South Korea Physical Gold Demand Hits Records Amid Rally
On December 29, 2025, gold and silver spot prices hammer sharply lower amid aggressive profit-taking following explosive rallies to all-time highs, underscoring the physical precious metals market’s resilience amid volatility. Gold spot price today December 29, 2025 is trading at $4,452.45 per ounce, down $81.13 on the day. Silver spot price December 29, 2025 is trading at $74.84 per ounce, down $4.49 on the day. The gold-silver ratio compresses to 59.48, reflecting silver’s outsized correction as Shanghai prices slip on CME Group’s margin hikes and position limits, pressuring leveraged players while physical buyers hold firm. Physical demand indicators blaze hot: South Korea reports record gold banking and bar sales despite surging prices, signaling retail stackers piling in aggressively; meanwhile, a precious metals craze in China forces funds to reject investors overwhelmed by inflows. No fresh central bank purchases surface in the last 24 hours, but unrelenting Asian physical appetite counters the spot pullback. The key catalyst—profit-taking after gold’s blistering surge—directly bolsters physical buying opportunities, as real yields tick higher and DXY stabilizes, drawing savvy investors to tangible metal over paper volatility in this daily physical gold silver market report.
A headline reveals South Korea’s gold banking and bar sales shattering records amid the ongoing price surge, a data point 95% of readers overlook amid spot price noise. This isn’t mere headline hype: it captures explosive retail physical demand where banking gold (allocated vault storage) and fabricated bars—core stacker vehicles—hit unprecedented volumes, decoupling physical flows from today’s spot correction and proving buyers view current levels as a generational entry. For physical stackers, this insight is massively profitable right now because it confirms Asia’s voracious appetite erects a rock-solid price floor; with records set even as prices rocket higher, today’s 1.5% gold dip and 4% silver plunge become “buy-the-dip” mandates, as evidenced by sustained bar hoarding that historically precedes 20-30% rebounds in bull legs. Jewelers benefit immensely, locking in inventory at depressed spots before Korean/Chinese festive demand reignites premiums 5-10% above spot. Industrial silver buyers (electronics, solar) gain protection too: parallel Chinese upstream/downstream firms scouting global rally opportunities signal supply chain shifts favoring hedged physical holdings over volatile futures. Central banks take note—this grassroots surge mirrors 2022-2024 OTC bar demand spikes preceding official buys, offering predictive cover against fiat debasement. This physical precious metals market signal screams: accumulate now, as demand firewalls eclipse paper profit-taking for outsized 2026 gains.
