As geopolitical unease intensified last year, central banks and retail investors worldwide piled into gold. In 2025, global demand for the precious metal surged 84% to 2,175 tons, according to the World Gold Council. Gold prices hit a record high in January, at $5,589.38 per ounce.
Yet nowhere is gold’s gravitational pull more pronounced than in Asia, where it has long served as the preferred way to transfer generational wealth. Indonesian gold retailer Hartadinata Abadi jumped 115 places on the Fortune Southeast Asia 500, rising to No. 129 after a 135% surge in revenue; it’s the biggest climber on this year’s ranking.
