Gold and Silver Soar. Stocks are Flat. Debt Balloons.

Gold and Silver Soar. Stocks are Flat.
Debt Balloons. Some Foreigners Abandon U.S. Treasuries.
 
Gold and silver have been super performers this year with gains of 27% and 22%, respectively. By comparison, the S&P 500 is barely above where it started the year, at 6,025, with gains of just 2.7%. What’s behind the strength in precious metals and the subdued performance in stocks? Why are some countries dumping their U.S. treasuries? Should we be concerned? Should we join the precious metal or crypto party? Crypto is performing at half the speed of gold and silver this year, at 11.2% gains year to date. ​
 

Gold (pink), silver (green) and stock (blue) performance year to date (June 23, 2025). MSN.com. (c) Microsoft. Used with permission.

So which countries abandoned U.S. treasuries and why? Which countries own more than they did in 2018? Who’s buying all that extra gold? Should you join them? How do you know if you own U.S. treasuries, perhaps in your pension plan, money market fund, or retirement account?
 
All this and more in the blog below.
 
Here are the topics we will cover.
 
Gold and Silver
The Top Holders of Gold
Crypto
The Top Holders of U.S. Treasuries
Who is Selling U.S. Treasuries?
Debt in the U.S. Soars (Far Higher Than $36.2 Trillion)
Spending Bill Projected to Make Debt Worse
The U.S. is Currently Using Extraordinary Means to Pay Bills
Your Best Move
 
And here is more information on each point.
 
Gold and Silver
Gold is trading very close to its all-time high of $3,510 an ounce. Analysts are saying it could soar to $4000/ounce over the next year. Gold bugs have been saying for two decades it’ll blow past that to above $5000/ounce. One thing for sure, as the world gets increasingly concerned about:
 

• U.S. debt,
• BRICS breaking the hold of the U.S. dollar on the world currency (more on that below and in my BRICS blog),
• Volatility in stocks and a weakening economy, or, if
• The dollar continues to slide against other foreign currencies,

 
More individuals and countries may be interested in increasing their gold, silver and perhaps even crypto holdings.
 
While gold is trading close to its all-time high, silver is still rather subdued from its $48.70/ounce price in 2011. Will silver rally and break through that barrier? While we can profit by simply owning an ETF that invests in gold and silver, we could also look at some gold or silver miners. Many are trading close to an all-time high, so consider dollar-cost averaging into your hot slice.
 
For those of you who are interested in taking on more risk for a potentially higher reward (Vegas money), I was particularly interested in First Majestic Silver. The company saw revenue jump by 130% in the most recent quarter. They’ve also established First Mint, a 100% owned minting facility, and are selling coins directly to consumers. I’m expecting to buy a few shares after this blog is published.
 
Remember that investing in individual companies isn’t right for everybody and if you do choose to do this, you must do a lot of babysitting and analysis before any buy or sell decision, with the exit strategy always in mind anytime you buy. Email [email protected] if you’d like an updated Stock Report Card.
 
Be careful about anyone who attempts to hard sell us into placing all our eggs in the gold, silver or crypto basket. The fraudsters run rampant and profit on our fear. Learn more in my Safe Haven IRA blog. (Click to access.)

The Top Holders of Gold
Below I’ve listed the top holders of gold. The countries highlighted in blue have increased their holdings since January of this year, and include China, India, Turkey, Poland, and Taiwan. Investors have also poured into ETFs over the past few months. According to the World Gold Council, the U.S. is the top holder of gold, by far.
 

Source: The World Gold Council. Gold.org.

 
Three BRICS nations increased their gold holdings – namely China, India and South Africa. Brazil held steady at 129.7 tons, while Russia sold a little bit of gold. While these nations are certainly interested in breaking the dominance of the U.S. dollar, and are making small gains toward that goal, they still have quite a long way to go. Check out my Reserve Currency blog. (Click to access.)

Crypto
Bitcoin is close to its all-time high of $111,999. The second most widely traded crypto, Ethereum, is still down by half from its all-time high of $4,606/coin, set on November 3, 2021.
 
There are many important things to consider about crypto.
 
•            Crypto winters are very severe. Investors can lose 70% or more and take more than a year to recover. It can be devastating to watch your million dollars sink to just $300,000. If you’ve borrowed against it, you’re in trouble.
•            It’s important to use our hot slice and pie chart system with crypto (and any hot liquid investment) to help us to capture gains, add more at a very low price in Crypto Winters, and stay on the right side of the trade. You can learn more about how our pie chart investing system works, in my book The ABCs of Money  6th edition or at our online Financial Freedom Retreat.
•            If you are capturing crypto gains and you do not have your Bitcoin or Ethereum investments in ETFs within a tax protective retirement account, you are getting hit hard with capital gains taxes. There are now Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs, which we can purchase in a self-managed tax-protected retirement account. These relatively new products have only been available for a couple of years. Remember that who you purchase your fund from counts. Choose publicly traded, multi-billion dollar corporations with high credit quality. iShares is owned by Blackrock, an AA- rated publicly traded company. If you just purchase any ETF, it might be from I Just Started My ETF This Year.com. How well funded or trustworthy is the company and its executives?
•            If the historical trend of halving events holds true, the next Crypto Winter could happen as soon as summer 2026. Read my 2024 Investment of the Year blog for additional information.

The Top Holders of U.S. Treasuries
Foreigners own about a third of the U.S. public debt. Japan, the United Kingdom and China were the largest holders of U.S. treasuries, as of April 2025. As you can see in the chart below, Japan, Europe and Taiwan all increased their treasury holdings since 2018.
​

​Who is Selling U.S. Treasuries?
While China is still one of the largest holders of U.S. public debt, the country has reduced its holdings by -35.78% since June 2018. Brazil’s holdings are down by -29.36%, while Saudi Arabia’s holdings of U.S. treasuries dropped by -18.86%. Russia dumped most of their U.S. treasuries in June 2018 (under President Trump’s 1st term), going from $165 billion to $15 billion. (Click to read our report on that.) However, India (one of the BRICS nations) increased their holdings by 64.54%.

Debt in the U.S. Soars (Far Higher Than $36.2 Trillion)
Debt is skyrocketing in the United States. It was bad before the pandemic, and since then has really gotten out of hand. We hear a lot about the $36.2 trillion in US public debt, which is staggering. What we don’t hear as much about is the total U.S. debt and loans, which is an eye-popping $103 trillion.
 

As a result of concerns over the debt, we are seeing strength in gold, silver and bitcoin right now. I’ve talked about those assets above and encourage Main Street investors to consider these emotional assets as a hot slice or two of an age-appropriate, properly diversified strategy that gets rebalanced 1-3 times a year – in order to capture gains and keep on the right side of the trade. (We’ve had these as part of our sample hots, alongside breakthrough technology, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and other hot industries, for quite a few years now.)
 
You might have more exposure to U.S. debt than you might know. If you have paper losses in your retirement account or managed wealth plan, it’s time to know exactly what you own and why, how high your exposure is to risky debt, and how to get a comparable, yield in safer fixed income assets without those paper losses. We spend one full day on What’s Safe at our Financial Freedom Retreat, or you can consider getting an unbiased 2nd opinion through my private coaching program. Email [email protected] to learn more.
 
Spending Bill Projected to Make Debt Worse
The One Big, Beautiful Bill Act is projected to increase the U.S. deficits by $2.8 trillion over the next decade, according to the Congressional Budget Office. This has the Republican party divided, as hardliners push for more budget cuts. If the Republican party unites, the bill could pass, and be signed into law before Independence Day, which is what the White House wants.
 
The U.S. is Currently Using Extraordinary Means to Pay Bills
On May 9, 2025, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent sent a letter to the Speaker of the House and other Congressional leaders urging them to raise the Debt Limit by mid-July. The Treasury Department is currently using extraordinary means to pay bills, having hit the previously set Debt Ceiling. The One Big, Beautiful Bill Act would increase the Debt Limit by $4 trillion.
 
Your Best Move
Stocks are high, as are home prices. If you own either, then you might feel rich. If you don’t, you’re probably being strangled by the cost of basic needs and struggling to find a solution. Waiting for politicians and regulators to fix things can be frustrating. If we come together as a family, we can learn how to keep our wealth and stop making everyone else rich, including the tax man, the bank or landlord, the health insurance company and medical/pharmaceutical industry, the gas station, the utility company and more. We teach many remedies that are gamechangers in an expensive Debt World. You can read about them in my books and blogs, or learn and implement them at my retreats, masterclasses and private coaching. Email [email protected] for testimonials, to do your due diligence into our time-proven 21st Century budgeting and investing strategies.
 
Bottom Line
Most managed financial plans do what the market does. If you’re a conservative investor, you might be suffering from paper losses, while taking a wild ride on Wall Street for no reward. If you’re into gold, silver or crypto, you might be sitting pretty and thinking that the party will last forever. (Gold, silver and crypto are all volatile assets, with a history of soaring and plunging.) A well-balanced plan that gives us heat and protection is easier than you might realize, which is why we call it the life math that we all should have received in high school.
 
Now is the time to know exactly what we own and why, rather than having blind faith that someone else is protecting our future for us. Wisdom is the cure.
 

Register now to join us at our online Financial Freedom Retreat Oct. 11-13 2025 where you'll learn how to protect your wealth, save thousands annually in your budget and how to hedge in a volatile Debt World. If you'd like a life-changing adventure of a lifetime, be our guest at a royal manor house in Cornwall, England, March 12-19, 2027. (With just eight rooms available, this exclusive, private, bucket-list adventure sells out a year in advance!) Call 310-430-2397 or email [email protected] to learn more. The 2025 Restormel Retreat was a magical and royal experience. Click to learn more. 

Receive the best price and a complimentary 50-minute private prosperity coaching session (value $400) when you register for the Financial Freedom Retreat Oct. 11-13 2025 by June 30, 2025. Request testimonials at [email protected]. You can also view some on the flyer page of the retreat. 

Learn how to:

* Invest in hot industries, such as Nvidia, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing,
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* Easy and efficacious nest egg strategies,
* Get hot and diversified (including in artificial intelligence, quantum computing and crypto),
* Evaluate stocks,
* Avoid capital gains and financial predators,
* Keep an age-appropriate amount safe, and,
* Know what's safe in a Debt World.

You'll even discover how to save thousands annually with smarter big-ticket choices. Yes, it's a complete money makeover. 
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Email [email protected] or call 310-430-2397 to learn more and register. Learn the 15+ things you'll master and read testimonials in the flyer on the home page at NataliePace.com. Register with friends and family to receive the best price. ​

"Ten minutes into the first day I was already much smarter about investing than I ever thought I would be in my life and I knew I was in exactly the right place at this retreat. I am amazed at how EASY and FUN it is to make my money work for me and those I love. I think this kind of information should be compulsory in schools. I wish I'd learned this sooner." CM

If you’d like an unbiased 2nd opinion on your current wealth plan, email [email protected] for pricing and information.
​

Receive the best price and a 50-minute private coaching session with Natalie Pace when you register by June 30, 2025. Visit NataliePace.com to learn more. Call 310-430-2397 or email [email protected] for pricing, additional information and to register.

Join us for our Restormel Royal Immersive Adventure Retreat. March 2027. Email [email protected] to learn more. Click for testimonials, pricing, hours & details. Register now to receive the best price, the best room and eight private, prosperity coaching sessions. There are only 8 rooms available. This retreat includes an all-access pass to all of our online training for a full year for two. Considering the perks, you're receiving a 65% discount to learn the life math that we all should have received in high school, and the room is free! Email [email protected] to learn more. The best rooms at the 2025 retreat were sold out in 2024! Yes, it's a great idea to register and start transforming our lives now!

Natalie Wynne Pace is an Advocate for Sustainability, Financial Literacy & Women's Empowerment. Natalie is the bestselling author of The ABCs of Money (6th edition) and The Power of 8 Billion: It's Up to Us, and is the co-creator of the Earth Gratitude Project. She has been ranked as a No. 1 stock picker, above over 835 A-list pundits, by an independent tracking agency (TipsTraders). Her book The ABCs of Money remained at or near the #1 Investing Basics e-book on Amazon for over 3 years (in its vertical), with over 120,000 downloads and a mean 5-star ranking. The 6th edition of The ABCs of Money and the 2nd edition of Put Your Money Where Your Heart Is (2nd edition) are the most recent releases of these books. Follow her on Instagram. 
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Natalie Pace's easy as a pie chart nest egg strategies earned gains in the last two recessions and have outperformed the bull markets in between. That is why her Investor Educational Retreats, books and private coaching are enthusiastically recommended by Nobel Prize winning economist Gary S. Becker, TD AMERITRADE chairman Joe Moglia, Kay Koplovitz and many Main Street investors who have transformed their lives using her Thrive Budget and investing strategies. Click to view a video testimonial from Nilo Bolden.​​

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Important Disclaimers
Please note: Natalie Pace does not act or operate like a broker. She reports on financial news, and is one of the most trusted sources of financial literacy, education and forensic analysis in the world. Natalie Pace educates and informs individual investors to give investors a competitive edge in their personal decision-making. Any publicly-traded companies, funds or projects mentioned by Natalie Pace are not intended to be buy or sell recommendations.

ALWAYS do your research and consult an experienced, reputable financial professional before buying or selling any security, and consider your long-term goals and strategies. Investors should NOT be all in on any asset class or individual stocks. Your retirement plan should reflect an age-appropriate, diversified wealth plan, which has been designed strategically, with the assistance of financial professionals who are familiar with your goals, risk tolerance, tax needs and more. The "trading" portion of your portfolio should be a very small part of your investment strategy, and the amount of money you invest into individual companies should never be greater than your experience, wisdom, knowledge, patience and diversified strategy.  
​
Information has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable. However, NataliePace.com does not warrant its completeness or accuracy. Opinions constitute our judgment as of the date of this publication and are subject to change without notice. This material is not intended as an offer or solicitation for the purchase or sale of any financial instrument.