Costco limits gold purchases after heavy market pressure

Costco stores in the U.S. recently decided to limit the number of gold bars that can be purchased per customer, in response to massive demand that emptied stocks within minutes.

Where Costco shoppers could originally purchase two one-ounce gold bars per transaction, they can now buy just one at a time.

— Business Insider (@businessinsider.com) 2025-05-12T17:04:51.263Z

This gold rush comes amidst a climate of financial market instability and global trade tensions triggered by Donald Trump, driving many Americans to turn to gold en masse as a safe haven.

As a result, stocks were quickly depleted and many customers left empty-handed.

In order to manage a demand that has become difficult to control, the wholesale retailer has seen a marked increase in gold bullion purchases in recent weeks.

Costco began selling gold bullion in 2023, an initiative that met with dazzling success, with over 75% of inventory sold out in the first week on the market.

Since their launch, these sales are said to be earning the company between $100 and $200 million a month, according to Wells Fargo.

In response to recent events, Costco has announced that a maximum of two gold bars per transaction will now be imposed on its customers within a 24-hour period.

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