Definition
Monetary gold is gold to which monetary authorities have title. It includes gold bullion and unallocated gold accounts. All gold held by other entities is considered non-monetary gold and is not classified as a financial instrument. Unlike all other instruments, gold bullion can only be recorded as a financial asset (i.e. never as a liability). Special drawing rights (SDRs) are international reserve assets created by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). SDRs can be converted into any IMF member country currency and serve as a source of liquidity for those countries.
Further information
This falls under category 1 of the financial instruments classification (European System of Accounts 2010).
Classification of financial instruments (European System of Accounts 2010).
Related concepts
- Financial instrument
- European System of Accounts (ESA 2010)
- Special Drawing Rights (SDRs)
- Monetary gold
References
Links to data tables
Selection of tables
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Balance of Payments and International Investment Position. International reserves and foreign currency liquidity.
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Balance of Payments and International Investment Position. International reserves and foreign currency liquidity.
Update date: May 2025
