Gold Price Today in China
The live table shows the gold price in China in yuan (CNY) per gram, per liang (50 g), per 100 g and per kilogram, and for 18K gold. These are London-based parity values; the Shanghai Gold Exchange price can sit above or below them, and brand jewellery shops price well above both.
Live gold rate in China (CNY)
| Weight & purity | Live price |
|---|---|
| Au99.99 · 1 gram | live |
| Au99.99 · 10 grams | live |
| Au99.99 · 1 liang (50 g) | live |
| Au99.99 · 100 grams | live |
| Au99.99 · 1 kilogram | live |
| Au99.99 · 1 troy ounce | live |
| 18K gold · 1 gram | live |
Live XAU/CNY (TradingView FX_IDC:XAUCNY) scaled to each weight and purity. This is London parity, not the SGE price. How we calculate
The Shanghai Gold Exchange
China is the world's largest consumer of gold and a major producer. Its wholesale market is the Shanghai Gold Exchange (SGE), which opened in 2002 and trades physical gold contracts priced in yuan per gram, the most important being Au99.99 (99.99% gold in 1 kg bars). Since 2016 the SGE has also published the Shanghai Gold Benchmark Price, set in yuan per gram through auctions twice a day, as a yuan reference alongside the LBMA's dollar price in London.
Gold imports into China require approval from the People's Bank of China, and gold cannot flow freely in and out. As a result, the SGE price can differ from the London price converted into yuan: when Chinese demand is strong it trades at a premium, sometimes a large one; when demand is weak, at a discount. The premium is closely watched as a gauge of Chinese buying.
Units and marks
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 克 (ke) | Gram, the standard retail and SGE unit |
| 两 (liang) | 50 g on the mainland |
| 足金 (zujin) | At least 99.0% gold |
| 足金999 / 足金9999 | At least 99.9% / 99.99% gold |
| K金 (e.g. 18K金) | Alloyed gold, used for gem-set jewellery |
The mainland liang of 50 g differs from the Hong Kong tael of 37.429 g; see our Hong Kong page for that market.
Retail prices: brand price plus labour
Jewellery chains such as Chow Tai Fook, Lao Feng Xiang and Chow Sang Sang publish a daily zujin price per gram that sits noticeably above the SGE price. On top of it they charge a labour fee (工费), per gram or per piece, or sell some designs at a fixed price. The gap covers retail costs, brand and the 5% consumption tax that applies to gold jewellery at the retail stage. Banks sell investment bars and offer gold accumulation accounts priced much closer to the SGE, and the wholesale jewellery market at Shuibei in Shenzhen is known for prices close to the gold value plus a modest labour fee.
Who buys and when
Demand peaks around Chinese New Year and the October Golden Week holiday, and wedding gold is a steady source of buying: many brides receive the "three golds" (三金) of a ring, necklace and earrings or bracelet. In recent years younger buyers have turned to small 1 g "gold beans" and other low-weight investment pieces as a way to save a little at a time. Strong retail and investment demand in China tends to widen the Shanghai premium, while weak demand or very high prices can turn it into a discount.
Worked example (illustrative)
Suppose London parity is ¥940 per gram, the SGE Au99.99 price is ¥945, and a brand store prices zujin at ¥1,150 per gram. You buy a 10 g bracelet with a ¥300 labour fee:
| Item | Calculation | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| SGE premium over London | ¥945 − ¥940 | ¥5/g (≈ 0.53%) |
| Bracelet gold at brand price | 10 g × ¥1,150 | ¥11,500 |
| Labour fee | fixed | ¥300 |
| Total paid | ¥11,800 | |
| Gold value at SGE price | 10 g × ¥945 | ¥9,450 |
| Paid above gold value | ¥11,800 − ¥9,450 | ¥2,350 |
These numbers are examples. Brand shops usually buy back gold, often their own pieces, at a price linked to the SGE minus a fee, so most of the ¥2,350 is not recovered on resale.
Tips
- For saving, bank bars and accumulation accounts track the SGE more closely than jewellery.
- Check the 足金 mark and ask whether a piece is sold by weight or at a fixed price.
- Compare the store's zujin price with the SGE price and the London parity above.
- Keep the invoice; buy-back terms often require it.