Russian gold pours into Hong Kong as Western sanctions reshape global bullion trade

When the US, UK, and EU slammed sanctions on Russian gold after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the metal didn’t stop moving. It just found a new address. Hong Kong has quietly become the world’s largest recipient of Russian gold, absorbing 92.1 tonnes in 2025, a 42% jump from the prior year. That haul is valued at roughly HK$82 billion, or about $10.5 billion, double the levels seen before the sanctions era kicked into gear.

How Hong Kong became Russia’s golden gateway

After the US began targeting Russian gold miners with sanctions in 2023, trade initially rerouted through Dubai. The UAE had long served as a clearinghouse for unconventional gold flows, but stricter regulations there eventually made the route less hospitable. By late 2023, Hong Kong had overtaken Dubai as the primary hub for Russian bullion.

The numbers tell the story clearly. Import volumes from Russia to Hong Kong multiplied several times over through 2023 and continued climbing. Meanwhile, mainland China ramped up its own direct purchases of Russian gold, with imports surging 15-fold to $3.3 billion over the 2023 to 2025 period.

Unlike the US, UK, and EU, Hong Kong imposes no restrictions on Russian gold imports. In 2024, the US Treasury sanctioned multiple Hong Kong-based companies, including VPower Finance Security, for their involvement in facilitating Russian gold transactions. Those designations exposed local firms to potential secondary sanctions and money-laundering liability.