• After gold topped $5,500 and silver surged past $120, the recent price drops represent a “structural release valve.” These pullbacks are a healthy part of price discovery.
• Despite the price volatility, the core reasons for owning precious metals—inflation concerns, fiscal imbalances, and geopolitical risk—have not changed. 
• Silver’s smaller market size and high retail participation mean it often “overshoots” in both directions. 
• While retail sentiment can shift overnight, central banks and institutional investors continue to add to gold reserves as a diversification strategy.

The story of gold and silver over the past several weeks reads more like a thriller than a traditional commodity price chart. After an extraordinary run that pushed both metals to fresh all-time highs over long-awaited round number levels, precious metal markets experienced one of the most dramatic corrections in recent history. 

For silver in particular, what had been a blistering advance — with prices surging well above historical norms — suddenly gave way to a swift decline. But before too much fear takes hold, it’s worth unpacking what happened, why pullbacks like this are normal, and why the long-term drivers behind precious metals remain intact.

The Price Action

At the peak of the recent rally, both gold and silver were trading at prices that had few precedents. Silver in particular shot up toward the triple-digit range, ultimately reaching $120+ per ounce, a level that would have been hard to imagine outside of a rare macro stress event. 

Gold likewise eclipsed record levels above $5,500 per ounce in nominal terms as investors piled into safe haven assets amid inflation concerns, uncertainty about monetary policy, and geopolitical risk. Those moves reflected a powerful confluence of buyers seeking protection against perceived currency debasement and portfolio risk: the classic “debasement trade” seen in markets under stress. 

Then came the pullback. In late January and over the past weekend, both metals experienced sharp declines. Silver prices, after peaking just days earlier, plunged more than 30 percent in rapid fashion, with some measures showing declines exceeding 40 percent from recent highs. Gold also pulled back sharply — down 20 to 25 percent off its peak in some trading sessions — and both markets saw extended volatility. 

Why The Pullback?

A number of catalysts contributed to the rapid correction. A key driver was a shift in monetary policy expectations following the announcement of a new Federal Reserve chair nominee, which eased some market fears about prolonged ultra-easy monetary policy. 

Rising bond yields and a stronger US dollar can reduce the immediate appeal of non-yielding assets like gold and silver, especially when markets perceive less risk in the near term. Hikes in margin requirements on futures contracts also forced leveraged traders to reduce positions quickly, accelerating the sell-off. 

Market technicians and short-term traders often view such moves as signs of exhaustion after parabolic rallies. When prices have risen rapidly, positions become crowded, leverage builds up, and sentiment turns overwhelmingly bullish. For that reason, pullbacks in that environment are not a sign that the fundamental story is broken; they are a structural release valve. In fact, some of the most explosive bull markets in history have included violent corrections along the way.

Silver, with its smaller market size and higher volatility compared to gold, is especially prone to this dynamic. It doesn’t take nearly as much capital to push silver dramatically higher or lower, and speculative activity – particularly in markets with heavy retail participation – can amplify those swings. 

That means silver can overshoot on the way up and then overshoot again on the way down. This sort of volatility, while unsettling, does not negate the underlying demand for the metal; it simply underscores silver’s higher beta relative to gold and other assets.

A Healthy Correction?

Despite the recent pullback, both gold and silver remain significantly above where they traded at this time last year. Even after dropping sharply, silver prices are still well above historical norms and remain up markedly over longer time horizons. Gold, too, while off its most extreme levels, still trades at historically elevated prices compared with much of the past decade. 

It’s also important to remember that corrections like this play a healthy role in the price discovery process. They weed out overly leveraged positions, reduce near-term speculative froth, and can ultimately build a stronger base for subsequent advances. Markets that never correct often become dangerously extended and vulnerable to catastrophic breakdowns; markets that correct along the way tend to forge more sustainable trends.

Fundamental Drivers Still Intact

From a fundamental perspective, the macroeconomic conditions that fueled the run-up have not disappeared simply because prices have retraced. Concerns about inflation remain. 

Fiscal imbalances have not gone anywhere, and the credibility of the Federal Reserve continues to be a topic of debate and concern in global markets. Central banks around the world — particularly in emerging economies — have been steadily adding to their gold reserves as part of broader diversification strategies. This institutional demand is slower moving and far less susceptible to abrupt shifts in short-term sentiment. 

Silver’s physical demand story, anchored in both investment demand and industrial use (electronics, photovoltaics, medical technologies), also remains intact – even if prices are correcting. 

Pullbacks are an expected phase of any uptrend, not an existential threat to the secular thesis for precious metals. Sharp corrections follow many of the most memorable rallies in financial history — from equities to commodities — and are part of the normal ebb and flow of markets. 

These drawdowns can be anxiety-inducing, but they also provide valuable perspective: rapid rises nearly always require a period of digestion, consolidation, and reassessment before a next leg can develop. They are a part of a process, not a verdict or decree.

In that sense, the recent action in gold and silver exemplifies classic market behavior. A powerful rally driven by macro drivers and investor positioning built up quickly, attracted momentum buyers and leveraged traders, and then corrected as sentiment shifted and profits were taken. 

What remain, however, are the durable long-term drivers that have historically supported precious metals through varied economic regimes: their roles as a store of value in times of uncertainty, as a hedge against currency debasement, and as portfolio diversifier that carries no counterparty risk that many institutional investors, central banks in particular, continue to hold.

Conclusion

Price treatments are not pleasant, but they are normal. And in markets as dynamic and macro-sensitive as gold and silver, they are to be expected when prices have run up so quickly. Long-term holders – those who understand the broader forces at work – are usually better served by staying focused on the why of the trend and the how of the market process: not just the ‘now’ of the price.

About the author: Peter C. Earle, Ph.D, is the Director of Economics and Economic Freedom and a Senior Research Fellow who joined AIER in 2018. He holds a Ph.D in Economics from l’Universite d’Angers, an MA in Applied Economics from American University, an MBA (Finance), and a BS in Engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point.

Prior to joining AIER, Dr. Earle spent over 20 years as a trader and analyst at a number of securities firms and hedge funds in the New York metropolitan area as well as engaging in extensive consulting within the cryptocurrency and gaming sectors. His research focuses on financial markets, monetary policy, macroeconomic forecasting, and problems in economic measurement. He has been quoted by the Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, Barron’s, Bloomberg, Reuters, CNBC, Grant’s Interest Rate Observer, NPR, and in numerous other media outlets and publications.

Disclaimer: All opinions expressed by the author are the author’s opinions and do not reflect the opinions of Goldco. The author’s opinions are based on the author’s personal experience, education and information the author considers reliable. Goldco does not warrant that the information contained herein is complete or accurate, and it should not be relied upon as such. 

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• Money Magazine named Goldco “Best Customer Service” for the 4th consecutive year in its 2026 Gold IRA company rankings.
• The award reflects strong consumer trust, backed by A+ and AAA ratings and more than 8,000 five-star customer reviews.
• Goldco’s service-first, education-focused approach continues to set it apart as an industry leader.

Los Angeles, CA, February 4, 2026 — Money.com (Money Magazine) has once again recognized Goldco for its exceptional customer service, naming the company “Best Customer Service” in its 2026 Best Gold IRA Company Reviews. Goldco earned the top distinction among seven leading gold IRA companies, marking the fourth consecutive year the company has received this prestigious honor.

Money.com evaluated gold IRA companies based on reputation, transparency, educational resources, and customer service. The review included analysis of company websites, fee structures, minimum balance disclosures, and profiles with consumer advocacy organizations such as the Better Business Bureau, Business Consumer Alliance, and Trustpilot. The editors also analyzed the user-friendliness and responsiveness of their customer service.

Money.com attributed Goldco’s “Best Customer Service” designation to its A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB), AAA rating from the Business Consumer Alliance (BCA), and an extensive collection of positive customer feedback across platforms such as Google, Trustpilot, Consumer Affairs, Retirement Living, and the BBB. The recognition follows a major milestone for the company, which recently surpassed 8,000 five-star reviews from satisfied customers.

In addition to its industry accolades, Goldco is a nine-time Inc. 5000 award recipient, reflecting the company’s sustained growth and operational excellence. The company has also earned widespread recognition through endorsements from prominent figures including Sean Hannity, Tom Selleck, Dennis Quaid, and Chuck Norris.

“This recognition reflects the exceptional customer service we strive to deliver every day,” said Trevor Gerszt, CEO of Goldco. “We focus on clear communication, education without pressure, and support that helps people make informed decisions with confidence.”

To read the Money Magazine article recognizing Goldco as the “Best Customer Service” gold IRA company, visit: https://money.com/best-gold-ira-companies/

About Goldco

Goldco is a privately held company with over a decade of experience in helping customers protect their retirement savings. Whether you want to diversify your retirement savings into a precious metals IRA or buy gold and silver directly, a Goldco specialist can help assist every step of the way.

The company’s long-standing reputation for excellent customer service, high ethical standards, along with precious metals education and resources position Goldco as a preferred precious metals provider. With over 8,000 5-Star customer reviews, numerous awards and the highest industry buy back guarantee, Goldco has set the standard for buying precious metals.

Goldco is rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau and Triple A by Business Consumer Alliance. 

About Money.com
Founded in 1972 as a print magazine, Money has long helped everyday people build stronger financial futures. Today, Money.com continues that legacy by delivering timely news, educational resources, and practical tools designed to help readers make informed financial decisions and achieve meaningful, long-term outcomes.

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Unease about the economy is pervasive through the US. Millions of Americans are uncertain about the economy, their own finances, and their future.

With this growing unease comes a flight to safety and to safe haven assets. Among those safe havens are precious metals, which have seen record high prices recently as more and more people look to buy precious metals.

Many people today remember the financial crisis of 2008, which saw markets fall by over 50% and wiped out trillions of dollars of wealth. And they also remember how precious metals like gold and silver performed in the aftermath of the crisis, with gold rising nearly 270% and silver rising over 500%.

With precious metals and record high prices in the news today, the question most people have today is, what is the best precious metal to buy right now?

Precious metals markets are far different today than they were 10 or 20 years ago, and the number of options available is significantly broader too. So what is the best precious metal to buy, and what are some of the best ways to buy it?

What Are Precious Metals?

Precious metals are rare, naturally occurring metals in the earth’s crust that have high value due to their uses, whether as safe haven assets, in jewelry, or in industry. Both because of their rarity and their use in coinage, jewelry, and industry, precious metals have values far higher than base metals such as steel and copper.

While everyone is familiar with gold and silver, they often overlook the other precious metals, those in the platinum group: ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium, and platinum. So what is the best precious metal to buy right now? Let’s take a look at some of the properties of precious metals.

Now that we’ve looked at some of the properties and characteristics of precious metals, let’s take a deeper dive into precious metals, starting with the four best precious metals to buy right now.

1. Gold

When people think of buying precious metals, their first thought is almost always gold. Gold has captured the imaginations of people across the world for millennia, serving as a currency, a store of value, and a highly popular safe haven asset.

There’s a reason people refer to certain benchmarks as a “gold standard” – because gold is the object against which every other good has always been valued. Gold’s ability to maintain its value over time is legendary.

Just look at the difference between a $20 gold piece from the 1920s and its contemporary $20 bill. That $20 bill is still worth $20, while the $20 gold piece is now worth over 200 times that much.

But gold isn’t just a source of stability or diversification for a financial portfolio. It can also be a source of potential wealth appreciation. Gold has been one of the best performing assets of the 21st century, with a growth rate even surpassing that of stock markets.

With the possibility of an economic downturn weighing on many people’s minds, it’s no wonder that so many people are starting to buy gold to help protect their assets. And for those who want to try to protect their tax-advantaged retirement accounts, you can even take advantage of a 401(k) to gold IRA rollover to buy gold.

A gold IRA allows owners of tax-advantaged retirement accounts such as a 401(k), 403(b), TSP, IRA, or similar account to roll over those funds into an IRA that owns precious metals such as gold. That gold IRA offers the same tax advantages as any conventional IRA, but with the added protection that owning physical gold coins or bars can offer.

2. Silver

All that glitters is not gold, as many silver buyers know well. While silver often plays second fiddle to gold, it can be an important asset in any precious metals portfolio.

During precious metals bull markets, silver’s gains can often outstrip those of gold. After the 2008 financial crisis for instance, silver more than quintupled in price from its 2008 lows to its 2011 highs, while gold only nearly tripled. And in 2025, the silver price rose 144% vs. 65% for the gold price.

The silver price and market is different from that of gold because silver is much more heavily used in industry than gold. Roughly half of all demand for silver normally comes from industry, whether it’s from electronics, dental equipment, or increasingly the solar panel industry.

Silver supply is 2.5% lower than it was in 2016, while silver demand is 15.6% higher. Because most silver is produced as a byproduct of mining for gold, copper, and other metals, decreases in mining activity for those metals can result in decreased production of silver too.

Overall silver supply from mining has decreased 7.2% since 2016, while silver has been in a structural deficit, with demand outstripping supply, since 2021. Silver demand currently exceeds silver supply by over 100 million ounces per year, and there are concerns that the supply of above-ground silver may be insufficient to meet market demand.

With tightening supply and rising demand from both safe haven demand and the solar industry, the silver price could be seeing a major breakout in the coming year, and analysts at Bank of America think silver could reach over $300 an ounce.

Like gold, silver can be purchased through an IRA. A silver IRA allows you to hold silver in an IRA and enjoy all the same benefits of a tax-advantaged retirement account, while simultaneously owning physical silver coins or bars.

3. Platinum

Platinum is the third-most popular precious metal today. If you’re wondering what the best precious metal to buy is, platinum could be right up there.

Platinum’s history isn’t as long as that of gold, although the metal has existed for millennia. But it was only in the 18th century that scientists were first able to separate platinum from the other precious metals with which it was commonly found in mines.

The platinum industry took off after that, with the metal’s durability and resistance to corrosion making it a favorite of jewelers, watchmakers, and other industries.

Roughly half of platinum produced today is used in automotive catalytic converters, its primary industrial use. A large portion of platinum is used in jewelry, and the remainder is used for electronics and in various other industries that need platinum’s resistance to corrosion.

Compared to silver and gold, very little platinum is minted into coins and bars, but those coins and bars are available from mints around the world. Platinum prices haven’t moved nearly as much as silver and gold have in recent years, with decisions in the catalytic converter industry being among the major influences on platinum prices.

Over 80% of platinum production today comes from South Africa, with Russia and Zimbabwe taking the second and third spots. That concentration of production can lead to fears of supply disruption in case of unrest in Africa.

But that also could mean that the platinum price could rise significantly in the event of such a disruption. The platinum price has underperformed in recent years versus gold and silver, but it’s hard to imagine platinum becoming any cheaper than it already is, and some analysts think that the platinum group metals offer some good opportunity for price growth.

Many years ago platinum was actually worth more than gold, and for all we know it may very well get there again. Years from now people may look back and kick themselves for not buying platinum when they had the chance.

4. Palladium

Only discovered in the early 19th century, and once of limited use primarily in jewelry, palladium has seen significant price movement in recent years. Like its sister, platinum, palladium finds one of its primary uses in the automotive industry in catalytic converters.

Similar to platinum, palladium’s production is concentrated in only a handful of countries. Russia and South Africa are the top two producers, with Zimbabwe, the US, and Canada producing lesser amounts of the metal. Supply disruptions and use by the automotive industry are two major drivers of the palladium price.

Supply disruptions from Russia in the early 2000s caused the palladium price to spike to nearly $1,100 an ounce. But by the time the 2008 financial crisis rolled around, palladium had fallen back down to a few hundred dollars an ounce.

Palladium’s lower price vis-a-vis platinum caused numerous auto manufacturers to use it instead of platinum in their catalytic converters. And that increased demand significantly.

The threat of supply disruptions in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine caused the palladium price to skyrocket, reaching over $3,400 at one point in early 2022. But the risk of palladium sanctions never materialized, automakers drew down their palladium stores, and the price subsequently fell to below $1,000 an ounce.

In recent months palladium has benefited from the overall precious metals boom, and some analysts think that platinum group metals may offer opportunities for price growth in the future.

With so much of the palladium supply dependent on production in Russia and South Africa, and geopolitical events potentially threatening those supplies, those betting on a lower palladium price could end up wrong, to the benefit of those who own palladium.

Honorable Mention: Rhodium

While the four metals above are the most commonly known and traded precious metals, rhodium deserves an honorable mention. It’s really the only other precious metal for which there is at least some available market, which is again, like platinum and palladium, largely due to its use in catalytic converters.

About 80% of rhodium is used in the automotive industry and, like platinum, South Africa is the world’s largest producer. That supply issue has led to a number of surges in the rhodium price over the years, with rhodium hitting an all-time high price of over $29,000 an ounce in 2021.

While the rhodium price afterwards crashed back down to around $4,500 an ounce, that was still multiples higher than the less than $700 it was trading for in 2016. Rhodium is currently trading at around $10,000 an ounce in February 2026, buoyed by the general boom market in precious metals, and there’s no telling when supply disruptions could boost the rhodium price yet again.

But rhodium doesn’t make our cut when it comes to considering what the best precious metal to buy is for a couple of reasons. The first is because of that significant price volatility.

Unlike gold and silver, which see relatively stable long-term price growth, and which can thus benefit those who want to hold assets for the long term, rhodium seems more suited to speculators looking to make a quick buck on sharp price movements.

While there were certainly great gains to be made when rhodium was soaring, there was also the potential for severe losses. Rhodium also isn’t readily available in coin or bar form, so buying it isn’t nearly as easy as the four top precious metals.

Rhodium also isn’t an IRA-eligible precious metal, which can make it more difficult to acquire as a speculative asset. While IRAs are generally prohibited from owning any metals or coins, there are specific exemptions for gold, silver, platinum, and palladium, but not for rhodium.

Gold, silver, platinum, or palladium bullion that meets minimum fineness requirements for futures contracts is eligible to be acquired by an IRA. That means you can add physical gold coins or gold bars, silver coins or silver bars, platinum coins or platinum bars, and palladium coins or palladium bars to a precious metals IRA. But rhodium gets left out.

The Other Precious Metals

The other precious metals in the platinum group metals (PGMs) are ruthenium, iridium, and osmium. These metals are among the rarest in the world, and because of their rarity and chemical properties, they just aren’t available in any real quantity to the general public.

For instance, read about the first ever coin made of pure iridium. You can see that because of the difficulty in working with iridium, it just isn’t practical to offer iridium coins and iridium bars to retail buyers.

The same goes for osmium and ruthenium, whose markets are so small and largely limited to industry that it’s nearly impossible for the average consumer to buy them. Add to that the fact that these metals aren’t IRA-eligible, and you soon realize that there is a reason gold, silver, platinum, and palladium are the four best precious metals for most people to buy.

Those four precious metals have well-established markets, plenty of coin and bar options available, and are well known to consumers. Iridium, osmium, and ruthenium may be rare and expensive, but there’s a reason for that, and a reason that no retail market for them really exists.

Common Questions About Precious Metals

What are the main ways to buy precious metals?

Coins and bars are two of the most common and popular ways to buy precious metals. Goldco offers precious metals in both coin and bar form, for both direct purchase and purchase through a precious metals IRA.

Which precious metals gain the most value over time?

Any precious metal can gain value over time, and there is no way to tell which precious metal will gain the most value. Both gold and silver have recently hit all-time high prices, and both remain popular purchase options for our customers.

I’ve never bought precious metals before. Which precious metals are best for me?

The precious metals that are best for you are those which fit your individual needs. You may want to consult with your financial advisor to determine which precious metals can help you achieve your aims, whether that’s portfolio diversification, inflation hedging, or something else.

How much of my portfolio should be allocated to precious metals?

The percentage of your portfolio you devote to precious metals is a decision you need to make with a view toward your risk tolerance and financial goals, and should be done in consultation with your financial advisor. Goldco’s specialists are not financial advisors and cannot provide financial advice.

Do I have to pay taxes when I buy or sell precious metals?

Direct cash purchases of precious metals coins or bars are tax-exempt in many states. You should consult with your financial advisor or tax professional before making a purchase.

Rollovers of funds into a precious metals IRA can normally be made tax-free, although again you will want to consult your financial advisor or tax advisor before starting a rollover.

Sales of precious metals can be subject to taxation, and rates can differ depending on how long you have owned the gold, whether it is held inside or outside of an IRA, etc. Due to the variety of potential tax situations and the fact that Goldco’s specialists are not tax advisors, Goldco cannot provide tax advice.

You should consult with your financial advisor or tax professional before making a sale of precious metals in order to determine your potential tax liability.

How do I know that the precious metals I’m buying are real and not counterfeit?

There are numerous ways to check if the precious metal coins or precious metal bars you have are real. One of the first things to do is to check if the coin or bar matches the published dimensions and weight.

Precious metal coins are also non-magnetic, so they should not be attracted to a magnet. Precious metals coins also make a distinctive pinging sound when they are struck, versus base metals which have more of a thudding sound.

Finally, there are chemical tests that can be done by professionals, although these may damage your precious metals products.

But one of the best ways to avoid counterfeit precious metals is to work with trusted partners like Goldco who work with mints around the world to bring you guaranteed authentic precious metal coins so that you don’t have to worry about possibly buying counterfeit precious metals.

How do I store my precious metals safely?

Gold that you buy with a direct cash purchase can be stored at home, in a safe deposit box or, if you’re making a particularly big purchase, can be stored in a bullion depository.

If you’re buying gold through a gold IRA, your gold coins or gold bars will have to be stored in a bullion depository. Goldco works with experienced precious metals bullion depositories to ensure that our customers’ precious metals assets remain safe and secure.

Can I hold precious metals in an IRA? Which precious metals are IRA-eligible?

Yes, you can hold precious metals in an IRA. Gold, silver, platinum, and palladium coins or bullion meeting minimum fineness requirements are eligible for acquisition by an IRA.

How can I fund a precious metals IRA?

One of the most popular ways to fund a precious metals IRA is through a precious metals IRA rollover. You can roll over assets tax-free from an existing retirement account such as a 401(k), 403(b), TSP, or IRA account into a precious metals IRA.

Goldco’s precious metals specialists have helped many customers navigate this rollover process. Contact our specialists to learn more about how the precious metals IRA rollover process works.

Can I take physical possession of the precious metals in my IRA?

The gold in your gold IRA must be stored in a bullion depository, but you may take possession of that gold when you decide to take a distribution through an in-kind distribution.

Some companies claim that there is such a thing as a home storage IRA, which purportedly allows you to purchase gold and silver using IRA assets and store those precious metals at home. These types of arrangements have been explicitly banned by tax courts, and anyone attempting to start a home storage IRA could face significant taxes and penalties.

I already own gold and silver coins. Can I move those into an IRA?

IRAs are prohibited from engaging in certain transactions, including IRA owners selling their property to an IRA.

This is why it can be helpful to consult with your financial advisor or tax advisor to go through the IRA rules and regulations in order to make sure that you don’t inadvertently end up making a mistake that could subject you to taxes and penalties.

Which Precious Metal Is Right for You?

If you want to know what the best precious metal to buy is, you’ll have to judge that according to your own financial or retirement goals. For many people, gold is going to come out on top every single time.

Gold has the benefits of long-term price growth, a good risk to reward ratio, and one of the best track records of any of the precious metals. If you’re looking to help safeguard your financial well-being for the long haul and looking for wealth protection for years or decades to come, gold is going to be hard to beat.

But other people may decide that they can afford a little more risk. They might like the additional potential upside to buying silver, particularly when they see that silver can make incredible gains during a precious metals bull market and can even outgain gold on a percentage basis.

Others may want to put a small percentage of their funds into platinum or palladium, adding even more diversification even though it could increase their risk profile. At the end of the day, it’s up to you which precious metal is the best precious metal to buy.

With years of experience helping thousands of customers just like you purchase precious metals, Goldco’s specialists are ready to assist you with any questions you have and walk you through the precious metals purchase process.

Our commitment to quality products and superior customer service has made us one of the top precious metals companies in the country, and our more than 8,000 5-star reviews are a testament to that.

If you’re interested in putting precious metals to work in helping to safeguard your retirement savings, call Goldco today.

This article was originally published in July 2020 and was updated in February 2026.

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With a price gain of 144% last year, silver was one of the best-performing assets of 2025. But will the white metal be able to keep up that kind of momentum in 2026?

So far this year the answer seems to be yes, as silver has risen another 42%, continuing to set all-time highs. Silver seemed to hit $100 an ounce easily, while some think silver could continue to climb to $150, or even over $300 an ounce.

For silver owners, these prices have been a vindication of their trust in silver, which has been undervalued versus gold for years. For those looking to buy silver, the recent price increases are probably causing many to wish they had bought silver sooner.

Now the question most people ask is, will silver continue its strong momentum of upward price movement? And where will the silver price end up in 2026?

Factors Behind Silver Price Surge

Like all goods, the silver price is determined by the interplay between supply and demand. Unlike gold, which according to the World Gold Council sees approximately 7% of its demand each year coming from industry and technology, silver normally sees about 50-60% of its demand coming from industrial demand.

According to the Silver Institute, net physical investment demand for silver has averaged about 21% of overall silver demand over the past five years, while industrial demand has averaged about 54% of silver demand.

But there are some elements unique to silver that are helping push the silver price higher today. Let’s look at five of the reasons the silver price is surging today.

1. Shortage of Physical Silver

For the past five years silver demand has exceeded silver supply. That is to say, the amount of physical silver used has exceeded the amount of physical silver produced.

From 2021 to 2025, the total shortfall between silver demand and silver supply was almost 800 million ounces. Put into perspective against annual silver supply, that means that the amount of silver used that couldn’t be met by supply was equivalent to over 75% of last year’s entire silver supply.

That is a huge shortfall, and many silver market observers have warned over the years that such a shortfall could not be sustainable, and that it would eventually result in higher silver prices.

It looks like what they had been predicting is finally coming true. Now that the physical silver shortage has been going on long enough, that shortage is finally beginning to be felt in silver markets, or at least the fear that physical silver is in short supply.

2. Paper Silver vs. Physical Silver

One of the reasons there is fear of a silver shortage is because of the difference between paper and physical silver. Physical silver is the 1000-ounce bars that trade on international markets and that are the backbone of physical silver markets.

Paper silver refers to things like silver futures or shares in silver exchange-traded funds (ETFs), assets which derive their value from an underlying physical asset, in this case silver, but which are in and of themselves not an actual physical asset.

The reason this is important is because many traders of paper silver don’t care if they own physical silver or not. They’re trying to make a few bucks by buying and selling futures or options, or by trading ETF shares.

Put yourself in their shoes. If you buy 100 shares of a silver ETF, and the price goes up 50%, and you sell for a big profit, does it matter to you that you didn’t actually own physical silver or couldn’t convert your shares into silver? Probably not.

For many traders, they’re happy to see these contracts settling for cash rather than physical silver delivery. But with a shortage of almost 800 million ounces of silver over the past five years, an increasing number of silver users are going to futures markets to buy silver, and they want physical silver delivered.

If you need 100,000 ounces of silver to make solar panels, or electronics, or jewelry, a contract that settles in cash and gives you a cash profit doesn’t help you when you need that physical silver to produce your goods.

Let’s say you make a $3 million profit on that contract, but you still have an entire factory full of workers and machinery sitting idle because you’re waiting on that silver to make your solar panels. You need that silver to keep doing business, and paper silver isn’t going to cut it.

Some people have speculated that the final impetus for a real spike in the silver price could be in the case when someone who needs and expects physical delivery is faced with a force majeure situation, meaning that a contract in which they expect physical delivery is forced into cash settlement because the exchange doesn’t actually have enough silver to deliver to fulfill the contract.

If such a scenario were to happen, it could spook other silver users, causing them to panic and try to buy up as much physical silver as possible in order to keep something similar from happening to them. And that could send silver prices soaring.

Could 2026 be the year that something like that happens?

3. Safe Haven Demand for Silver

Another factor helping drive prices higher is safe haven demand. Silver serves as a safe haven asset just as gold does, and safe haven demand for silver is finally catching up.

With the US economy facing a shaky job market, sticky inflation, and fear of a potential stock market downturn, many Americans are looking for assets to help keep them safe in the event that the economy sours.

Silver could help play that role, and with silver having seen such phenomenal growth last year, many people buying silver today are undoubtedly hoping that silver could continue to see even more growth in the future.

4. Geopolitical Uncertainty Helping Drive Silver Demand

Uncertainty about the US economy isn’t the only factor helping drive silver demand. Geopolitical uncertainty is becoming an increasingly important factor this year too.

Tariffs may have been the threat in 2025, but trade war or even all-out war are fears in 2026. With a raid on Venezuela, the threat of intervention in Iran, and saber rattling surrounding Greenland, the world suddenly seems to be a very unstable place.

This heightened geopolitical uncertainty could help boost gold and silver prices.

5. Heightened Retail Interest in Silver

Any time you have an asset that surges 144% in a single year, then goes on to make double digit gains and set new record highs in the first month of the next year, you’re going to have interest from people who wouldn’t normally give that asset a second look.

That’s the case with silver today, which most of the time plays second fiddle to gold. But with the silver price having risen so much over the past year, people have begun to sit up and take notice.

According to the Silver Institute, net physical investment in gold increased 7% from 2024 to 2025. But that’s still 40% below its peak in 2023.

Will 2026 see an increase in demand for silver coins and bars as more interested buyers dive into silver to take advantage of price increases? Or will high prices discourage buyers and keep them on the sidelines hoping for price dips?

Even at these all-time high silver prices, someone is buying. We’ll just have to see whether 2026 continues the trend of greater retail demand for silver, whether in the form of silver coins and silver bars, or silver purchases by ETFs.

Are You Taking Advantage of Silver?

Silver’s performance over the past year isn’t a surprise to anyone who has studied the white metal and its historical price performance.

During the 1970s, the silver price rose at an annualized rate of over 30% per year over the course of the entire decade. And in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, the silver price rose over 500% from its 2008 low to its 2011 high, more than double the gain that gold made.

Some analysts expect silver to hit over $150 an ounce this year, and some have even speculated that silver could hit as high as $300 an ounce. While you may think silver is high now, it could still have a lot of room to run.

If you want to add silver to your portfolio, Goldco has silver coin options available for you, whether you choose to make a direct cash purchase of silver or prefer to hold your silver coins in a silver IRA.

With prices rising every day, now is the time to decide whether you want to start putting silver to work for you. Call Goldco today to talk to one of our specialists and learn more about your silver buying options.

The post Silver Price Rose 144% in 2025; Will 2026 See a Repeat? appeared first on Goldco.

• Gold tops $5,000 and silver exceeds $100, reaching historic highs.
• Physical precious metals may be playing a broader role in long-term financial planning.
• Goldco offers a free 2026 Gold & Silver Kit and up to 10% instant match in bonus gold or silver* for qualifying accounts.

Los Angeles, CA — January 26,  2026 — Gold and silver have entered a historic new phase as prices reach unprecedented levels. Gold has charged past $5,000 per ounce, while silver has skyrocketed beyond $112 per ounce, signaling a major shift in how precious metals may be viewed in today’s financial environment.

For decades, physical gold and silver have been associated with wealth preservation and portfolio balance. Today, these record-setting price levels suggest that precious metals may play a more dynamic role within diversified retirement and savings strategies.

According to macro-economist, Peter C. Earle: “With gold crossing the once-unthinkable threshold of $5,000 per ounce and silver decisively breaking above $100, the precious metals complex has entered a qualitatively different phase: one best understood not as a speculative spike, but as a structural repricing.”

As inflation pressures, market volatility, and geopolitical uncertainty continue to shape the economic landscape, many Americans are reassessing how they allocate their long-term savings. Physical precious metals can offer tangible ownership and diversification beyond other assets.

To mark this historic occasion, Goldco is offering a free 2026 Gold & Silver Kit that outlines the driving factors that millions of Americans consider for precious metals ownership. This guide provides key insights on how to help safeguard your retirement savings by diversifying with safe haven assets like physical gold and silver. In addition, Goldco is running a special offer for up to 10% instant match in bonus gold or silver for qualifying accounts. Visit goldco.com for more information.

About Goldco

Goldco is a privately held company with over a decade of experience in helping customers protect their retirement savings. Whether you want to diversify your retirement savings into a precious metals IRA or buy gold and silver directly, a Goldco specialist can help assist every step of the way.

The company’s long-standing reputation for excellent customer service, high ethical standards, along with precious metals education and resources position Goldco as a preferred precious metals provider. With over 8,000 5-Star customer reviews, numerous awards and the highest industry buy back guarantee, Goldco has set the standard for buying precious metals.

Goldco is rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau and Triple A by Business Consumer Alliance.

The post Gold Surges Past $5,000 and Silver Breaks $100, Marking a New Era for Retirement Planning with Precious Metals appeared first on Goldco.

• The move to $5,000 gold and $100 silver represents a fundamental “repricing of trust” in the global financial system.
• A decisive shift has occurred where global central banks are exchanging dollar-denominated assets for bullion
• Gold is increasingly decoupling from the traditional “flight-to-safety” playbook; it now thrives even when stocks and bonds fall simultaneously.
• Silver has transcended its role as gold’s “volatile cousin,” driven by a “perfect storm” of persistent industrial supply deficits (solar, electronics).

For decades, gold and silver have occupied an uneasy place in modern finance: admired, to be sure, occasionally feared, but often dismissed as relics of a bygone economic era. That posture is no longer sustainable.

With gold crossing the once-unthinkable threshold of $5,000 per ounce and silver decisively breaking above $100, the precious metals complex has entered a qualitatively different phase: one best understood not as a speculative spike, but as a structural repricing.

Thresholds matter in markets. They are not merely round numbers; they mark changes in behavior, narrative, and institutional participation. Gold at $2,000 felt like a cyclical rally. Gold at $5,000 signals something deeper: a multi-generational reassessment of risk, trust, and the architecture of the global financial system.

Silver’s move is even more striking. Long regarded as gold’s volatile cousin – part industrial input, part monetary hedge – it has now crossed into territory that forces investors, policymakers, and central banks to re-evaluate its role altogether.

The Repricing of Trust

At the heart of the current rally is not inflation alone, nor interest rates in isolation, but a broader erosion of confidence – what has sometimes been called the “debasement trade.”

Buyers around the world are increasingly skeptical of governments’ ability to preserve purchasing power while managing ballooning debt, yawning budget deficits, geopolitical entanglements, and domestic political pressures. Gold, uniquely, sits outside that system.

This matters because the traditional pillars of financial safety are wobbling. US Treasurys, long treated as the ultimate risk-free asset, have failed to perform their historical role during recent episodes of geopolitical stress.

When tariff threats, territorial disputes, or questions about central bank independence originate within the United States itself, US Treasury securities and the dollar no longer provide the insulation buyers once expected. Gold, by contrast, has repeatedly done so.

This is not theoretical. Recent market episodes showed gold rising sharply on days when stocks fell and Treasurys declined alongside them – a complete inversion of the traditional flight-to-safety playbook. The implication is profound: gold is being repriced not just as an inflation hedge, but as a hedge against institutional fragility.

Interest Rates and Opportunity Cost

Lower interest rates have reinforced this shift. When yields on cash and government bonds were rising, gold’s lack of yield was perceived as a disadvantage. The calculus of that assessment has flipped.

As central banks cut rates (or signal a willingness to do so) even amid persistent inflation, the opportunity cost of holding gold diminishes. What remains is its convexity: limited downside as compared to fiat currencies, and substantial upside if confidence erodes further.

The scale of global liquidity magnifies this effect. Trillions of dollars remain parked in money market funds and short-term instruments. Gold still represents a minuscule fraction of private financial portfolios. Even marginal reallocations – from cash into bullion or gold-backed ETFs – can produce outsized price movements. This is not speculative excess; it is simple arithmetic applied to a market that is deep, but not infinitely so.

Central Banks Are Voting with Their Balance Sheets

Perhaps the most underappreciated driver of gold’s ascent is foreign central bank demand. For much of the late 20th century, central banks were net sellers of gold, viewing it as an inefficient asset in an era of dollar dominance and financial globalization. That era ended quietly after the global financial crisis and decisively after 2022.

Since then, central banks – particularly those with strained relationships with the West broadly or the US specifically – have been steadily exchanging dollar-denominated assets for bullion. This is not a bet on price appreciation alone.Gold carries no counterparty risk. It cannot be sanctioned, frozen, or repudiated by another state. For reserve managers concerned about political leverage embedded in the global financial system, that attribute has become invaluable.

Even allies are participating in the shift. Countries like Poland have explicitly framed gold accumulation as a stabilizing force for their national balance sheets. The result has been a steady, price-insensitive bid that underpins the market regardless of short-term volatility.

Equity Valuations and Portfolio Rotation

Gold’s surge also reflects unease elsewhere. Equity markets, particularly in the United States, are historically expensive by multiple valuation metrics. Concentration risk is acute: a small cluster of technology giants exerts disproportionate influence over some stock market indices. Episodes where those stocks falter – while smaller companies outperform – signal a search for alternatives rather than a wholesale retreat from risk.

Gold benefits from this rotation. It is not correlated with earnings cycles, profit margins, or technological disruption. It is a different kind of asset altogether – one whose value rises when traditional assumptions about growth and stability come into question.

Momentum with Memory

Gold rallies tend to persist. Historically, years of strong gains are often followed by additional advances rather than immediate reversals. That pattern reflects the slow-moving nature of the forces involved: unlike trends in stocks, cryptocurrencies, and even bonds (as recently seen in the US and Japan, among other places) monetary regimes, fiscal trajectories, and institutional credibility do not reset overnight.

Crossing $5,000 reinforces this dynamic. It forces benchmarks, risk models, and buyer expectations to adjust upward. What once looked extreme now becomes the new reference point.

Silver’s Breakout: Scarcity Meets Monetary Demand

Silver’s move above $100 is arguably even more consequential. Unlike gold, silver straddles two worlds. It is both a monetary metal and a critical industrial input found in electronics, solar panels, medical devices, and advanced manufacturing. That dual role makes it uniquely sensitive to supply constraints.

The silver market has run persistent global supply deficits for several years. Mine production has struggled to keep pace with demand, while inventories have been drawn down. Short squeezes, retail buying, and confusion around export policies have only exacerbated the imbalance.

At the same time, silver has emerged as the “accessible” precious metal for buyers that feel priced out of gold. As gold reaches new highs, silver increasingly serves as the marginal entry point into the precious metals trade. The combination of structural scarcity and expanding monetary demand creates conditions for sustained volatility, but also the potential for further upside.

Bitcoin Who?

The current environment has also clarified what gold is not competing with. Despite frequent comparisons, bitcoin has not functioned as a safe haven during episodes of geopolitical or policy stress. Its volatility, drawdown history, and correlation patterns mark it as a risk-on asset more useful for speculation and technological experimentation than as a store of value during crises.

Gold’s resurgence is not a repudiation of innovation, but a reaffirmation of fundamentals. When trust is strained, history matters.

Looking Ahead

None of this implies a straight shot to higher prices. Volatility will increase, especially for silver. Profit-taking, policy reversals, or temporary easing of geopolitical tensions can produce pullbacks. But the broader trajectory appears intact.

Gold and silver are being repriced for a world where monetary discipline is persistently uncertain, geopolitical risk is endogenous rather than external, and institutional credibility can no longer be taken for granted.

Crossing $5,000 and $100, respectively, is not the end of that process. It is likely the beginning of a new frame of reference. In that sense, we are not bearing witness to speculative mania, but the emergence of a new era. An era in which hard assets reclaim a central role in portfolios designed not just for return, but for resilience.

About the author: Peter C. Earle, Ph.D, is the Director of Economics and Economic Freedom and a Senior Research Fellow who joined AIER in 2018. He holds a Ph.D in Economics from l’Universite d’Angers, an MA in Applied Economics from American University, an MBA (Finance), and a BS in Engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point.

Prior to joining AIER, Dr. Earle spent over 20 years as a trader and analyst at a number of securities firms and hedge funds in the New York metropolitan area as well as engaging in extensive consulting within the cryptocurrency and gaming sectors. His research focuses on financial markets, monetary policy, macroeconomic forecasting, and problems in economic measurement. He has been quoted by the Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, Barron’s, Bloomberg, Reuters, CNBC, Grant’s Interest Rate Observer, NPR, and in numerous other media outlets and publications.

Disclaimer: All opinions expressed by the author are the author’s opinions and do not reflect the opinions of Goldco. The author’s opinions are based on the author’s personal experience, education and information the author considers reliable. Goldco does not warrant that the information contained herein is complete or accurate, and it should not be relied upon as such. 

The post Why 2026 Is A New Era for Gold & Silver appeared first on Goldco.

With gold and silver prices hitting record highs recently, precious metals have been in the news with increasing frequency. More and more Americans are buying gold and silver, or looking to buy gold and silver, as fear and uncertainty are spurring safe haven buying.

But did you know just how many Americans are buying gold?

A recent survey found that nearly 40% of Americans had bought gold or silver within the last year. And over 90% of those buyers are at least as likely or more likely to buy more gold and silver in the coming year.

Why are so many Americans so bullish about gold and silver? And what causes people to buy more gold and silver?

Here are three popular reasons many people buy gold and silver.

1. Gold and Silver Are Safe Haven Assets

When times get tough, people look to what they know and trust. And for centuries, gold and silver have served as trusted safe haven assets.

Gold and silver offer stability as tangible physical assets that you can buy and hold yourself. Their track record of good performance during times of economic downturns, currency devaluation, and high inflation has helped enhance their reputation as safe havens.

Gold and silver markets are also highly liquid and well traded, with precious metals being bought and sold around the globe nearly 24/7. That offers precious metals buyers and sellers the ability to buy and sell precious metals with ease, while also offering price transparency through widely quoted gold and silver benchmark prices.

But at heart it is the ability to produce returns during times of market weakness that solidify the status of gold and silver as safe haven assets. Because of their low correlation with stock markets , gold and silver are considered countercyclical assets that can help diversify your portfolio and help you mitigate losses elsewhere in your portfolio through their potential gains.

2. Gold and Silver Can Help Preserve Wealth

As Warren Buffett famously said, the first rule of investing is not to lose money. And the second rule is to remember the first rule.

Now, that’s easier said than done, of course, especially during times of economic turmoil and uncertainty.

Millions of Americans today are worried about their financial well-being, and with good reason. Persistent inflation and a weakening job market are helping drive fears of an economic downturn.

Many people remember the 2008 financial crisis and the pain that it brought. With markets falling by more than 50%, trillions of dollars of wealth were wiped away in months.

But there were some bright spots during the crisis and its aftermath: gold and silver.

Gold prices actually rose by nearly 25% during the period that stock markets fell over 50%. And in the aftermath of the crisis the gold price nearly tripled, rising almost 270% from its 2008 lows to its 2011 all-time high.

Silver fared even better, with silver prices rising over 500% from 2008 to 2011. Those price performances highlighted the ability of gold and silver prices to perform well even during periods of economic uncertainty and turmoil.

Anyone who had had the foresight to buy gold and silver before the crisis, or even in the middle of the crisis in late 2008, could have seen their gold and silver holdings make massive gains. If you had added gold and silver to your portfolio, you could have seen those gains mitigate losses elsewhere in your portfolio.

3. Gold and Silver Can Be Inflation Hedges and a Stable Store of Value

Gold and silver both have a reputation for being stable stores of value and hedges against inflation. During the 1970s, stagflation, for instance, both gold and silver prices saw annualized returns of over 30% per year over the course of the decade.

In fact, since 1971 the US dollar has lost 88% of its purchasing power, while the silver price has increased by nearly 6,000% and the gold price has increased by over 12,000%. Compare that to stock indices like the S&P 500 (up 7,600%) or the Dow Jones Industrial Average (up 5,500%), and you can see why gold and silver are trusted as stable sources of value.

Their ability to grow in value against the dollar and to maintain their value against other assets makes them valuable inflation hedges and stores of value.

Will You Buy Gold and Silver This Year?

Of course, looking at this recent survey, the flip side is that over 60% of Americans didn’t buy gold or silver. With the gold price having risen 65% and the silver price 144% in 2025, those people really missed out.

Are you one of the 40% who bought gold and silver and watched as those two precious metals made enormous gains? Or are you one of the 60% who missed out and are now watching on the sidelines?

If you haven’t bought gold and silver already, what are you waiting for?

Are you not interested in gold and silver? If not, why not?

With gains of 65% and 144% last year, gold and silver saw tremendous growth. And with their history of 30% annualized growth for an entire decade during the 1970s, having a few more years of phenomenal growth ahead of them wouldn’t be unprecedented. Wouldn’t you want to take advantage of that?

Are you waiting for gold and silver prices to come down before you buy? With both gold and silver at all time highs and showing no signs of slowing down, you might have to wait a while before that happens.

Are you unsure of where to buy gold and silver? Then give Goldco a call today.

We have helped thousands of Americans buy gold and silver, whether it’s through direct purchases of gold and silver coins or bars delivered straight to your door, or through gold IRA and silver IRA rollovers.

We work directly with mints around the world to source the highest quality IRA-eligible gold and silver coins for our customers, and our stellar customer service has netted us not only over 8,000+ 5-star reviews, but also a reputation as one of the best gold and silver companies in the country.

If you’re watching gold and silver prices climb and thinking you’re too late, you’re not. Call Goldco today to learn more about why 40% of Americans put their trust in gold and silver.

The post Why 90% of Gold and Silver Buyers Want to Buy More appeared first on Goldco.

That matters because gold and silver don’t require a single “right” forecast to do their job; they are regime-sensitive assets. They tend to thrive not just in recessions, but in periods when the market’s confidence in the stability of the financial and political operating system is under strain. 

In other words, the relevant question for 2026 is less “Where will gold be in December?” and more “What set of conditions is most likely to persist, and how will gold buyers, central banks, and industry respond?”

In that spirit, the clearest way to frame 2026 is as a contest among three forces that push and pull on bullion:

1. Real rates and liquidity conditions
2. Fiscal and geopolitical credibility
3. The structure of physical demand – especially the split between monetary demand (gold) and industrial demand (silver)

The resulting outlook can be expressed as a handful of scenarios: none require heroic predictions, and all grounded in how these markets actually clear.

Gold in 2026: The Metal of Policy Credibility

Gold’s role in 2026 is best understood as “policy insurance” rather than “inflation insurance.” Yes, inflation matters – the price level is still rising faster than the Fed’s 2 percent target – but what gold responds to most consistently are confidence channels: confidence in central bank independence, confidence in fiscal sustainability, confidence in the durability of global payments rails, and confidence that the rules of the game won’t change abruptly. 

That helps explain why gold demand can remain durable even after headline inflation cools: markets can grow less worried about the CPI print and more worried about the broader governance and Fed balance sheet trajectory.

1) Central banks remain a structural bid

The most important stabilizer for gold – arguably more important than marginal ETF flows in some periods – is demand from the official sector. Since 2022, central banks have treated gold less as a legacy relic and more as a strategic reserve asset that is (a) politically neutral, (b) outside the credit risk of any single sovereign, and (c) not contingent on permissioned settlement networks. 

World Gold Council reporting shows continued interest in building and actively managing gold reserves, with an increasing share of respondents citing risk management as a key motive.

Even where reported monthly net purchases fluctuate, the larger point is that the buyers – central banks, Treasuries, and exchequers – have broadened and the intent is strategic, not tactical. WGC’s recent central bank statistics and demand commentary underscore that official sector buying has persisted, and that buying pace can re-accelerate after brief pauses.

Implication for 2026: As long as reserve managers remain focused on diversification and sanction-risk hedging, gold has a durable floor of demand that is relatively indifferent to quarter-to-quarter macro noise.

2) The Fed path matters – but so does the reason for the Fed path

Markets often reduce gold to “rates up = bad, rates down = good.” In reality, the “why” is decisive. If rates fall because inflation is convincingly tamed and growth remains robust, gold may not suffer dramatically, but it may behave more like a steady diversifier than a momentum asset. If rates fall because growth deteriorates or financial conditions fracture, gold’s safe haven bid can strengthen.

Recent public remarks from Fed officials suggest caution about the timing of any additional cuts, emphasizing data dependence and the desire for clearer evidence on inflation and labor market dynamics.  Meanwhile, private sector macro research has highlighted uncertainty around the 2026 rate cutting cycle and the interaction of growth, tariffs, and financial conditions. 

Implication for 2026: Gold’s most supportive environment is not merely lower rates, but lower real rates amid elevated uncertainty, or any circumstance in which markets feel the Fed is constrained between inflation optics and financial stability.

3) Fiscal arithmetic and “credibility shocks”

Even with respectable real growth, the US (and much of the developed world) is testing a hypothesis: can large structural deficits alongside higher-for-longer debt servicing costs. Markets can tolerate that—until they can’t. Gold tends to perform well in environments where investors begin to treat fiscal promises as political variables rather than actuarial facts. 

You don’t need a crisis; you just need recurring episodes of headline risk that raise the probability of policy discontinuity (debt ceiling dynamics, emergency tariffs, institutional/legal disputes, etc.).

This is also where gold can decouple from “textbook” drivers. The Financial Times recently captured the wide dispersion in analyst expectations for 2026 precisely because sentiment and institutional risk can dominate traditional models. 

Implication for 2026: The key bullish risk for gold is not a single event, but a sequence of smaller credibility shocks that keep investors in “insurance allocation” mode.

Silver in 2026: Monetary Metal, Industrial Metal, Volatility Metal

Silver is not “gold lite.” It is simultaneously (1) a monetary metal with investment demand that can surge in risk-off periods, and (2) an industrial input whose fundamentals increasingly hinge on electrification and advanced electronics. 

That hybrid identity is why silver tends to be more volatile than gold: it can get hit by growth scares like an industrial commodity and then rebound violently when liquidity turns or investment demand spikes.

1) Industrial demand: electrification, especially for AI, is still the long-cycle story

The Silver Institute’s supply/demand materials highlight that industrial demand has been a central support in recent years, with notable strength in electronics and electrical applications.  More forward-looking work tied to technology sectors (including automotive electrification and charging buildout) points to continued structural demand growth over the coming years. 

Implication for 2026: Even in a “soft patch” economy, silver’s industrial bid can remain resilient if electrification capex stays on track – though it may not be smooth month-to-month.

2) Physical market balance and the “deficit narrative”

Silver’s market balance narrative has been a recurring feature of the post-pandemic period. The Silver Institute has discussed successive structural deficits in recent years, while also noting that total demand can ebb and flow with cycles and macro conditions. 

It’s important not to over-mechanize “deficit = higher price,” because above-ground inventories and investment positioning can swamp flow deficits in the short run. But persistent tightness does change the elasticity of the market: it can make silver more responsive to marginal investment demand.

Implication for 2026: If buyer demand returns strongly at the same time industrial demand remains firm, silver’s upside volatility can outpace gold. If growth disappoints and investment demand cools, silver can underperform even if the longer-run electrification story remains intact.

3) Silver’s 2026 identity depends on the macro regime

A useful mental model: in risk-on, disinflationary expansions, silver often trades more like a high-beta reflation/industrial story; in risk-off, politically doubtful regimes, it can trade like a monetary metal—sometimes with leverage to gold’s narrative.

Implication for 2026: Silver is the metal most likely to “change character” mid-year if the macro regime flips.

Three Plausible 2026 Scenarios (No Price Targets Needed)

Scenario A: “Soft Landing, Slow Disinflation, Cautious Fed”

Growth is okay, inflation edges down, and the Fed stays careful about cutting too aggressively. Official sector gold demand continues, but speculative fervor cools. In this environment, gold behaves as a strategic allocator’s anchor – steady, less explosive. Silver is mixed: supported by industrial demand but capped by the absence of a strong monetary panic bid.

Scenario B: “Growth Scare + Policy Response”

Economic data weakens more meaningfully (labor market softening, credit stress, or a negative shock), pushing the Fed toward cuts or liquidity support. In this environment, gold tends to benefit from both lower real yields and safe haven flows, while silver can initially sell off on growth fears and then rebound sharply as monetary demand returns.

Scenario C: “Credibility Shock / Institutional Volatility”

Inflation may or may not reaccelerate, but policy uncertainty rises: geopolitics, tariff/legal uncertainty, fiscal stress episodes, or debates over central bank independence. In this environment, gold is the cleanest hedge because it is about governance risk. Silver can participate, but with more whipsaw due to its industrial exposure.

Portfolio Logic for 2026: What Metals Are “For”

A disciplined way to think about precious metals in 2026 is by “job description:” 

• Gold is for reserve diversification, policy credibility hedging, and tail-risk insurance – especially in a world where the “rules” can change abruptly. Central bank behavior reinforces that framing.  
• Silver is for a barbell of monetary hedge + industrial growth exposure- potentially higher upside in regime shifts, but more drawdown risk if growth breaks.

Gold and silver buyers often get into trouble by treating both metals as the same asset. They are not. In 2026, the dispersion of macro paths argues for clarity about why you may want to own each.

Conclusion: Regime Awareness Over Point Forecasts

The defining feature of the precious metals outlook for 2026 is not a single dominant macro narrative, but the coexistence of several credible outcomes. That environment favors assets whose value is not tightly bound to a narrow growth or inflation path, but instead responds to shifts in confidence, policy coherence, and institutional trust. 

Gold and silver each express that dynamic differently, but both reward buyers who think in terms of regimes rather than targets. In a year where the range of outcomes matters more than the midpoint forecast, precious metals are less about being “right” and more about being prepared.

About the author: Peter C. Earle, Ph.D, is the Director of Economics and Economic Freedom and a Senior Research Fellow who joined AIER in 2018. He holds a Ph.D in Economics from l’Universite d’Angers, an MA in Applied Economics from American University, an MBA (Finance), and a BS in Engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point.

Prior to joining AIER, Dr. Earle spent over 20 years as a trader and analyst at a number of securities firms and hedge funds in the New York metropolitan area as well as engaging in extensive consulting within the cryptocurrency and gaming sectors. His research focuses on financial markets, monetary policy, macroeconomic forecasting, and problems in economic measurement. He has been quoted by the Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, Barron’s, Bloomberg, Reuters, CNBC, Grant’s Interest Rate Observer, NPR, and in numerous other media outlets and publications.

Disclaimer: All opinions expressed by the author are the author’s opinions and do not reflect the opinions of Goldco. The author’s opinions are based on the author’s personal experience, education and information the author considers reliable. Goldco does not warrant that the information contained herein is complete or accurate, and it should not be relied upon as such. 

The post Precious Metals Outlook 2026 appeared first on Goldco.

“The first rule of investing is never to lose money, and the second rule is never to forget the first rule.”

One time-honored way of safeguarding wealth against loss is to purchase gold. People have sought the safety and security of gold for centuries, and today is no different.

When stock markets crash or fears of market weakness emerge, many rush to the safe haven of gold. But even outside times of financial difficulty, gold can be a smart way to diversify your portfolio, protect your wealth, and make solid gains.

One popular method of acquiring precious metals is through a gold IRA. They offer the same tax advantages as conventional IRAs, but allow individuals to protect their retirement savings with tangible physical gold, which can help safeguard against volatility in financial markets.

Given gold’s reputation for long-term stability, it is a sought-after asset for those looking to protect and diversify their savings. If you’re looking to help protect your retirement savings, ensure that you have enough to live comfortably in retirement, and pass money on to your heirs, keep reading to learn more about the numerous advantages of a gold-backed IRA.

Unlike conventional IRAs, which you may be familiar with, a gold IRA is a type of self-directed IRA. Before we begin, it is important to understand the basics of a self-directed IRA.

A self-directed IRA (SDIRA) is an IRA that gives you greater control and flexibility over the assets you can hold within the account. It allows you to purchase alternative assets that aren’t found in most conventional IRAs. While self-directed IRAs require the use of a custodian who administers the account, you as the account holder, actually get to manage the account directly.

Some common forms of alternative assets allowed in a self-directed IRA include:

• Real estate
• Promissory notes
• Gold, silver, and other precious metals
• Cryptocurrency
• Mineral rights and water rights
• Commodities

A gold IRA is simply a type of self-directed IRA that focuses on purchasing precious metals such as gold coins and gold bars.

Precious Metals Diversification Strategy

Diversification is a strategic way of managing your portfolio to include various types of assets to reach specific financial goals over the long term. A well-balanced mix of assets can offer you the potential to improve returns and protect your principal without subjecting yourself to unnecessary concentration and risk.

Loading up on one stock or one industry could be costly if that stock or industry suddenly plummets. Likewise, reacting suddenly when the market changes can lead to knee-jerk decisions that don’t benefit you in the long term.

A diversified retirement portfolio can’t always offer large gains or prevent losses, but it is a strategy that some financial planners and fund managers use to create balance. One effective way to diversify is through precious metals like gold and silver.

You don’t want to leave your portfolio vulnerable to the ups and downs of financial markets. Taking control of your future by holding a self-directed IRA can be a good option for protecting and diversifying your portfolio. Purchasing physical gold through a precious metals IRA could provide:

• Stability: Gold has consistently grown in value and maintained its purchasing power over time. While the US dollar has lost over 97% of its value since 1913, the price of gold has increased over 9,000%. Silver has fared well against the dollar too, with the silver price increasing over 4,500% since 1913.
• Security: The gold that you own in your precious metals IRA is securely stored at a bullion depository. You can take a distribution of either cash or gold whenever you want, subject to any applicable taxes and IRS regulations, and after age 59½ those distributions are penalty-free.
• Simplicity: Understanding the value of gold doesn’t require special training, and you can easily check daily gold prices on your own.

Additionally, gold-backed IRAs offer specific benefits that can be superior to those of other types of retirement assets. These include:

• Wealth Protection: Gold has consistently grown in value over time, whereas the US dollar has consistently weakened over time through inflation and currency devaluation.
• Tax Advantages: Use pre-tax dollars to purchase gold, accrue tax-free gains, and only pay taxes upon distribution, just like a conventional IRA. Even better, you can learn how to diversify your 401(k) or IRA by rolling over existing assets.
• Long-Term Financial Growth: Gold can be a great long-term choice because it holds its value against inflation and can help protect portfolio value during times of recession.
• Financial Control: Diversifying your assets puts you in control of your wealth.

Uncovering Gold IRA Pros and Cons [step-by-step]

The 8 Key Benefits of a Gold IRA

Five Ways Gold can Help Protect Your Portfolio

1. Gold Can Help Portfolio Diversification

A diversified portfolio may mean thinking outside the box of purchasing stocks and bonds, which is what many Americans are most familiar with. Concentrating your assets in one place also concentrates your risk. Ever heard the saying, “Don’t put all of your eggs in one basket”?

By diversifying your portfolio with gold, you can ensure that your assets aren’t completely at the mercy of Wall Street for their performance. If financial markets take a downturn, if bond markets become illiquid, if stock markets crash, those traditional assets may all perform poorly.

Alternatives assets can leave a portion of your portfolio protected during challenging economic times, helping you diversify and shift risk away from financial assets and leaving a portion of your portfolio protected during those times when the stock market experiences weakness. Very often, the weaker the stock market and the economy perform, the better precious metals perform, potentially making them ideal assets to protect your portfolio when a recession is on the horizon.

2.  Hedge Against Market Fluctuations and Volatility

Physical gold acts as a hedge against dips in volatile markets. The boom and bust of the business cycle is all but a certainty, with stock market crashes and recessions occurring with unfortunate regularity.

Gold has acted as a hedge against other assets. Unlike paper assets like stocks and bonds that can become worthless as the companies that issue them fail, gold has always been worth something, and has remained in demand for thousands of years.

3. More Control Over Your Assets

Holding a precious metals IRA also can provide you with a greater element of control over your assets. For many people who may save for retirement through an employer-sponsored 401(k) plan, the options available to them are often limited.

That’s why so many people roll over assets from a 401(k) account to an IRA account, because IRAs generally offer more options.

By opening a precious metals IRA, you can gain an extra element of control over your portfolio, as you are the one who determines what types of gold or silver you hold.

A great advantage of having a gold IRA is that assets can be transferred easily and without tax consequences among retirement accounts. So someone who wants to roll over a portion of a 401(k) account can do so relatively easily. And if that person decides in the future to sell some of those precious metals assets to buy into stocks or bonds, that type of transaction can be done too.

With the control over your assets you can:

• Help diversify your portfolio;
• Give yourself greater peace of mind;
• Ensure that the decisions you make will directly impact your retirement and financial well-being.

4. Potential for Gold Price Growth

There’s a dirty little secret that mainstream financial firms don’t want you to know about: Gold is the best performing asset of the 21st century. In fact, it’s grown significantly more than stock markets have.

But you’ll still see stocks recommended for asset growth rather than gold. Why? Well, there are two potential reasons:

1. Nostalgia about the 1982-2000 stock market boom. That was a period of unprecedented growth, with stock markets growing around 17% per year on average. But we haven’t seen growth like that since then, and we may never see growth like that again.
2. Many financial firms make their money off fees associated with stock trades, asset management, etc. They don’t make money selling people gold because people hold gold for the long term. Plus some firms don’t offer gold custodial services.

Financial advisors and stockbrokers want to be able to charge for each trade, plus take a small management fee every year for each type of asset you own. But if you own gold for years and years, they can’t charge you trading fees because your assets are safe, secure, and not moving.

While gold may be bad for some financial firms, it’s good for you because your gains aren’t being nickeled and dimed to death through fees.

You will generally end up paying a few hundred dollars a year in custodial and storage fees. But compare that to the 1-2% annual fee you would likely pay to a financial advisor to manage your assets, which is on top of all your other expense ratios, and you see that fees on your gold could end up lower than those on conventional financial assets.

Traditional advisor fees can be death by a thousand cuts, but a gold IRA may eliminate that and keep more money in your pocket.

With a precious metals IRA, you can benefit from gold’s stability, take advantage of future price growth which can sometimes be substantial, and still have immediate access to your money should you wish to sell your gold or transfer your wealth into other assets.

5. IRA Tax Advantages

A precious metals IRA offers the same tax advantages as a conventional IRA. You can purchase gold with pre-tax dollars (or post-tax dollars with a Roth gold IRA), roll over existing retirement assets with no tax consequences, and defer taxation until you decide to take a distribution.

And just like with contributions to a Traditional IRA, annual contributions can even be tax-deductible. That also means that all the same IRA rules apply:

• Early distributions may incur income taxes and an additional 10% penalty;
• Required minimum distributions (RMDs) must be taken after age 73, except for a Roth gold IRA, which is exempt from RMDs;
• Annual contributions are limited to $6,500 (or $7,500 if you’re over age 50).

Rollover contributions to a precious metals IRA are not limited by the normal annual contribution limit, so you can roll over $10,000, $100,000, or $1 million or more from existing retirement accounts, and you can do it tax-free.

That allows you to protect your retirement savings with gold without having to take a tax hit. And when you choose to take a distribution, you can choose to take it either in cash or in physical gold.

For some people, keeping gold in an IRA can even offer better tax treatment than gold held outside an IRA. That can keep taxes from eating away at your returns. Don’t underestimate the benefits of a precious metals IRA to allow you to use pre-tax dollars to buy gold.

Learn More About Diversifying Your Savings With The Ultimate Gold & Silver Guide

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Learn More About Diversifying Your Savings With The Ultimate Gold & Silver Guide

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Types of IRA Accounts

If you are eligible, there are numerous types of IRAs available. These include:

• Traditional IRA: Contribute with pre-tax dollars, gains accrue tax-free, withdrawals are taxed as regular income. If your income is below certain thresholds, your contributions to an IRA may be tax-deductible.
• Roth IRA: Contributions aren’t tax deductible and are made with post-tax dollars. Earnings and withdrawals are not taxed.
• SEP IRA: Simplified Employee Pension, which is similar to a Traditional IRA, but is funded by an employer or self-employed individual.
• SIMPLE IRA: Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees, which is similar to a 401(k) plan, but has lower contribution limits and lower administrative costs.
• Self-Directed IRA: Follows the same eligibility and contribution rules as a Traditional or Roth IRA, but with the ability to hold alternative assets like real estate and precious metals.

Because these accounts provide tax benefits for retirement savings, there are an abundance of IRA rules that must be followed. These rules include requirements for contributions, withdrawals, and the types of assets that can be included in your portfolio.

We’ll start off with some general IRA rules and then focus more specifically on self-directed IRAs and the gold IRA rules that you need to know.

General IRA Contribution Rules

The IRS sets contribution limits on IRAs, which must be followed in order to avoid penalties. The following guidelines will help you understand contribution limits for IRAs:

• Limited to $7,000 in contributions per year ($8,000 if you’re over age 50).
• Contributions are across all IRAs, so if you have multiple IRA accounts, you are limited to that $7,000 total across all your accounts.
• Contributions are per person, not per account–potential to contribute to multiple IRAs in the same year.
• Rollovers or transfers from 401(k), TSP, IRA or similar accounts into an IRA or other eligible retirement plan are not subject to annual contribution limits.

IRA Penalties

The IRS sets forth penalties for not following regulations dealing with retirement accounts. Here are a few IRA rules to be mindful of so you know how to move a 401(k) to a gold IRA without any penalties:

• If you exceed the annual contribution limits, you may incur a penalty of 6% per year. Example: if you exceed the contribution limit by $500, you would be penalized $30 every year until the mistake is corrected
• If you have an IRA, you are not allowed to hold collectibles, which includes artwork, rugs, antiques, stamps, and other items as defined by subsection 408(m)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code. Tax penalties may result. This does not include qualified precious metals that are exempt under subsection 408(m)(3).
• Withdrawing any distributions before reaching the age of 59½ incurs a 10% penalty plus any taxes due. Exceptions include death or disability of the IRA owner, withdrawals to pay certain medical bills, first time home purchases, and higher education expenses.

Gold IRA Rules

Gold can be a great way to keep your portfolio diversified, but to take advantage of it and maximize your savings, you should be aware of the self-directed and gold IRA rules.

First, it’s important to understand the rules that govern self-directed IRAs and acceptable assets as a whole. These include subsection 408(m) of the US tax code, which prohibits IRA accounts from acquiring collectibles and defines collectibles as:

• “any work of art,
• any rug or antique,
• any metal or gem,
• any stamp or coin,
• any alcoholic beverage, or
• any other tangible personal property specified by the Secretary for purposes of this subsection.”

There are, however, exceptions made for some coins and bullion in subsection 408(m)(3), namely:

• Gold American Eagle coins minted by the US Mint are not considered collectibles.
• Other gold coins or bars must have a fineness “equal to or exceeding the minimum fineness” of a contract market, which for gold is .995, or 99.5% purity.
• Gold must be held by an IRA custodian. Home storage of IRA assets is illegal and can result in massive fines and penalties.

In addition, If you already own gold, you cannot add that gold to your IRA. But you can open a gold IRA and purchase new gold to add to your IRA.

Tax-Deductible IRA Contributions

Using an IRA to reduce taxes is not uncommon, but there are deduction limits set by the IRS to be aware of. Some general rules include:

• Roth IRA contributions cannot be deducted.
• Work retirement plan deductions may be limited if you or your spouse are covered by a retirement plan through your employer, and if your income exceeds certain levels.
• No work retirement plan means you are allowed to take a deduction in full if you and your spouse (if married) aren’t covered by an employer-sponsored retirement plan.

IRA Contribution and Deduction Limits for 2026

To better understand IRA rules related to contributions and deductions in 2026, refer to the following charts:

2026 IRA Contribution and Deduction Limits Effect of Modified AGI on Deductible Contributions If You ARE Covered by a Retirement Plan at Work

2026 IRA Contribution and Deduction Limits Effect of Modified AGI on Deductible Contributions if You are NOT Covered by a Retirement Plan at Work

401(k) to IRA Rollover Rules

Rollovers allow you to move existing retirement assets from a 401(k), 403(b), TSP, or similar retirement account into an IRA. Since rollover contributions are not subject to the annual IRA contribution limits, they can be a useful tool in building up your retirement savings.

In general there are three types of rollovers:

• Direct Rollover – a direct rollover occurs when a distribution from a 401(k) or similar retirement plan is made directly to another retirement plan or to an IRA account. No taxes are withheld from this rollover.
• Trustee-to-Trustee Transfer – this transfer occurs when a distribution from an IRA occurs and the distribution amount is sent directly from the first IRA custodian to another IRA custodian or to a retirement plan. No taxes are withheld from this transfer.
• 60-Day Rollover – this rollover occurs when a distribution from an IRA or retirement plan is made to you. You then have 60 days to roll over all or a portion of that distribution into an IRA or retirement plan. Because taxes will be withheld from this distribution, you will have to use other funds if you wish to roll over the full amount of the distribution.

Because of the potential tax consequences of a 60-day rollover, people who want to move a 401(k) to a gold IRA without penalty generally choose the direct rollover or trustee-to-trustee transfer. These ensure that their retirement savings are rolled over without taxes or penalties. `

Additionally, there is a one-per-year IRA rollover rule. This means that you can only make one rollover from the same IRA per year.

You also can’t within that 1-year period make a rollover from the IRA to which you distributed that rollover. You can read more about it at the IRS website.

This one-per-year rule does not apply to:

• rollovers from traditional IRAs to Roth IRAs (Roth conversions)
• trustee-to-trustee transfers to another IRA
• IRA-to-plan rollovers (e.g. IRA to 401(k))
• plan-to-IRA rollovers (e.g. 401(k) to IRA)
• plan-to-plan rollovers (e.g. 401(k) to 401(k))

There are additional restrictions on rollovers, such as the fact that RMDs cannot be rolled over. When you decide on doing a rollover, the IRS website has lots of useful information on the topic, including a rollover chart that shows which accounts can be rolled over into which.

You may also want to consult a tax professional to ensure that you aren’t making mistakes that could subject yourself to unnecessary taxes.

Buying IRA-Eligible Gold

Purchasing Gold? Different Types of Gold…[watch this before buying]

When learning how to buy gold for an IRA, it’s important to understand the rules. As discussed above, IRAs are forbidden from acquiring collectibles. But because of the exceptions in the Internal Revenue Code, there are numerous gold coins which are still IRA-eligible.

Some of the rules that have to be followed when buying gold coins or gold bars include:

• Level of fineness for gold coins and bars – .995
• Many older gold coins are not eligible, but among more recently produced coins there are exceptions laid out in the Code. Here are some of the more popular IRA-eligible gold coins:
  • Gold American Eagle
  • Gold American Buffalo
  • Canadian Gold Maple Leaf
  • Gold Lucky Dragon
  • Gold Australian Saltwater Crocodiles
  • UK Royal Mint Gold Lunar Series Coins
  • Gold Wright Flyer
  • Gold Washington Monument
  • Gold Independence Hall
  • Gold Phoenix
  • Gold Liberty
  • Gold Valor

• Gold assets must be administered by your custodian and stored at a bullion depository.
• If you already own gold, you cannot add that gold to your IRA, but you can open a self-directed IRA and purchase new, IRA-eligible gold.

Additional IRA-Eligible Precious Metals

You can also hold other types of precious metals coins and bullion that meet IRS specifications. Those include silver, platinum, and palladium that meet the following minimum fineness:

• Silver – .999
• Platinum – .9995
• Palladium– .9995

3 Steps to Start a Gold IRA

Beginning the process is simple, especially when you partner with precious metals experts like Goldco who know the ins and outs of this type of IRA. While it’s not difficult, you want to make sure you know all the rules and follow them so that you can avoid unnecessary taxes and penalties.

1. Choose the Type of Gold IRA

The type of self-directed IRA you set up will be dependent on how you want to fund your IRA. Most people will choose to fund their account through a rollover from an existing retirement account such as a 401(k), and they’ll often choose to open a Traditional gold IRA so that they can contribute with their pre-tax retirement savings.

If you’re transferring or rolling over funds from a Roth account, you will need to choose a Roth gold IRA. You can also open a Roth gold IRA if you want to do a Roth conversion.

2. Fund Your Account

Everything You Need to Know About Funding Your Gold IRA

How Much Money Do I Need to Start a Gold IRA?

The funding source for your gold IRA is dependent on what type of account you open. If you open a Traditional gold IRA, you can’t fund it with transfers or rollovers from Roth accounts such as a Roth IRA or Roth 401(k). But a Roth gold IRA can be funded with rollovers from pre-tax or Roth accounts.

Numerous types of retirement accounts can be used for funding. The chart below contains information on which types of accounts can be used.

You may want to check with your tax advisor before making any changes to see if there are tax implications and confirm that your current retirement accounts allow transfers or rollovers.

Choose a Self-Directed Gold IRA Custodian

Like any other IRA assets, gold assets need to be administered by a custodian per IRS regulations. Working with precious metals specialist, like those at Goldco, can help you find a custodian experienced with gold IRAs to make sure your account is opened properly.

Once you have chosen your custodian, you can open your gold IRA. When your  account is open, you can then start the rollover process.

Fund Your Self-Directed Gold IRA

Once you have opened your account, you can start the rollover process. Normally this is done by informing your plan administrator or IRA custodian of your rollover intentions.

Then you’ll sell assets in your current retirement account and roll them over into your gold IRA. Your current plan administrator or IRA custodian will normally be responsible for sending funds to your custodian.

It can be very important to work with precious metals IRA specialists to make sure that the rollover process goes smoothly, that your funds end up where they’re supposed to, and that you’ve adhered to all IRS regulations. While the rollover process can be simple, if you make a mistake you may inadvertently open yourself up to tax liabilities or penalties.

After your funds have been rolled over to your account, you can then begin the process of determining which gold coins or gold bars you want to buy with those funds.

3. Select Your Precious Metals

Now that your self-directed  IRA is funded, it’s time to choose which gold coins or gold bars you want to buy. Remember that certain types of gold coins aren’t eligible for IRAs.

That’s why it can help to work with partners like Goldco who offer IRA-eligible gold coins to ensure that you don’t expose yourself to tax liability by buying the wrong type of gold.

After you’ve purchased your gold coins or gold bars, they will be administered by your IRA custodian and stored at a bullion depository. This ensures that your gold is there when you need it.

Help Safeguard Your Retirement

By setting up a self-directed IRA, you can rest easy knowing your assets are protected with gold. Diversifying your portfolio with gold can be a great way to protect your hard-earned retirement savings from market fluctuations and economic crises.

There’s no better time than today to start thinking about buying gold. With the economy facing its fair share of difficulties, a gold IRA may be just what you need to help you protect your assets.

Setting up a self-directed IRA can be done easily, especially when you work with Goldco’s experts.

Whether you want to learn more about gold IRAs, start the rollover process, or just buy gold coins, Goldco can help you protect your retirement savings with gold.

No matter your age or stage in life, Goldco has precious metals options for everyone.

By simply filling out our contact form, we’ll connect you with experienced representatives who can answer your questions, offer valuable reference materials, and help you navigate the gold purchase process.

We’re ready to help you facilitate the diversification of your retirement portfolio so you can feel more in control of your financial future.

FAQs

How Does A Precious Metals IRA Work?

A gold IRA allows individuals to hold gold and other precious metals while still enjoying the same tax advantages of an IRA retirement account. Just like conventional IRAs, a precious metals IRA can be set up as a traditional IRA account, where pre-tax contributions are made, or as a Roth IRA, where post-tax dollars are used. Those with SEP or SIMPLE IRAs also have the option to grow their retirement savings through precious metals.

The Ultimate IRA Guide (Everything you Need to Know)

How a Gold IRA Works

A common method of funding is through rollovers or transfers from existing retirement accounts such as a 401(k), 403(b), TSP, IRA, or similar account. This allows individuals to lock in gains they may have made in their current retirement accounts and transfer that wealth into precious metals, which can provide more protection and stability.

Gold is a tangible asset that anyone can own and hold, and it offers stability against inflation, financial turmoil, and economic downturns. Thanks to provisions in the tax code, people can hold gold within a self-directed IRA, allowing them to gain all the same tax benefits as a conventional IRA.

There are many advantages to including gold, silver or other precious metals in your IRA portfolio, including:

• Stability for your savings portfolio;
• Lessening risk as you age and plan for retirement;
• Locking in gains you’ve made and transfering that wealth into precious metals.

People can contribute to a new account or, more commonly, roll over a portion of their current retirement accounts (401(k) rollover) into a gold IRA to diversify their portfolio. With the possibility of a recession always looming, it’s worth considering adding precious metals like gold to your retirement planning.

What Is a Gold IRA Rollover?

A rollover IRA is a term for an individual retirement account (IRA) that is funded by moving funds from a 401(k), 403(b), TSP, or similar retirement account into an IRA. The main difference between a 401(k) and an IRA is that an IRA is normally opened by an individual, whereas a 401(k) is offered by an employer.

With a rollover IRA, individuals can use existing retirement funds to access a wider variety of assets than those typically available in a 401(k) plan. By opting for a self-directed IRA, there are even more possibilities, such as adding physical gold for additional portfolio diversification.

Rollover IRAs are most often created when changing jobs or retiring, as they allow employees to move their current 401(k) or other retirement account balances into an IRA account that will offer a broader range of options and potentially superior performance.

When performing an IRA rollover, funds from existing tax-advantaged accounts can be rolled over into a new IRA tax-free. You can even roll over funds from multiple retirement accounts into a single self-directed IRA, making it easier for you to consolidate and manage your retirement savings.

With a rollover, individuals can minimize the tax impact of their gold assets too, since distributions are normally subject to ordinary income tax rates. Particularly for those in lower tax brackets, that can result in gold held in an IRA being taxed at a lower rate than if it were not in an IRA. And for those people who own a Roth gold IRA, they won’t be taxed at all on the gains on their gold purchases.

Gold IRA Rollover Process for Beginners [step-by-step]

What Are the Benefits of a Gold IRA?

As you work towards building a well-diversified portfolio, it can help to make sure you know all your options, especially when it comes to gold. Whether you’re interested in rolling over existing retirement savings into a gold IRA or just making direct cash purchases of gold, we’re here to help clarify the benefits associated with this precious metal.

Precious metals like gold have numerous advantages as part of a well-diversified portfolio, and tax-advantaged retirement accounts do too. Putting the two together can result in a powerful tool to help you achieve your financial objectives.

Individuals who included gold into their portfolios during the 2008 financial crisis experienced significantly better performance compared to those who maintained only stocks. And those portfolios that held gold continued to grow stronger after the crisis hit its lowest point, in many cases for years afterward.

Let’s take a more detailed look at the benefits.
Is a Precious Metals IRA Right for You?

Gold IRAs can offer many advantages to Americans, whether you’re nearing retirement or are earlier in your career. You don’t need to put all of your assets into the account, as simply moving small percentages of your assets into precious metals can reap long-term benefits.

Some people may wonder if a 401(k) or self-directed IRA is better. Very often they wonder this after they’ve left an employer and still have 401(k) assets held in their old retirement plan.

When you leave your employer, you have the option to roll over your retirement savings into an IRA, which may be a good opportunity to explore a self-directed IRA, which offers diversity and assets that can be more stable through economic downturns.

How to Move Your 401(k) to Gold Without Penalty

Should I Roll My 401(k) Into a Gold IRA?

Retirement planning isn’t something that you start doing when you’re a few years away from retirement. It’s something you start as early in your career as you can. There’s no substitute for time in the market when it comes to building up your retirement savings.

As you get older, you may start looking into more ways to protect the money you’ve already put aside for retirement. If you have a 401(k) from a previous employer that is sitting idle, or if your current 401(k) options don’t leave you enthused, a 401(k) to IRA rollover could offer you more options to put your money to better use.

One popular 401(k) rollover option is to roll over 401(k) assets into a gold IRA. The rollover process can allow you to move your 401(k) into gold tax-free and penalty-free.

A precious metals IRA is a type of self-directed IRA, an IRA that allows you to take greater control over your assets. Moving retirement savings into a self-directed IRA can give you the potential for more options like real estate, private bonds, private equity, and precious metals like gold and silver.

Precious metals are a popular option because gold and silver have been used as a time-tested means of storing wealth that can weather numerous economic changes, giving your portfolio diversity and stability. The price of precious metals often increases even in tough economic times, meaning that your portfolio can still get a boost even during the worst throes of a financial crisis.

Like all 401(k) and other retirement plans, there are rules and regulations that you need to be aware of. The last thing you want to do is decide to roll over your 401(k) and be hit with taxes and penalties because you didn’t do things correctly.

So, how do you move your 401(k) to gold without penalty? This guide will help you understand what a 401(k) is, how it works, its benefits, and how to effectively roll over your 401(k) to gold without incurring taxes and penalties

Who Can Contribute to an IRA?

Anyone with earned income, and their spouses if married filing jointly, can start and contribute money to an IRA. You can contribute to an IRA even if you have a 401(k) or similar retirement plan at work. The only limit is to how much money you are able to contribute to your accounts.

Which Gold Coins and Gold Bars Are IRA-Eligible?

By choosing IRA-eligible gold coins and other precious metals products, you can take advantage of the incredible opportunity that precious metals offers. But as with other aspects of a gold IRA, it’s helpful to know the rules prior to purchasing your gold so that you can ensure that your purchases remain tax-free and penalty-free.

Ready to Learn More?

Whether you want to learn more about gold IRAs, start the rollover process, or just buy gold coins, Goldco can help you protect your retirement savings with gold.

No matter your age or stage in life, Goldco has precious metals options for everyone.

By simply filling out our contact form, we’ll connect you with experienced representatives who can answer your questions, offer valuable reference materials, and help you navigate the gold purchase process.

We’re ready to help you facilitate the diversification of your retirement portfolio so you can feel more in control of your financial future.

The post Gold IRA 101 appeared first on Goldco.

While inflation rates have since fallen, they’re still higher than they were a decade ago, and the rise in prices over the past several years has hit many Americans in their pocketbooks. Going to the grocery store, buying goods on Amazon, or purchasing a car have become painful experiences for millions of Americans.

In fact, the rising cost of living has become a more and more important political topic, and could end up becoming a major factor in the 2026 midterm elections. But as with many other economic topics, there’s a lot of misinformation out there when it comes to inflation.

If inflation is becoming an increasing problem in your life, here are three things about inflation that you need to know.

1. Prices Won’t Be Coming Down

The biggest impact of inflation is felt when people go to the store and experience sticker shock. Something that was $4.99 last week all of a sudden is $5.99. Or in the case of shrinkflation, that 16-ounce package of roast beef for $5.29 is now a 14-ounce package for the same price.

The question many people have when they see these price increases is, when will prices come down? And the unfortunate answer is that they won’t.

Sure, you may see decreases in price on certain food items, for instance, whose prices have risen due to seasonal issues, disease in animal flocks, or other factors, once those impacts disappear. But the general trend of prices is always up.

When prices rise because of an increase in the money supply, generally the only way for them to start coming down is when the money supply decreases. But that almost never happens.

If you remember your MV=PQ equation of exchange from Intro Macroeconomics, you remember that when M increases, so does P, ceteris paribus. But if a decrease in V is enough to offset the increase in M, prices could decrease too.

In the US, inflation rates are measured in the Consumer Price Index (CPI). With available data going back to 1947, the only times that CPI has fallen measurably were during the 2008 recession and during the 2020 recession.

Even during previous recessions prices continued to increase. And as you can see from the CPI charts, the trend is for inflation to continue rising, which means that the price level won’t fall back to where it was.

That’s because…

2. Inflation Is a Monetary Phenomenon

As Milton Friedman infamously stated, inflation is always and everywhere a monetary phenomenon. And the effect of an increase in the money supply, all other things being equal, is an increase in the general price level.

The modern economics profession has a tendency to get causation backward, and so the original classical economic definition of inflation – an increase in the money supply, the effect of which is an increase in the price level – has been replaced by defining inflation as an increase in the price level.

That’s why you might hear people talk about the inflationary aspects of tariffs, as tariffs will cause the prices of tariffed goods to rise. If you subscribe to the definition of inflation as a rise in prices, then yes, you would view tariffs as inflationary.

But if you subscribe to the traditional definition of inflation, you’ll understand that inflation is caused by an increase in the money supply, and that prices that rise due to non-monetary factors aren’t due to inflation.

Let’s look at the money supply in the US.

As you can see, there was an enormous increase in the money supply in 2020 in response to the COVID lockdowns. This was the result of the financial stimulus that the federal government provided in the form of free checks to American households.

That sharp increase in the money supply caused prices to rise, which was reflected in CPI rising to the highest level in over 40 years. That was followed by an unusual decrease in the money supply, the only time since 1959 that that has happened, and then by another increase so that the money supply is now higher than it was when inflation peaked in 2022.

The reason the money supply doesn’t normally fall is because the Federal Reserve is deathly afraid of deflation. In its conventional history of the Great Depression, the Fed maintains that the Great Depression was exacerbated by deflationary monetary policy, and this deflation is what made the Great Depression so bad.

That’s why the Fed resorts to inflationary measures such as quantitative easing in response to recessions and financial crises. As Ben Bernanke stated in response to criticism that the Federal Reserve’s deflation exacerbated the Great Depression, “You’re right, we did it. We’re very sorry. We won’t do it again.”

3. You Don’t Have to Fall Victim to Inflation

When you go to the store and see how much prices have risen, you may take a fatalistic view and think that there’s nothing you can do about it. You’re a price taker, not a price maker, and you have to accept the prices that stores charge, or you do without.

But that doesn’t mean that you have to allow yourself to be victimized by inflation. Just because the dollar is being devalued by inflation doesn’t mean that your dollars have to sit idly by and lose their value.

If you understand that inflation is eating away at the value of your savings, and you take proactive steps to help protect those savings, you could help mitigate the negative impact inflation might have on your hard-earned wealth.

Help Protect Yourself From Inflation With Gold and Silver

One step that many people have taken to help protect themselves against the negative impacts of inflation is buying precious metals like gold and silver. Precious metals have a long history of acting as hedges against inflation.

Both gold and silver tend to increase in value over time, unlike the US dollar. Whereas the dollar has lost 88% of its purchasing power since 1971, silver has risen over 4,000% in value, while gold has risen over 11,000% since then.

Gold and silver also have a history of performing well during periods of inflation. During the 1970s stagflation, for instance, gold and silver prices both grew at annualized rates of over 30% per year over the course of the decade.

And today, with economic uncertainty rising and inflation remaining problematic, gold and silver prices are once again rising, setting all-time highs. Is it time for you to put those rising prices to work in helping safeguard your portfolio?

Buy Gold and Silver From Goldco

Goldco has helped thousands of Americans benefit from adding gold and silver to their portfolios. And our over 8,000 5-star reviews are a testament to the quality of both our gold and silver products and our customer service.

At Goldco we have worked hard to make ourselves one of the best gold companies in the country. And we’re so confident that you’ll be happy with your purchase that we even offer one of the best buy back programs in the industry.*

Why sit back and let inflation continue taking a bite out of your hard-earned savings? Call Goldco today and start putting gold and silver to work for you in helping protect your financial well-being against inflation.

*Please talk with your Goldco representative for details of the Goldco Buy Back program.

The post 3 Things That You Should Know About Inflation appeared first on Goldco.

For many people, once the decision to buy gold has been made, the question then becomes what type of gold to buy: gold coins or gold bars?

It’s not necessarily an easy question to answer, but it’s an important one. If you’re looking to spend thousands of dollars adding physical gold to your asset portfolio, you want to be sure that you’re making a decision that makes sense for you.

Keep reading to learn more about the differences between gold bars and gold coins, and to figure out which form of gold makes the most sense for you.

Potential Benefits of Owning Gold

Owning gold can offer numerous benefits. Here are three to keep in mind.

1. Portfolio Diversification
2. Asset Growth
3. Inflation Hedge

1. Portfolio Diversification

Gold can help diversify your portfolio, as it can alter the risk profile of your portfolio and can help offset losses elsewhere. How much of your portfolio you want to allot to gold may depend on your risk tolerance, aversion to losses, and overall financial goals.

As with any financial decision, you may want to discuss with your financial advisor and tax advisor the implications of buying gold for your portfolio.

2. Asset Growth

Not only is gold popular for wealth protection, it also has the potential to make great gains, during good times as well as bad.

During the 2008 financial crisis, gold gained nearly 25% in value in the period that markets fell more than 50%. And the gold price kept on climbing, nearly tripling from its 2008 lows to its 2011 highs.

But gold isn’t just for rainy days and economic downturns. Since 2000, gold has significantly outperformed the S&P 500 Index, even despite the meteoric growth in markets over the past decade.

With fears of a pending economic downturn growing, could gold perform as well today as it did after 2008? And will Americans who didn’t take advantage of gold’s growth over the past 25 years decide to take advantage of gold’s potential for the next 25 years?

3. Inflation Hedge

Gold has also long enjoyed a reputation for being a hedge against inflation. While the US dollar has lost 87% of its purchasing power since President Nixon closed the gold window in 1971, the gold price has risen over 10,000% since then.

During the entirety of the 1970s stagflation, when inflation reached into double digits, gold’s annualized rate of growth was over 30% per year, and over 20% per year even after adjusting for inflation.

What Are Gold Coins?

Gold has been used as money since the Bronze Age, but the oldest known gold coins date back to the 6th century BC, nearly 2600 years ago.

Gold coins come in a variety of sizes and weights and are almost always round. Coins produced in the US generally feature a coin alignment, meaning that when the obverse (front) of the coin is right side up, the reverse is upside down, and vice versa.

Coins produced in the UK, Europe, and other countries are often produced in a medal alignment, in which the obverse and reverse are both right side up when the coin is flipped along its vertical axis.

But not all round gold objects are coins. In addition to gold coins and gold bars, there are gold rounds which, as the name suggests, are round and gold. Gold rounds often contain high amounts of gold and are created with designs that can mimic those of gold coins.

What makes a gold coin a coin is the fact that it is issued under the authority of a government and is given a legal tender value for use in commerce.

Pros and Cons of Gold Coins

What Are Gold Bars?

Gold bars are blocks of high purity gold that are produced for various purposes, whether for trade, investment, or industrial use.

These bars can be either stamped or cast, and can come in various sizes. The standard size gold bar for the international gold trade is a 400-ounce bar.

For individuals looking to buy gold bars, they are commonly available in sizes ranging from 1 gram up to 1 kilogram.

Pros and Cons of Gold Bars

Comparison of Gold Coins and Gold Bars

Common Concerns About Buying Gold

If you’re new to buying gold, or deciding whether to buy gold coins or gold bars, you’ll probably have some concerns about your decision. Here are some common concerns many gold buyers may have.

1. Authenticity

The first thing you may want to know is whether the gold you’re buying is real. How do you know that the gold coins or gold bars you’re buying aren’t counterfeit?

If you’re spending tens of thousands of dollars on a gold purchase, and particularly if you’re buying gold for a gold IRA with existing retirement savings through a gold IRA rollover, you’ll want to make absolutely sure that the gold you’re buying is real.

This is where it can help to work with established and reputable vendors who can ensure the quality and authenticity of your gold.

Goldco works with mints around the world to source the gold coins we sell to our customers, ensuring a steady supply of gold for our customers as well as guaranteed authenticity.

Why risk buying counterfeit gold coins from nameless, faceless vendors when you can work with a company like Goldco who has thousands of satisfied customers?

2. Purity

The second concern you may have with your gold coins or gold bars is their purity. If you’re making a direct cash purchase of gold coins or gold bars to store at home or in a safe deposit box, this may not be a big issue.

If you’re starting a gold IRA, however, the gold coins and gold bars you purchase for your gold IRA must meet a minimum fineness of .995 (99.5% pure gold). Purchasing coins of a lower fineness would be considered a distribution of your IRA assets and could subject you to taxes and penalties.

Goldco offers a wide selection of IRA-eligible gold coins that meet IRS requirements for purity, ensuring that the gold coins you buy from us are indeed eligible for IRA acquisition.

3. Storage

The next concern you may have is how to store your gold coins or gold bars. If you make a direct cash purchase, you can store your precious metals at home or in a safe deposit box, or if you make a particularly large purchase you may be able to arrange for storage at a bullion depository.

If you start a gold IRA, your gold coins and gold bars must be stored at a bullion depository.

You may have read about a “home storage IRA” that allows you to purchase precious metals with IRA assets and store those precious metals at home. These arrangements fall afoul of the tax code and could subject you to significant taxes and penalties.

That’s why it’s always important to consult with your tax advisor or financial advisor before making a decision that could impact you in this way, and to work with established partners like Goldco who have helped thousands of customers navigate the process of purchasing precious metals for their IRAs.

4. Liquidity

If you’re buying gold bars and gold coins, presumably you’ll want to sell them at some point to hopefully make a profit. So the question you’ll want to ask yourself is, who will buy this gold from me in the future?

It might be fun to own several 10-ounce gold bars, but how many people are going to have large amounts of money sitting around to buy those from you in the future, compared to 1/4-ounce gold coins?

How Can I Buy Gold Coins and Gold Bars?

There are numerous ways to buy gold coins and gold bars, from going down to your local coin shop, frequenting online marketplaces, or finding established precious metals companies that can provide you with gold products.

Gold can be purchased as a direct cash transaction, allowing you to take possession of your gold and store it in whichever way you see fit.

You can also buy gold coins and gold bars for a gold IRA, which allows you to own physical gold within a tax-advantaged retirement account.

Gold IRAs can be funded through tax-free rollovers from existing retirement accounts such as a 401(k), 403(b), TSP, or IRA account. And when you take a distribution from your gold IRA, you can take it either in cash or in gold.

Common Questions About Gold Coins and Gold Bars

How can I tell if a gold coin or gold bar is real?: There are numerous ways to check if the gold coins or gold bars you have are real. One of the first things to do is to check if the coin matches the published dimensions and weight.

Gold coins are also non-magnetic, so they should not be attracted to a magnet. Gold also makes a distinctive pinging sound when it is struck, versus base metals which have more of a thudding sound.

Finally, there are chemical tests that can be done by professionals, although these may damage your gold products.

But one of the best ways to avoid counterfeit gold is to work with trusted partners like Goldco who work with mints around the world to bring you guaranteed authentic gold coins so that you don’t have to worry about possibly buying counterfeit gold.

What is the best gold to buy?: That all depends on your particular needs and how gold fits into your financial planning.

For some people, gold may make up a large portion of their portfolio, and they may hang onto it for a long time. Others may only want to buy gold as a short-term hedge against a possible economic downturn.

And other people may just want to hang onto a few gold coins or gold bars at home in case of a rainy day. How much gold you buy and the form you buy it in will be determined by how you plan to make use of your gold.

How can I keep my gold coins and gold bars safe?: Gold that you buy with a direct cash purchase can be stored at home, in a safe deposit box or, if you’re making a particularly big purchase, can be stored in a bullion depository.

If you’re buying gold through a gold IRA, your gold coins or gold bars will have to be stored in a bullion depository. Goldco works with experienced precious metals bullion depositories to ensure that our customers’ precious metals assets remain safe and secure.

What precious metals can I hold in a gold IRA?: Gold IRAs aren’t limited to just gold. They can also hold silver coins or silver bars, as well as platinum and palladium bullion.

What kinds of gold coins and gold bars are IRA-eligible?: IRAs are only allowed to acquire gold coins or gold bars with a minimum fineness of .995 (99.5% pure gold). Using IRA assets to purchase coins with a lower gold content that are not IRA-eligible would be considered a distribution of assets and could subject you to taxes and penalties.

Can I take physical possession of the gold in my gold IRA?: The gold in your gold IRA must be stored in a bullion depository, but you may take possession of that gold when you decide to take a distribution through an in-kind distribution.

Some companies claim that there is such a thing as a home storage IRA, which purportedly allows you to purchase gold and silver using IRA assets and store those precious metals at home. These types of arrangements have been explicitly banned by tax courts, and anyone attempting to start a home storage IRA could face significant taxes and penalties.

How can I fund a gold IRA?: One of the most popular ways to fund a gold IRA is through a gold IRA rollover. You can roll over assets tax-free from an existing retirement account such as a 401(k), 403(b), TSP, or IRA account into a gold IRA.

Goldco’s precious metals specialists have helped many customers navigate this rollover process. Contact our specialists to learn more about how the gold IRA rollover process works.

I already own gold coins or gold bars. Can I move those into a gold IRA?: IRAs are prohibited from engaging in certain transactions, including IRA owners selling their property to an IRA.

This is why it can be helpful to consult with your financial advisor or tax advisor to go through the IRA rules and regulations in order to make sure that you don’t inadvertently end up making a mistake that could subject you to taxes and penalties.

Which Is Right for You: Gold Coins or Gold Bars?

As with any other asset purchase, whether you choose to buy gold coins or gold bars is a decision that you’ll make after assessing your unique individual goals. Each person’s financial situation, time horizon, and financial ability can play a role in whether they buy gold coins or gold bars.

Some people look to gold as an inflation hedge against inflation that remains stubborn. Others may fear a potential financial crisis, and look to gold as a safe haven asset, hoping it will perform in the next few years just as well as it did from 2008 to 2011.

And other people may just want to diversify their portfolios a little bit, just in case.

If you’re looking to buy gold, no matter the reason, it can be important to work with trusted partners who can provide you with the products and support you need.

Goldco has worked hard to make ourselves one of the top gold and silver companies in the country, and our more than 8,000 5-star reviews are a testament to the lengths we go to provide premium gold and silver products and exemplary customer service.

Our specialists have helped thousands of customers benefit from adding gold to their portfolios. Will you be next?

Call Goldco today to learn more about how gold bars and gold coins can help you safeguard your financial future.

The post Buying Gold Coins vs. Gold Bars: Which Choice is Best for You? appeared first on Goldco.

Market analysts point to several forces driving silver’s momentum:

Strong Industrial Demand: According to the Silver Institute industry association, over 50% of global silver demand now comes from industrial applications. Beyond its traditional use in electronics and manufacturing, silver plays a vital role in fast-growing sectors such as renewable energy, particularly photovoltaic (PV) solar panels and artificial intelligence (AI). Additional industrial use cases include brazing and alloys, the chemicals industry, and medical equipment.

Tightening Supply: The silver market is experiencing tightening demand as long-standing supply constraints continue to outpace production, contributing to silver’s strong price performance, according to Reuters. The market has recorded seven consecutive years of supply deficits, driven by chronic underinvestment in mining, declining ore grades, rising production costs, and regulatory hurdles. 

Broader Market Headwinds: Moneyweek shared that financial stress, interest rates, inflation expectations and policy decisions have added a safe-haven premium to precious metals, boosting silver prices alongside gold.

As interest in silver accelerates, Goldco, a leading precious metals provider, continues to expand its offerings to meet growing demand. Most recently, Goldco has brought these new silver coins to market:

• Silver Space Shuttle Coin, celebrating American innovation and space exploration
• Silver Defenders of Liberty Sea Edition, honoring naval strength and maritime freedom
• Silver HMS Belfast Coin, commemorating one of the most iconic warships in modern history

Goldco helps everyday Americans diversify their portfolios with gold and silver through Precious Metals IRAs or direct purchases designed to help hedge against economic volatility.

The company offers a wide selection of silver coins from mints around the world, many of which honor U.S. military service members or celebrate the technological and industrial achievements that have shaped the American economy.

The company also partners with Chuck Norris to offer the first-ever Chuck Norris legal tender silver coin, paying tribute to his five guiding principles: Faith, Family, Fitness, Freedom, and Fight.

Goldco has been recognized by Money.com for three consecutive years as Best Customer Service among Gold IRA companies and recently earned the 2025 Bronze Stevie® Award for Fastest Growing Company It has also ranked on the Inc 5000 list of Fastest Growing Companies nine times. Most notably, Goldco has surpassed a major industry milestone, earning more than 8,000 five-star reviews.

For more information about purchasing silver or opening a Precious Metals IRA, visit goldco.com or call (855) 450-1394.

The post Silver Hits Historic High as Industrial Growth and Market Pressures Build appeared first on Goldco.

When gold prices are depressed, it can be hard to try to sell gold, as many people may think that it’s going nowhere quickly. But when gold prices soar, it seems like everyone wants to get on the bandwagon.

That’s not just the case for individual gold buyers, who have been flocking to gold in recent months in search of a safe haven. That’s also true for central banks, who continue to buy gold in large amounts.

Central Bank Gold Sales Climb

Central banks have been buying gold in record amounts in recent years. 2022 saw record central bank gold purchases of 1,080 tonnes, followed by a minor dip in 2023.

But 2024 saw a return to a new record high of 1089.4 tonnes of central bank gold purchases, despite the average gold price being 33% higher in 2024 than it was in 2022.

While this year has seen moderately lower central bank gold buying than last year, possibly due to the fact that the average gold price is now 45% higher than it was in 2024, central banks are still buying gold in large amounts, with the third quarter of 2025 seeing 219.9 tonnes of gold purchases.

The trend doesn’t look right now like 2025 will set another record, but neither did 2024. However, a massive 365.1 tonnes of gold purchases in the fourth quarter of 2024 pushed central bank gold purchases last year to an annual record.

October of this year saw continued central bank gold buying, with another 53 tonnes added to central bank reserves. Could central banks surprise us with another late-year buying surge and push 2025 to near-record levels of gold purchases?

Record-High Gold Prices Not Discouraging Gold Buying

It isn’t just central banks who are stocking up on gold. Individuals and institutions are doing the same thing, and possibly for the same reasons. Just like central banks are possibly buying gold strategically, adding to gold reserves to help protect themselves against economic uncertainty, so too are individuals and institutions looking to buy gold to help safeguard themselves during a time of economic uncertainty.

According to the World Gold Council, gold investment demand has climbed to over 1,560 tonnes through the first three quarters of 2025, a 33% increase since 2024, and we still have one quarter of gold buying data to come.

If gold purchases continue at this pace, it could set a record, exceeding the previous annual high of 1805.3 tonnes that we saw in 2020. This would be despite the average gold price being twice as high this year as it was in 2020.

Of course, not all sectors of gold buying are unaffected by these higher prices. Demand for gold from the jewelry industry is down pretty significantly, which makes sense, as higher gold prices raise the cost of making gold jewelry.

But that’s just one sector of the gold market, and the dip in jewelry sector demand is more than being made up by demand elsewhere. Overall gold demand through the first three quarters of 2025 was already 10% higher than through the first three quarters of 2024, which means that 2025 could end up seeing significantly higher gold demand than 2024.

Gold demand through the first three quarters of 2025 is also almost as high as the first three quarters of 2011, which was the highest year on record for total gold demand. So it’s possible that 2025 could see a record amount of gold demand, even with prices having recently hit record highs that are more than double what they were in 2011.

Are You Ready to Buy Gold?

If record high gold prices haven’t dissuaded central banks from buying gold, why should they dissuade you? After all, if you’re looking for a safe haven asset or a hedge against financial uncertainty, why not take a look at gold?

Gold’s price performance from 2008 to 2011 was nothing short of phenomenal, with the gold price nearly tripling from its 2008 lows to its 2011 highs. And that wasn’t the first time gold has performed spectacularly during times of financial upheaval.

Through the stagflation of the 1970s gold’s annualized growth rate was over 30% per year over the course of the decade, and adjusted for inflation was still an annualized growth rate of over 20% per year.

Many people today still remember 2020, and how gold was one of the first safe haven assets people fled to during that time of uncertainty. The gold price shot up as a result of safe haven buying, and it has hardly looked back since.

If the US economy really is on the brink of some financial turndown or recession, as some people think, would it really be surprising if gold continued to rise from its current all-time highs? And if the gold price does continue to climb, wouldn’t you want to take advantage of that?

There are numerous ways to add gold to your portfolio, whether you want to make a direct cash purchase of gold coins or gold bars, or whether you want to move existing retirement savings into a gold IRA to put physical gold into a tax-advantaged retirement account.

Goldco has helped thousands of Americans benefit from owning precious metals like gold and silver, and our over $3 billion in precious metals placements and over 8,000 5-star reviews are a testament to the trust our customers place in us as one of America’s best gold companies.

If you’re looking to help safeguard your savings with gold in the coming year and are looking for a gold company you can trust, give Goldco a call today.

The post Central Banks Load Up on Gold as It Hits Record Highs appeared first on Goldco.

After more than a decade, Goldco has grown into one of the most respected names in the precious metals industry, earning the confidence of thousands of Americans looking to help preserve their wealth. The company continues to receive top ratings on major consumer review platforms, including the Better Business Bureau, Trustpilot, Consumer Affairs, and Google.

Crossing the 8,000 five-star review threshold comes on the heels of a series of prestigious industry accolades, including:

• Money.com – Best Customer Service, in its review of 2025 Best Gold IRA Companies
• Inc. Magazine – #18 on the Pacific Region’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies
• 2025 Bronze Stevie® Award – Fastest-Growing Company, American Business Awards®

“We are honored to reach the 8,000 five-star review milestone which is something no other company in our industry has achieved,” said Trevor Gerszt, Founder & Owner of Goldco. “Every review represents a real customer experience and reflects our team’s dedication to providing transparent, responsive, and friendly service at every stage of the process.”

Customers across the country continue to praise Goldco for its knowledgeable staff, clear communication, and seamless onboarding process.

Here is what customers have to say about Goldco:

“I recently worked with Goldco and I cannot say enough good things about my experience. Their customer service is absolutely stellar! From the very first interaction, the team was professional, knowledgeable, and genuinely attentive to my needs. The staff went above and beyond to ensure I felt confident and informed every step of the way.”  – Kandice W., Yelp

“I have been 100% satisfied with the outstanding services from the Goldco team! I just completed my third purchase with Goldco and they made the process so easy and it was handled very professionally with excellent follow-up! I would highly recommend using Goldco!” – Beth B., Google

To learn more about Goldco, visit www.goldco.com.

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Unlike many financial assets that exist largely as electronic assets that we view on our computer screens and never actually physically touch, gold and silver are physical assets that require storage.

Holding gold and silver bullion coins and bars in your own possession, or even storing them in a bank’s safe deposit box, can present a host of security, logistics, insurance, and even personal safety issues.

If you don’t want to store precious metals at home, and you don’t trust the security of your local bank, private depository storage could be a good solution. One of the most reputable depository institutions noted for its customer satisfaction and operational excellence is the Delaware Depository.

Why Use a Bullion Depository?

You might be wondering why you need to store your precious metals in a bullion depository. If you’re making a direct cash purchase of gold or silver, that’s a legitimate question to ask.

Many people who make direct purchases of gold and silver coins or bars want to be able to store their precious metals where they can maintain easy access to it, whether that’s in a safe at home or in a safe deposit box at a bank.

But if you’re purchasing precious metals for a gold IRA or silver IRA, those assets will need to be managed by a custodian and stored at a bullion depository.

Perhaps you’ve heard of a home storage IRA, an arrangement that purports to allow you to have your cake and eat it too by storing precious metals from your IRA at home. If that sounds too good to be true, that’s because it is.

Attempting to store precious metals IRA assets at home is illegal, and can subject you to significant taxes and penalties. So if you’re looking to start a precious metals IRA, you’ll want to make sure you do everything by the book and store your gold and silver at a bullion depository.

Why Store My Precious Metals With Delaware Depository?

The benefits of using Delaware Depository to store your precious metals include:

1. State of the art security
2. Multiple storage location options
3. Experienced and friendly staff
4. Speed and ease of transactions

Delaware Depository has over two decades of experience storing precious metals for a wide variety of customers, whether individual, institutional, or corporate. And while precious metals IRA assets have to be stored in a bullion depository, those who make larger direct purchases of gold and silver might want to think about using a bullion depository to store their precious metals.

How Delaware Depository Keeps Your Precious Metals Safe and Secure

Safety and security are some of the top concerns most people have when it comes to purchasing precious metals. If you’re in the process of purchasing tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars of precious metals, you understandably want your gold and silver to remain safe.

Delaware Depository understands that desire, which is why the depository adheres to what it calls “defense in depth.” This entails multiple series of security controls and procedures to protect customer assets from theft and damage.

Among the security measures Delaware Depository uses are:

• Physically fortified, access-controlled facilities with UL-rated security vaults
• Extensive security monitoring, including motion, sound, vibration, and metal detectors
• Rigorous internal controls to minimize risk of internal theft
• Testing to ensure gold and silver in storage is authentic
• Internal and external auditing to reconcile deposited precious metals against incoming and outgoing transfers

Delaware Depository takes great pains to minimize external threats. It owns its depository facilities outright, with no debt or mortgages. And its systems of fences, wires, cameras, and other security devices are intended to keep external threats at bay.

But internal threats can be just as dangerous, whether that’s the armored truck drivers who deliver the gold and silver, employees pocketing coins, or even visiting customers trying to take their metals out of the depository without authorization.

Delaware Depository ensures not only that no single individual remains alone with the gold and silver it stores, it also ensures that no single person remains in possession of gold and silver through the entire process from delivery to storage. This minimizes the risk of fraud and theft.

When it comes to theft of physical metal from the depository, Delaware Depository features multiple layers of metal detectors. Some of these metal detectors use software that can determine the exact amount of gold and silver in a person’s body.

These individual profiles are analyzed both when entering and exiting, so if someone tried to stick some gold coins where the sun don’t shine, it won’t go unnoticed.

And if all of these procedures aren’t enough to convince you that Delaware Depository takes safety seriously, the depository also maintains $1 billion in all-risk insurance to ensure that in the unlikely event of loss, your gold and silver will be covered.

Strategically Located for Superior Service Capabilities

Delaware Depository is a privately held precious metals custody and distribution center founded in 1999. Located in Wilmington, DE, Delaware Depository provides precious metals bullion custody, safekeeping, and distribution services for IRA custodians, financial institutions, broker-dealers, refiners, and individual investors.

It is licensed with the CME Group (COMEX and NYMEX Divisions) for the storage of gold, silver, platinum, and palladium, and with ICE Futures US for gold and silver.

Where Does Delaware Depository Store Precious Metals?

Delaware Depository is located away from the threats associated with major political and financial centers such as Washington, DC and New York City, yet conveniently located near major transportation hubs to ease delivery and shipments of precious metals.

Delaware hasn’t been subject to natural disasters that affect other parts of the country, nor has it been subject to terrorist attacks like other large cities. Furthermore, the state of Delaware imposes no sales tax on the purchase, administration, or storage of precious metals.

For customers who wish to store their precious metals IRA assets closer to home, Delaware Depository opened its first Nevada depository location in 2022, featuring the same state of the art security that Delaware Depository has always been known for. And in 2024 the Delaware Depository announced that it was opening its first depository location in Pennsylvania.

For those customers who wish to store their gold and silver internationally, Delaware Depository also offers the option of precious metals storage in Canada or Switzerland.

Highly Experienced, Responsive, and Friendly Staff

Delaware Depository is managed and operated by precious metals professionals with extensive experience providing customer-oriented depository services. When your bullion is stored at Delaware Depository, their staff will do the utmost to ensure that it will be safeguarded, processed, and delivered with care, competence, and accountability.

Storage fees are highly competitive. Customer service is responsive and friendly. And you can be certain that your affairs will always remain private as your account activity and personal information are held in strict confidence.

Full Precious Metals IRA Compliance and Administrative Convenience

Gold and silver held by a precious metals IRA has unique requirements due to requirements of the tax code. Delaware Depository is experienced in storing precious metals IRA assets that conform to IRS requirements.

If you decide to take possession of the precious metals you store at the Delaware Depository, such as through a distribution from your precious metals IRA, shipment and delivery of your metals is quick and easy. Most bullion moves are processed within 24 hours, providing you with ready access to your bullion.

Delaware Depository Offers Peace of Mind

Gold and silver owners have many options for keeping their precious metals safe and secure, and some use a combination of different storage solutions at the same time. No matter which storage option you choose, the safety of your precious metals is paramount.

When it comes to protecting your precious metals, the many layers of physical security, electronic security, systems, internal controls, legal protections, and experience render the Delaware Depository one of its most secure operations of its kind. This can help provide you with peace of mind that is worth its weight in gold.

This article was originally published in March 2022 and was updated in November 2025.

The post Delaware Depository – Best in Class for Safeguarding Your Precious Metals IRA Assets appeared first on Goldco.

The cool down is a result of market mechanics and psychology. When a market sprints, momentum traders and systematic funds pile in; when the sprint slows, the same players dial back their risk. Profit-taking begets more profit-taking, and dealers in options and futures may hedge in ways that can amplify short-term swings. The dollar, which strengthened into early November, briefly undercut gold’s tailwinds by making the metal pricier for non-US buyers. That, too, is a standard headwind during corrections. As those pressures ease, liquidity returns and bids reappear. Corrections may be viewed as the “price” of keeping the longer trend intact. On cue, gold’s safe-haven bid re-emerged as US political uncertainty and tariff headlines rattled broader risk sentiment, a reminder that the macro story didn’t suddenly vanish when gold’s uptick paused.

Under the surface, the fundamentals that propelled the rally remain largely in place. Central banks continue to be sizable, steady buyers—an underappreciated demand base that can offset softer jewelry consumption when prices are elevated. The World Gold Council’s recent tallies show ongoing net additions to official reserves through late summer, consistent with the multi-year trend of reserve diversification away from the dollar. That pattern matters: official sector purchases are patient and programmatic, and they dull the cyclical edges of investor flows.

Internationally, the reasons to hold a monetary hedge haven’t faded. Geopolitical tensions, periodic trade skirmishes, and a patchwork of capital controls and sanctions have nudged many institutions to hold a little less sovereign paper and a little more neutral, bearer collateral. Even when acute headlines quiet down, the structural forces—fragmentation of supply chains, sporadic tariff regimes, and the risk of policy surprise—keep a floor under safe-asset demand. Analysts who follow the market closely frame the recent pullback as consolidation within an intact uptrend, not a thesis break.

Domestically, the policy backdrop remains supportive of gold’s long-horizon appeal. The United States continues to run large fiscal deficits; the resulting supply of Treasury debt must be absorbed at a time when major marginal buyers—foreign official accounts and, increasingly, the Federal Reserve itself—are reassessing how quickly they want their balance sheets to shrink. The Fed has already signaled it will end balance-sheet runoff (quantitative tightening) and transition to maintaining “ample” reserves, a shift that typically implies, over time, balance-sheet stability or even expansion as the economy grows. In plain English: the era of the balance sheet pulling liquidity out of the system is winding down, and a more accommodative stance on reserves is on deck. The resulting expansion of the money supply won’t force gold up tomorrow morning, but it does change the medium-term gravity acting on nominal assets and the dollar.

None of this says gold can’t go lower in the near term. It can. If the trend of inflation surprises with increasingly cooler readings, or should the dollar stage another rally, gold prices could probe deeper support levels. But that volatility is the entire point: insurance that never fluctuates is either mispriced or imaginary. The right way to think about gold is not as a bet on next month’s CPI print but as a durable hedge against the intersection of monetary policy, fiscal arithmetic, and geopolitical risk. It is a hedge one hopes not to need, but is relieved to have when the unexpected happens.

Consider the current mix of cyclical and structural drivers. Cyclically, gold responded to the prospect of easier monetary policy stances and to a rolling series of uncertainty shocks. Structurally, several forces are persistent: (1) official-sector diversification, (2) the slow erosion of “risk-free” status for some sovereign debt owing to elevated deficits and debt-service ratios, and (3) a world economy that is more multipolar and more policy-variable than a decade ago. Even if ETF flows ebb and jewelry demand softens when prices are high, the incremental, rule-driven accumulation by central banks and institutions provides some buoyancy on dips. That is exactly why a swift retracement after fresh highs tends not to be a crisis signal; it is a stress test that, so far, the underlying demand for gold has repeatedly passed.

It also helps to zoom out. In inflation-adjusted terms, today’s prices reflect an environment of rising geopolitical stresses and ongoing monetary accommodation. This is not an outlandish bubble detached from macroeconomic logic. The mid-2020s, post-pandemic period have featured a unique combination of tariff uncertainty, intermittent shutdown risk (and more recently, an actual shutdown), and uneven global growth that leaves monetary authorities balancing disinflation goals and financial-stability concerns. Those cross-currents create “two-way risk” in most assets; for gold, they create a resilient floor. The latest tape action, which features consolidation near round numbers, sharp intraday ranges, and plenty of argument on both sides, is what durable tops and durable bases both look like in real time. The distinction usually becomes clear only with hindsight.

So what about the “this time is different” cases? In any powerful bull market, some speculative longs will be wrung out at times. Some hedgers are always happy to sell volatility into that process. Short-term corrections often end when the marginal sellers complete that de-risking. Meanwhile, fundamental buyers—think central banks, institutions rebalancing strategic allocations, or long-term, patient investors—tend to work orders methodically rather than chase the tape. That cadence is a factor in producing the stair-step patterns we see now.

Two final points:

1. Policy asymmetry still favors a monetary hedge. If US economic growth wobbles, the path of least resistance for central banks is to ease: more rate cuts, liquidity operations, or, as the Fed has already indicated, stepping away from balance-sheet shrinkage. If inflation re-accelerates or proves obstinate – signs of which we already see in the service components of CPI and PCE – real yields may rise for a spell, but the political economy of $38 trillion of US government debt levels makes prolonged, high real rates difficult to sustain. Gold tends to benefit from either route over a long horizon, because both scenarios ultimately depend on confidence in fiat purchasing power.
2. International diversification isn’t just for equities. A world in which some countries actively accumulate gold while others toggle tariffs and exchange-rate policies is a world in which a neutral reserve asset retains value as a portfolio stabilizer. Needless to say, that doesn’t obligate anyone to chase price spikes, but it does explain why persistent demand shows up on dips.

In sum, the recent decline is not an omen; it’s better viewed as market housekeeping after an extraordinary run. The macro pillars—ongoing demand, the continued loosening of monetary and financial conditions by the Fed, periodic bursts of geopolitical risk, and unresolved fiscal arithmetic—are completely intact. Prices may chop lower before the next leg, or they may base and resume. It is impossible to know which will occur, but it’s also unnecessary: either path is compatible with gold’s function as a long-term insurance policy. For that reason, the correct emotional response to the latest pullback isn’t alarm; it’s perspective.

About the author: Peter C. Earle, Ph.D, is the Director of Economics and Economic Freedom and a Senior Research Fellow who joined AIER in 2018. He holds a Ph.D in Economics from l’Universite d’Angers, an MA in Applied Economics from American University, an MBA (Finance), and a BS in Engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point.

Prior to joining AIER, Dr. Earle spent over 20 years as a trader and analyst at a number of securities firms and hedge funds in the New York metropolitan area as well as engaging in extensive consulting within the cryptocurrency and gaming sectors. His research focuses on financial markets, monetary policy, macroeconomic forecasting, and problems in economic measurement. He has been quoted by the Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, Barron’s, Bloomberg, Reuters, CNBC, Grant’s Interest Rate Observer, NPR, and in numerous other media outlets and publications.

Disclaimer: All opinions expressed by the author are the author’s opinions and do not reflect the opinions of Goldco. The author’s opinions are based on the author’s personal experience, education and information the author considers reliable. Goldco does not warrant that the information contained herein is complete or accurate, and it should not be relied upon as such. 

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Memories of the 2008 financial crisis remain fresh in many people’s minds, and fear of another similar crisis is growing. Worries about both the economy and their own financial well-being is driving many people to look for ways to help protect themselves against the possibility of an economic downturn.

One way they’re doing that is by looking for safe haven assets, like gold, that can help safeguard their assets. But is gold the best choice as a safe haven asset? And how much could gold be worth in the event of an economic downturn?

3 Key Points

1. Uncertainty and fear surrounding the economy is causing many people to look for safe haven assets
2. Gold has a history of performing well during economic crises
3. Gold can be a useful asset in a portfolio, with many different ways to purchase gold, including buying gold through a gold IRA.

Could the US Economy Collapse?

How likely is it that the US economy could collapse? If you’re talking about a complete collapse then honestly, it’s probably not likely at all.

If you remember the 2008 financial crisis, which was one of the worst crises in most people’s lifetimes, the US economy only contracted 4.3%. But that relatively small contraction was enough to send stock markets tumbling over 50% and wipe out trillions of dollars of savings from Americans’ retirement accounts.

This should serve as a warning that even a small contraction in economic growth could have an outsized impact on your retirement savings. And with Americans currently holding nearly $46 trillion in retirement accounts, a stock market collapse could be just as catastrophic as an economic collapse.

Could the US Dollar Collapse?

Another concern that many Americans have is the potential for a US dollar collapse. The US dollar index has fallen nearly 10% so far this year, leading to fear that the dollar could fall even further.

The UK pound sterling used to be the world’s reserve currency, until the US dollar dethroned it after the end of World War II. But can the dollar sit atop its perch forever?

Continuous inflation has eroded the dollar’s purchasing power, especially as compared to gold. When the US adopted the gold standard in 1900, the dollar was defined as 25.8 grains of 90% pure gold, which meant that an ounce of gold would have been worth $20.67.

Even as late as 1971, the market price of gold was only $38 an ounce. But today the gold price is over $4,000 an ounce, an increase of over 10,000% since 1971, while the US dollar has lost 87% of its purchasing power since then.

While the dollar is still the dominant world currency today, how long can we continue taking that for granted? Slow, steady currency devaluation is eroding not just the dollar’s purchasing power, but also its position as a desirable world currency.

More and more central banks and governments are looking to move away from the dollar in the future. In fact, foreign central banks today hold more gold than they do US Treasuries.

While the dollar likely won’t collapse suddenly, as for instance has happened to currencies in hyperinflationary crises, its ultimate fate could end up being just to slowly fade away into irrelevance, especially if gold takes center stage.

Gold’s Performance During Economic Crises

With the continuing devaluation of the dollar being much discussed, one of the questions many Americans have is how they can help safeguard their financial well-being in the face of the devaluation of the currency in which all of their financial assets are denominated.

As many people have done throughout history, many people today are choosing precious metals like gold to help protect and hedge against this currency devaluation.

Gold has a tendency to maintain its purchasing power over the long term. And during crises the gold price can make significant gains.

During the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, for instance, the gold price increased over 260% from September 2008 to September 2011. Then during the 2020 COVID recession the price of gold rose over 18% from March 2020 to June 2020.

Finally, during the 2023 banking crisis, the gold price rose almost 8% in the months after Silicon Valley Bank and First Republic Bank were closed.

Gold’s history of price performance during periods of crisis and uncertainty helps make it a strong safe haven asset people choose to help safeguard their wealth during economic crises.

Gold as a Safe Haven Asset

When people think of safe haven assets, they think of assets that go up in price when other assets are going down. Safe haven assets are those that can help hedge against the risk of loss, helping minimize overall losses to an asset portfolio.

Given gold’s traditional role as a safe haven asset and its performance during and after the crises of 2008, 2020, and 2023, it certainly seems to fit the bill as a safe haven asset. But how might gold fare in the event of a more severe economic collapse?

Factors Impacting the Gold Price

Like other metals, the price of gold is driven by the interplay between supply and demand. So let’s look at some of the factors that drive that supply and demand.

Gold Demand

According to the World Gold Council, gold demand is broken up into four different categories:

• Jewelry Fabrication
• Technology
• Investment
• Central Banks

Over the past fifteen years, jewelry and investment demand have been the two major drivers of gold demand, although central bank demand has grown significantly over the last three years.

WGC statistics show that jewelry fabrication normally makes up about half of overall gold demand. Technology, which includes electronic and industrial use of gold, tends to make up ten percent or less of gold demand.

Investment, which includes demand for gold coins and gold bars, tends to average just over 25% of gold demand each year, although it can fluctuate based on underlying economic conditions. Central bank gold demand has tended to average around 10% of gold demand each year, but has exploded in recent years to make up over 20% of gold demand for the past three years.

Gold Supply

The World Gold Council lists two major factors that influence gold supply:

• Total Mine Supply
  • Mine Production
  • Net Producer Hedging
• Recycled Gold

Total mine supply is the sum of gold production from mines plus the hedging activities of producers. This total mine supply normally makes up about 75% of total gold supply. The remaining supply of gold comes from recycled gold, which can come from a variety of sources, including spent electronics.

With the gold price having hit several record highs this year, we might expect to see more people selling gold, which could impact the supply of gold from gold recycling. But would that be enough to have an impact on gold prices?

Gold vs. Other Precious Metals

Gold is arguably the “gold standard” when it comes to safe haven assets. But why? And how does gold compare to other precious metals when it comes to acting as a safe haven?

Probably the closest safe haven precious metal to gold is silver, which has long played second fiddle to gold. And silver, unlike gold, normally sees a significant portion of its demand coming from industry, not from safe haven buying.

In terms of price performance, silver can be a lot more volatile than gold. While silver’s price growth in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis was far higher than that of gold, with the silver price peaking at 534% from its 2008 lows versus 266% for gold, silver fared worse during the acute phase of the crisis.

From October 2007 to March 2009, stock markets fell by over 50% while silver lost 3%. Gold, meanwhile, gained 25% during that same time period.

Gold also is generally the first precious metal people turn to during times of unease, and its price often rises due to safe haven buying before silver, which tends to lag.

In 2025, for instance, the gold price rose 23% from the beginning of the year until the weeks following “Liberation Day”, while the silver price only rose 12%.

How Economic Collapse Could Impact Gold

If the dollar were to collapse, or were otherwise to be dethroned as the world’s reserve currency, it could cause economic pain and hardship for Americans. We have become so accustomed to the dollar’s acceptance around the world that a world without the dollar as king would require some difficult adjustments.

The post-Bretton Woods monetary order that has existed since 1971 is the only time in history that the whole world has functioned without a silver- or gold-backed monetary standard. We literally are living in an ongoing monetary experiment.

What will the result of that experiment be? Will a purely fiat monetary system continue to survive for decades or centuries more, or will we eventually revert to a commodity-backed monetary system such as existed until 1971?

Central banks have been major buyers of gold for the past several years, and today central banks once again hold more gold reserves than they do US dollar reserves. Coupled with the persistent rumors that Russia, China, and other BRICS countries are stockpiling gold in order to introduce a gold-backed world currency to rival or supplant the dollar, it seems that dissatisfaction with the dollar is definitely working to gold’s benefit.

What would it take for something like that to happen?

Right now it seems that the dollar is still riding high, but can that last forever? Crises have a tendency to topple the existing order and lead to new arrangements.

World War I saw the demise of the international gold standard, while World War II saw the rise of the Bretton Woods system and the rise of the dollar. With fear of recession growing today, war ongoing in Eastern Europe, and the threat of China invading Taiwan, it isn’t outside the realm of possibility that a crisis could materialize over the next decade that could accelerate the dollar’s downfall.

Safe haven gold demand is already climbing just on fear of what could happen to the US economy. If the US economy were to face a significant crisis, or if a major world war were to erupt, how much more might Americans demand gold coins and gold bars as safe haven assets?

Gold in Your Portfolio

If you’re considering gold as a safe haven asset, one question you might have is how to get your hands on that gold. For that, you have numerous options available.

Gold ETFs

One popular option today is to purchase shares in gold exchange-traded funds (ETFs). This doesn’t actually get you physical gold, just shares in a fund that owns gold.

You can’t actually redeem your ETF shares for gold, just for cash. And you don’t have to look hard on the internet to find discussions of the drawbacks of gold ETFs.

Still, shares in gold ETFs are easily purchased, easily sold, and are available through most major brokerages. But would they benefit you in the event of an economic collapse?

In a severe collapse, in which the entire financial system is teetering on the brink, would owning shares in a fund that owns gold benefit you? Or would you rather have ready access to physical gold that you can hold in your own two hands and readily sell or exchange?

Gold IRA

Gold IRAs are another popular option today, as they offer the advantage of ownership of physical silver coins or silver bars as well as the same tax benefits as any other IRA account.

You can even fund a gold IRA with a tax-free rollover from your existing 401(k), 403(b), TSP, IRA, or similar retirement accounts, allowing you to bypass the normal IRA contribution limits when funding your IRA.

The downside to a gold IRA is that your gold has to be stored at a bullion depository. But unlike a gold ETF, you actually own the physical gold coins or gold bars within your gold IRA and you can take physical delivery of the gold in your IRA when you choose to take a distribution of assets.

Buying Physical Gold

If you’re really worried about a major economic collapse or devaluation of the dollar, there’s always the option of buying physical gold coins or gold bars and storing them yourself.

Direct cash purchases remain a popular option for those you think that if you can’t hold it, you don’t actually own it. While you have to figure out storage, security, and insurance on your own, for many people there’s no substitute when it comes to being able to put their own hands on their gold assets.

Help Protect Yourself Against Economic Collapse

No matter which way you choose to buy gold, Goldco has options available to you. We’ve helped thousands of Americans benefit from owning precious metals, and we’re committed to helping all of our customers take advantage of the benefits of owning gold and silver.

Whether you want to purchase gold directly with cash or start a gold IRA, our specialists can help you navigate the gold purchase process. With over 7,000 5-star reviews from our customers, you can rest assured that we’ll do everything we can to make your gold purchase process go smoothly for you.

With over a decade of experience and over $3 billion in precious metals placements, we have worked hard to make ourselves one of the best gold companies in the country. Give Goldco a call today and learn more about how you can put gold to use in helping to safeguard your financial well-being against a potential economic crisis.

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