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Net gold purchases by central banks hit a six-year high in the first quarter of 2019, with Russia securing the leading position, as nations seek diversification of their assets and less dependence on the greenback.

According to Gecko research report the global gold reserves were up by 145.5 tons from the beginning of the year through the end of March – a 68-percent increase compared to the same period in 2018. The Russian Central Bank added 55.3 tons to its vaults in the first quarter, bringing its vast gold reserves to 2,168.3 tons, and making it once again the biggest gold buyer, the report said. China came in second among the largest buyers during the period, purchasing 33 tons.

Beijing began the purchases again in December after a more than two-year pause. Several other countries significantly boosted their gold reserves, including Ecuador, Turkey, India, and Kazakhstan.