Swiss America: Gold Standard News Daily

4.2.25 - Gold to Surge 10.7% by May

Gold last traded at $3,131 an ounce. Silver at $33.98 an ounce.

De-Dollarization: New Non-Traditional Currencies Are “Eating” The US Dollar -Watcher.Guru

It's no secret the dollar is in a dog fight, and to hear some say it's getting "eaten" is not encouraging. As President Trump continues to make moves in this global game of economic chess, it feels as if he's losing ground at every turn. Hopefully he finds a window of opportunity to reverse this trend.

by Juhi Mirza

The US dollar seems to be in great jeopardy from the start of the year. The year 2025 has ushered in great instability for the US economy, spurred primarily by the US’s rising trade war narrative. President Donald Trump is adamant about imposing tariffs on nations that do not comply with the trade norms laid down by the United States, sparking widespread volatility in the US dollar’s global status. This development has led to the US dollar falling, with nations pivoting to “non-reserve currencies” to save face. Will this phenomenon destabilize the USD to a greater extent and usher in de-dollarization? Let’s find out.

The US dollar is declining rapidly, displaying shaky metrics amid a rising trade war narrative. Per an article by Kitco, the US dollar is gaining new competitors, contenders that are vying for its reserve currency status. Per Wolf Richter, analyst and Wall Street analyst, the US dollar’s status as a dominant reserve asset is declining, a statement that was recently echoed by BlackRock’s Larry Fink.

“The reserve currency status comes from other central banks (not the Fed) having purchased trillions of USD-denominated assets such as Treasury securities, other government securities, corporate bonds, and even stocks. The dollar’s status as the dominant reserve currency has been crucial for the US, and as that dominance declines ever so slowly, risks pile up ever so slowly.” Richter stated. READ MORE

Gold to Surge 10.7% by May 2025 – Safe-Haven Demand Drives Price to $3,448.54 -Watcher.Guru

With the price of gold already surpassing the performance estimates for 2025, several analysts have re-calibrated and raised their predictions. As the tsunami of economic pressure builds, people across the globe continue to seek the safe haven gold provides.

by Vladimir Popescu

Gold prices are currently projected to climb about 10.7% to $3,448.54 by May 2025, and this rise is being driven by strong safe-haven demand amid increasing market volatility and also economic uncertainty. Gold is trading at a value of about $3,114.25 right now, and it also recently hit an all-time high of $3,148.88 as investors are actively seeking shelter from the global economic turbulence that we’re seeing.

Philip Newman, managing director of Metals Focus, stated:

“The main reason for these successive record highs has been safe-haven buying, and the geopolitical uncertainty underpinning this shows no sign of letting up.”

At the time of writing, market anxiety has intensified ahead of U.S. reciprocal tariffs, which were actually dubbed “Liberation Day” by President Trump. These tariff policies could potentially trigger inflation, and also slow economic growth, as well as worsen trade disputes – conditions where gold typically thrives as a hedge against instability.

Gold investment sentiment remains quite bullish with technical indicators showing about 23 green days out of the last 30 (77%), despite the moderate price volatility of around 2.33%. READ MORE

Elon Musk says Fort Knox gold reserves should be livestreamed -Fox Business

Just when it seemed like the Fort Knox gold reserves audit discussion had gone away, it has reemerged. I support the idea of an audit. If there is nothing to hide, why not?

by Aislinn Murphy

Tesla CEO and Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) head Elon Musk on Sunday voiced his support for setting up a livestream of Fort Knox and its gold reserves.

In response to a question about Musk checking on the gold at Fort Knox, the billionaire said he thought it "would be awesome to livestream Fort Knox."

Fort Knox’s U.S. Bullion Depository is one of several places across the country where the U.S. government keeps its gold reserves. It is located in Kentucky.

"I mean, that would be really fun. And after all, it is actually the gold of the American people, so the American people, it seems to me, have a right to see their gold," he said.

"Hopefully, it looks really cool. You know, open the doors like, ‘Is it there? Is that really gold? Let’s check.’ Maybe it’ll be really interesting," he continued.

Musk said he was "all for it" and that President Donald Trump "says he’s interested in doing it, so hopefully it happens."

Conspiracy theories about the status of Fort Knox’s gold have been rampant on social media, and Musk and Trump have also speculated about whether the bullion remains present at the highly secure depository, saying it needs to be confirmed. READ MORE

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4.1.25 - Central Banks Diversify into Other Currencies

Gold last traded at $3,118 an ounce. Silver at $33.68 an ounce.

EDITOR'S NOTE: As President Trump continues to battle with BRICS nations over their de-dollarization maneuvers, it appears there is another enemy of the dollar; central banks. Central banks have been diligently divesting themselves of dollars, as they position in other currencies; as well as gold. The dollar is definitely getting bent, how much can it take before it breaks?

Status of US Dollar as Global Reserve Currency: Central Banks Diversify into Other Currencies and Gold -Wolf Street

by Wolf Richter

The status of the US dollar as the dominant global reserve currency has helped the US fund its twin deficits, and thereby has enabled them: the huge fiscal deficit every year and the massive trade deficit every year. The reserve currency status comes from other central banks (not the Fed) having purchased trillions of USD-denominated assets such as Treasury securities, other government securities, corporate bonds, and even stocks. The dollar status as the dominant reserve currency has been crucial for the US, and as that dominance declines ever so slowly, risks pile up ever so slowly.

The US dollar lost further ground as top global reserve currency in 2024, according to the IMF’s COFER data released today. Total holdings of USD-denominated securities by other central banks (not the Fed) fell by $59 billion to $6.63 trillion at the end of 2024, from $6.69 trillion at the end of 2023.

And the dollar’s share declined to 57.8% of total allocated exchange reserves at the end of 2024, the lowest since 1994, down by 7.3 percentage points in 10 years, as central banks have been diversifying their holdings for years to assets denominated in currencies other than the dollar, and into gold. VIEW CHARTS AND READ MORE

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3.31.25 - Paper Promises, Golden Truths

Gold last traded at $3,121 an ounce. Silver at $33.99 an ounce.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Fiat currencies always fail, it’s just a matter of how long it takes them to fall. The dollar is, sadly, knocking on death’s door. It may take years for its ultimate demise, but that isn’t stopping central banks from buying as much gold and silver as they can get their hands on. Individual investors would be wise to do the same. Gold and silver have saved governments, and citizens, from failed paper experiments for millennia.

Paper Promises, Golden Truths -Daily Reckoning

by Adam Sharp

In films and TV shows set in the future, money is usually a digital government currency.

Credits, cubits, and chits are a few names I recall. This is a globalist CBDC-based vision of the future. Bleak.

But in one of my favorite sci-fi movies, Looper, precious metals reign supreme as money. In that film, the inevitable breakdown in fiat currency has already occurred and hard money has made a comeback.

This latter scenario is far more likely. Time and time again, central banks and governments have proven they cannot be trusted with the power to create unlimited money. It doesn’t matter whether it’s paper or digital money, central bankers will print too much of it given the chance.

Without exception, every fiat currency in history has trended towards zero. Government digital money will be no different.

Voltaire wasn’t exaggerating when he said, “paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value – zero”. In fact, he had just experienced it first-hand following France’s disastrous fiat experiments of the 1700s.

It’s a question of when, not if. And time is running short. READ MORE

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3.28.25 - Trump and the Fate of the Dollar

Gold last traded at $3,077 an ounce. Silver at $33.97 an ounce.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This headline alone represents an ocean's worth of discussion, and the article does a great job of it; but the last paragraph is the one worth heeding, "The big winner in this context is gold. The BRICS are moving toward gold as fast as they can. Investors can do the same. Don’t be left behind."

Trump and the Fate of the Dollar -Daily Reckoning

by James Rickards

What is the Mar-a-Lago Accord? And what would a Mar-a-Lago Accord mean for the value of the U.S. dollar?

We begin our analysis with the name itself. Mar-a-Lago Accord is an echo of the three major international currency accords since the original Bretton Woods Agreements reached in 1944.

The first was the Smithsonian Agreement in December 1971. This came in the aftermath of President Nixon’s decision on August 15, 1971, to end the convertibility of U.S. dollars into physical gold by U.S. trading partners at the fixed rate of $35.00 per ounce. The major countries in the global system (U.S., UK, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, Canada, Belgium, and Netherlands) met at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC to decide how to reopen the gold window.

The main U.S. goal was to devalue the dollar. In the end, the price of gold was increased by 8.5% to $38.00 per ounce (revalued to $42.22 per ounce in 1973), which equaled a 7.9% dollar devaluation. Other currencies were revalued against the dollar, including a 16.9% upward revaluation of the Japanese yen.

The effort to reopen the gold window failed. Instead, major countries moved to floating exchange rates, which remains the norm to this day. Gold moved to free market trading and is currently about $3,050 per ounce. That gold price represents a 98.8% devaluation of the dollar measured by weight of gold since 1971. READ MORE

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3.27.25 - Silver's 3x Upside

Gold last traded at $3,056 an ounce. Silver at $34.44 an ounce.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Silver has appreciated over 40% in just the last year, and that's the tip of the iceberg. Many analysts are now suggesting we may soon be seeing a 300% increase in the price of silver, and quite possibly even more.

Silver’s 3x Upside -Daily Reckoning

by Adam Sharp

{Daily Reckoning}

Despite the healthy price action, the thought of selling hasn’t crossed my mind.

Today I will lay out the case that silver could triple to over $100/oz over the next few years.

When pondering how high silver could go, historical prices are a logical place to start. To do so properly, however, we need to account for inflation.

Silver reached its all-time high of around $50 in 1980, but that was a special situation. Specifically, it was a scheme orchestrated by the Hunt brothers to corner the market.

So unfortunately, we can’t really use the 1980 $50 price as a benchmark. If we did, according to the BLS’ official inflation calculator, $50 in 1980 would equate to around $205 today.

However, I also don’t trust the official government inflation numbers. Many of us suspect that federal inflation data is severely understated.

You see, in both 1980 and 1990 the U.S. government changed the way inflation (CPI) was calculated. The new methods dramatically lowered the rate of price increases.

Shadowstats.com, operated by economist John Williams, offers an alternate inflation data set which attempts to re-create the pre-1980 methodology. As you can imagine, Shadowstats arrives at a wildly different inflation picture: VIEW CHARTS AND READ MORE

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3.26.25- Prepare for the Looming Recession

Gold last traded at $3,019 an ounce. Silver at $33.63 an ounce.

US Treasury Could Default As Soon As August, CBO Warns -ZeroHedge

As President Trump races to right our financial ship, is there enough time left on the clock to do so? He's created a lot of stir - and some good results - with his early moves; but there are still problems, like our debt, that could prove too insurmountable.

by Tyler Durden

Earlier this week we pointed out the striking plunge in the Treasury's cash balance which had averaged around $800 billion for the past 18 months, and which plunged by $480 billion in the past month.

Regular readers are aware of the reason for this plunge: ever since the US hit the debt ceiling in the last days of the Biden administration, the US Treasury has been unable to issue new debt and so has been forced to draw down its cash to fund day to day operations.

Obviously, there is a limit to how much longer this can continue: after all, once the cash balance hits 0, the Treasury will have to start prioritizing payments, and eventually, it may even have to delay payments of interest or repayments of principal... better known as default.

Which brings us to the latest report from the Congressional Budget Office published this morning which warned that the federal government could run out of enough money to pay all of its bills on time as soon as August if lawmakers fail to raise or suspend the debt limit, to wit:

The Congressional Budget Office estimates that if the debt limit remains unchanged, the government’s ability to borrow using extraordinary measures will probably be exhausted in August or September 2025. The projected exhaustion date is uncertain because the timing and amount of revenue collections and outlays over the intervening months could differ from CBO’s projections.

On Monday, the Bipartisan Policy Center said that according to public data the Treasury will be forced to start defaulting on obligations sometime between mid-July and early October. VIEW CHARTS AND READ MORE

Prepare for the Looming Recession -Daily Reckoning

Looks like the "R" word is rearing its ugly head again. Add it to the long list of potential gut punches looming over the US economy.

by Byron King

“Will we have a recession?” was the question.

My answer was… Yes, count on it.

And to give away the punchline, prepare now for rough seas ahead, so to speak. Take some money off the stock market table, stash cash, lighten up expenses, throttle back generally, and own gold and silver for the long-term.

Here’s the background…

During the 1980 presidential campaign, Ronald Reagan offered a memorable quip: “A recession is when your neighbor loses his job. A depression is when you lose yours.” Then Reagan added, “A recovery is when Jimmy Carter loses his.”

The delivery and timing were perfect, befitting Reagan’s years on the stage, both in Hollywood and California politics. His line resonated with voters. In 1980 Reagan hit an exposed political nerve during a tough spell for the U.S. economy, at a time of roaring inflation and general industrial decline. If you were around, you may recall the rising prices for everything, plus widespread factory closures and layoffs.

The Gipper’s pithy summation was great political drama. His point remains valid. Voters appreciate politicians who deliver a strong economy with good jobs, economic growth, and prices under control. And voters punish politicians who fail, hence Carter’s one term in office.

Over and above Reagan’s use of the term recession, the word has a more formal definition in the field of economics. Namely, a recession is a period of economic decline during which trade and industrial activity are reduced, generally identified by a fall in GDP over two successive quarters.

In this sense, the definition of recession makes it more difficult properly to use the term. That is, a recession isn’t a real “recession” except in retrospect, looking back after long delay. READ MORE

Local Currencies Defeat the US Dollar in 2025 -Watcher.Guru

The new normal for the dollar is continually losing ground against local currencies. This trend is building momentum at a time when the dollar is in desperate need of an uptick. The year is still young, but so far, it's not looking good.

by Vinod Dsouza

The big currency winners in 2025 are everybody except the US dollar, reported Reuters. The DXY index, which tracks the performance of the US dollar against a basket of six currencies shows the greenback falling to a low of 103.60 this month. It fell from a high of 109.80 early this year to a low of 103.60. That’s a decline of nearly 4.5% year-to-date and is a steep dip in the forex markets. Local currencies have outperformed the US dollar this year as the greenback remains on the back foot.

The mighty US dollar has plummeted against eight out of nine leading local currencies in 2025. The main culprit that weakened the USD is the trade tariffs imposed by Trump that caused disruption in the forex sector. The tariffs are dividing the markets as investors are sending mixed reactions in the indices.

Below is the list of leading local currencies that the US dollar has dipped in 2025: READ MORE

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3.25.25 - 10 US Sectors Vulnerable To Tariffs

Gold last traded at $3,020 an ounce. Silver at $33.74 an ounce.

EDITOR'S NOTE: As we continue to ride the seesaw of tariffs, we haven't begun to feel the consequences yet. While the Trump administration feels imposing tariffs is the best strategy to bolster the buck, and the overall economy, which sectors will be impacted the most. Read on to see the list of ten.

De-Dollarization: 10 US Sectors Vulnerable To Tariffs & Dollar Decline -Watcher.Guru

by Juhi Mirza

In a world that is increasingly pivoting towards the multi-polar narrative, the US is now struggling to maintain its dollar diplomacy intact. While the efforts to curb de-dollarization have always been initiated by the US, Trump’s sudden tariff sprees have now cast a shadow of doubt, with analysts questioning whether such tariff moves are in sync with the US economic infrastructural health. Moreover, Trump’s tariff ordeals have started to affect the US dollar, with USD encountering heavy fluctuations in its valuation. Will the US economy be able to handle the aftermath of Trump’s bold tariff ordeals? Or will it prompt nations to pursue de-dollarization holistically? Let’s find out.

Donald Trump is currently pursuing an aggressive tariff policy and is busy levying tariffs on nations to bolster the US economy. In one of Trump’s recent statements, the US president stated how April 2nd is the day when America liberates itself, as it is the day when the president will be issuing reciprocal tariffs on nations.

While his strategy is solely based on bolstering the US economy and making it more productive than ever, the repercussions of his policies cannot be ignored. For instance, experts have long been stating how Trump’s aggressive tariff policies may backfire, ushering in economic instability in the domain.

“The President is right to focus on major problems like our broken border and the scourge of fentanyl, but the imposition of tariffs won’t solve these problems and will only raise prices for American families and upend supply chains.” Said John Murphy, senior vice president and head of international at the US Chamber of Commerce.

At the same time, experts have also expressed concerns over retaliatory tariffs that the US may face in the process. Other than that, issues such as supply chain disruptions and the global trade war narrative may also gain steam, battering the US and the US dollar in the process. READ MORE

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3.24.25 - Any Country Buying Venezuelan Oil Slapped With 25% Tariff

Gold last traded at $3,011 an ounce. Silver at $33.04 an ounce.

EDITOR'S NOTE: When the talking heads said a tariff war was coming, they weren't kidding. President Trump has been actively pursuing countries - who are conducting trade with other countries - he believes are unfavorable to the US. Time will tell how effective his approach proves to be, but if nothing else, he's definitely brought these issues to the forefront.

Trump: Any Country Buying Venezuelan Oil Slapped With 25% Tariff -ZeroHedge

by Tyler Durden

President Donald Trump is imposing a 25% 'Secondary' tariff on Venezuela, and a 25% tariff on "any Country that purchases Oil and/or Gas from Venezuela," payable to the United States "on any Trade they do with our Country."

The tariffs, which would go into affect April 2 should Trump implement them, would cut a major source of revenue for the Maduro government - while ratcheting up pressure on China, a major purchaser of Venezuelan crude that's already looking at 20% tariffs under Trump.

Trump cited "the fact that Venezuela has purposefully and deceitfully sent to the United States, undercover, tens of thousands of high level, and other, criminals, many of whom are murderers and people of a very violent nature," in his 25% tariff on Venezuela, and says the additional 25% tariff punishing anyone buying oil or gas will begin on April 2nd.

Needless to say, the news sent oil immediately higher in Monday trade.

The move would particularly affect China, which has been a major purchaser of Venezuelan crude - and it's unclear i) if China will agree to be impacted by unilateral tariffs and ii) how the US would enforce them against China.

Venezuelan crude exports had risen to a five-year high in February before the Trump administration said it was forcing Chevron to wind down its operations by April 3. Chevron had sought more time to conclude operations with Venezuela's state-owned Petroleos de Venezuela. In canceling the deal, Trump announced in a post on Truth Social that he was "reversing the concessions" of the "oil transaction agreement, dated November 26, 2022."

These were concessions enacted by his Democratic predecessor Joe Biden, which had allowed Chevron Corp - active in the Latin American country for a century - to produce and sell oil in Venezuela despite sanctions. VIEW CHARTS AND READ MORE

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3.21.25 - Peace in Ukraine: Investor Implications

Gold last traded at $3,021 an ounce. Silver at $32.89 an ounce.

EDITOR'S NOTE: While the war in Ukraine has shown the world that warfare will never be the same, gold has once again proven itself a steadfast and enduring way to preserve wealth; for world powers and individual investors alike. In a time when electronic assets can be seized by enemies, physically held precious metals shine. As Mr. Sharp concludes, "Gold is back as a reserve asset, and its importance is only set to grow over the coming decades."

Peace in Ukraine: Investor Implications -Daily Reckoning

by Adam Sharp

After 3 terrible years of fighting, the war in Ukraine may finally be nearing its conclusion.

This week Presidents Trump and Putin had a 2+ hour phone call which apparently went well. Both leaders expressed a strong desire to end the war, and more than that, expand bilateral relations.

On the battlefield, Russia is on the verge of pushing the last of Ukraine’s forces out of its Kursk region. It is almost certain that President Zelensky had hoped to trade Kursk for Russian-occupied lands, likely including the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.

If and when Russia succeeds in clearing Kursk, it will be a major disappointment to the Ukrainian side. President Zelensky clearly would like to regain some of his lost territory as part of any peace deal. But it is increasingly looking like Putin is not open to negotiation on this point.

Ukraine is losing the war, low on troops and equipment, and experiencing widespread electricity blackouts and brownouts.

While I am sure President Trump will work to get Ukraine the best deal possible, at this moment it appears Putin holds most of the leverage.

Today, let’s look at the implications of a hypothetical end to the war for investors. READ MORE

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3.20.25 - Utah Approves Gold Payments for State Vendors

Gold last traded at $3,044 an ounce. Silver at $33.58 an ounce.

EDITOR'S NOTE: As Rep. Ken Ivory puts it, "In uncertain economic times, Utah is providing vendors and service providers with the option to receive payment in gold and silver. This law gives Utahns an alternative to choose how they preserve the purchasing power of their earnings and savings." Utah is the first state to legally acknowledge what many gold investors have known for generations: gold preserves wealth; always has, and always will.

Utah becomes 1st in nation to approve gold and silver payments for state vendors -St. George News

The Utah Legislature passed the precious metals amendments bill authorizing the state treasurer to issue a competitive procurement for a precious metals-backed electronic payment platform, allowing state vendors to opt for payment in physical gold and silver.

Sponsored by Rep. Ken Ivory and carried in the Senate by Sen. Keith Grover, the bill, designated HB 306 in Utah's 2025 legislative session, passed with strong bipartisan support in both the House and Senate and now awaits the governor’s signature. This landmark move positions Utah as the first state in the nation to pass a transactional gold bill, according to a news release issued by the Utah Office of State Treasurer.

The legislation is an outcome of the Utah Precious Metals Study Workgroup, formed under HB 348 passed by Ivory in the 2024 General Session, which authorized Utah Treasurer Marlo Oaks to invest a portion of Utah’s rainy day funds in precious metals and review how precious metals can enhance Utah's economic security and prosperity.

"A key takeaway from the workgroup is citizens should have a choice in how they conduct financial transactions," Oaks said in the press release. "HB 306 gives state vendors the option to be paid in precious metals, while ensuring the physical assets backing the system are stored in Utah and subject to regular audits. This not only supports a secure and transparent system, but also takes an important step toward making transactional gold a viable option for all citizens.”

“In uncertain economic times, Utah is providing vendors and service providers with the option to receive payment in gold and silver,” Ivory said. “This law gives Utahns an alternative to choose how they preserve the purchasing power of their earnings and savings.” READ MORE

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