World Gold Council: Gold's annualized return is approximately 5%, with long-term trends supported by wealth storage demand.

BlockBeats News, September 7 — The World Gold Council recently released its "2026 China Gold Jewelry Retail Trends Insight" and addressed questions from reporters regarding the evolution of the hard pure gold category and the structural transformation of gold jewelry consumption.

Wang Lixin, CEO of the World Gold Council China, stated: "Hard pure gold is still 'the sun at eight or nine in the morning' — it will definitely be the future, and there is still enormous room for growth." China's gold jewelry market is experiencing a typical trend of "rising prices, falling volumes." According to association data, gold jewelry consumption volume in the first half of 2026 fell 30% year-on-year to 136 tons, yet total consumption value rose 5% to RMB 143.7 billion. Store consolidation continues, while demand for self-purchase and self-pleasure has climbed for three consecutive years, shifting from "important moment" consumption to "every moment" consumption.

The insight report's outlook on future gold investment trends is as follows: in the short term, watch the tug-of-war between a "hawkish" Federal Reserve and a "dovish" U.S. Treasury; in the medium term, central bank gold purchases provide a floor of support; and in the long term, consumption and wealth storage demand driven by economic growth will prevail. Historical data analysis shows that gold's long-term average annual return has remained stable at approximately 5%. (21st Century Business Herald)