Kathmandu, Dec. 20 -- With gold prices climbing almost every day, the value of Nepal Rastra Bank's gold holdings has jumped by a massive 71.25 percent within a year, even though the quantity of gold in its vaults remains unchanged.

According to the central bank's monthly balance sheet, Nepal Rastra Bank held gold deposits worth Rs210 billion as of mid-November, up from Rs122.79 billion in the same period last fiscal year. The sharp rise reflects price appreciation rather than an increase in physical reserves.

Nepal's gold reserves stood at 7.99 tonnes in the second quarter of 2024, unchanged from the first quarter, according to reports. Gold reserves in the country averaged 4.38 tonnes between 2000 and 2024, reaching an all-time high of...