### The Great Wealth Shift: Why Fiat Trust is Fading and Commodities Are Rising
In a world where central banks print money at will and geopolitical tensions simmer, a subtle but seismic change is underway: investors and institutions are ditching faith in currencies for the solidity of commodities. Chartered Accountant Nitin Kaushik, a finance expert known for his sharp X (formerly Twitter) takes on economic trends, calls this "the quiet reshaping of wealth across the world." In a viral post and subsequent analysis, he unpacks why trust is migrating from paper promises to tangible assets like gold, silver, oil, and lithium—signaling a return to "value that can't be printed overnight."
#### The Core Driver: Erosion of Trust in Currencies
Kaushik argues it's not just headlines—it's a fundamental loss of confidence. "It’s not just about inflation or a weakening dollar. It’s about trust—and how the global economy is slowly re-pricing what we call value." Key culprits include:
- **Inflation's Silent Theft**: What ₹100 bought in 2013 "barely covers the essentials in 2025." Kaushik likens it to "a slow leak that drags an economy down," eroding purchasing power and making fiat feel like a depreciating bet.
- **US Dollar's Wobbles**: With U.S. debt topping $35 trillion and policy flip-flops, the greenback's safe-haven status is cracking. "Gold doesn’t need a central bank’s permission to shine," he quips—unlike currencies tethered to fiscal whims.
- **Geopolitical Chaos**: Wars, sanctions, and energy crunches make "uncertainty the new normal." When "governments fight, currencies bleed, and commodities rally."
#### Commodities: From Safe Haven to Economic Engine
This isn't blind panic-buying; commodities are stepping up as both shields and drivers of growth. Kaushik highlights their dual role:
| Commodity | Why It's Gaining Trust | Real-World Edge |
|-----------|------------------------|-----------------|
| **Gold** | Timeless hedge against fiat fragility | Central banks scooped 1,000+ tonnes in 2024—the most in 50 years—as a "hedge against their own currencies." |
| **Silver** | Inflation buffer + tech enabler | Powers solar panels; demand outpaces supply, pushing prices up. |
| **Lithium** | EV revolution fuel | Essential for batteries; "basic economics meeting modern innovation." |
| **Oil/Copper** | Energy & AI backbone | Geopolitical risks boost oil; copper wires the data centers of tomorrow. |
He stresses: "When demand grows faster than mining capacity, prices must adjust upward." This shift echoes history—currencies once backed by gold; now, gold backs our belief in them.
#### The 2020s Rewrite: From Liquidity Bubbles to Real Assets
Kaushik frames the decade as a "flight to the real." The 2000s had tech stocks; the 2010s, endless cheap money. Now? "Money is shifting from the paper that represents value to the materials that are value—from promises to proof." Central banks' gold binge is the "strongest endorsement," proving even guardians of fiat see the writing on the wall.
For everyday investors, this means rethinking portfolios: Commodities aren't just for crises—they're for a future where innovation (AI, renewables) meets scarcity. As Kaushik puts it, in chaos, "gold feels like peace." If you're eyeing this shift, start small with gold ETFs or commodity funds, but DYOR—volatility cuts both ways. What's your take: Fiat forever, or commodities calling?
Kaushik described this transformation as “the quiet reshaping of wealth across the world”, where investors are moving away from paper-based assets toward tangible ones — gold, silver, oil, and lithium. “It’s not just about inflation or a weakening dollar,” he explained. “It’s about trust — and how the global economy is slowly re-pricing what we call value.”
From tech to tangibles
According to Kaushik, every decade redefines what wealth means. The 2000s were dominated by tech stocks, the 2010s by cheap liquidity and low interest rates, but the 2020s, he says, are marked by a flight to the real — to commodities that “can’t be printed overnight.”
This shift, he noted, stems from the “silent erosion of money” caused by inflation. What ₹100 could buy in 2013 barely covers the essentials in 2025. “That’s not a price rise — that’s purchasing power quietly dying,” he said, likening inflation to a slow leak that drags an economy down over time.
