s rise.”

She observed that both assets have shown similar long-term performance patterns since their inception and share a reputation for high volatility and periods of underperformance.

Laboure emphasized that both gold and Bitcoin have a low correlation with traditional financial assets, making them attractive options for diversification.

These shared traits, she suggested, contribute to their appeal as potential “safe-haven” assets in times of market uncertainty.

While Laboure acknowledged that Bitcoin’s volatility and lack of backing remain major concerns, she noted that volatility has declined to historic lows.

Other challenges — including limited adoption, speculative behavior, cybersecurity risks, and liquidity constraints — continue to limit Bitcoin’s suitability as a mainstream reserve asset, but its trajectory is drawing increasing institutional attention.

Looking ahead: Bitcoin and Gold in central bank reserves by 2030?

Despite lingering skepticism among policymakers, Laboure predicted that both Bitcoin and gold could feature on central bank balance sheets by 2030.

The forecast reflects a gradual convergence between traditional and digital stores of value, particularly as institutional adoption of Bitcoin expands and governments explore ways to diversify their reserves.

Still, she cautioned that Bitcoin’s volatility and perceived risk profile remain key barriers for central banks, whose primary mandate is to preserve capital stability.