Broken screen from the illusion of trust: Why is gold exceeding expectations?

On the morning of January 30, 2026, a pivotal moment occurred in the precious metals markets that was not just a fleeting price correction. Gold dropped 12% and silver declined 17% within a few hours. On the surface, it appeared as a classic crisis. But the truth runs much deeper: a broken illusion that the global markets were built upon has just shattered.

This collapse was not the end of gold, but a sign that an era has ended—an era where “paper claims” held absolute power over “physical reality.”

From 12% Drop to $80 Premium: The Real Turning Point

The gap between the prices on screens and the actual execution prices is what we need to focus on here. While New York prices were collapsing, actual gold in Shanghai markets was being sold at a premium of up to $80 per ounce. This difference is not a trivial detail—it’s the true map of the market.

What collapsed was “paper gold,” meaning futures and speculative derivatives. But global monetary authorities used this decline as a golden opportunity to buy “real gold”—tangible metals stored in vaults—at discounted prices. Central banks didn’t slow down; they accelerated their accumulation of reserves.

This divide tells a story more important than any number in financial reports: the global system is shifting from reliance on “paper promises” to seeking “tangible assets.”

US Treasuries Are Not Assets, But Promises That Can Be Canceled

There are $6.8 trillion held as global reserves, and all of this depends on a single assumption once considered invulnerable: that owning a US Treasury bond meant owning something real. But in February 2022, when the US froze Russian assets without warning, that assumption was broken forever.

Suddenly, policymakers worldwide faced a harsh reality: US Treasuries might be nothing more than a “political promise,” not an inviolable asset. This promise can be canceled by administrative decision at any moment.

This realization changed everything. Central banks began rebuilding their portfolios. And gold, which cannot be frozen with a keystroke, became the only trustworthy alternative asset.

Property Rights Under Threat: Why Real Gold Is the Only Safe Haven

The historic equation is dead. For decades, gold declined when interest rates rose (because holding interest-bearing cash becomes more attractive). But currently, US interest rates are high, and gold has risen 104% over the same period. The historic correlation is dead, and the market has entered a completely new era.

The key question to ask is: does gold retain its value because inflation is rising? or because property rights themselves within the dollar system are eroding?

The answer is the second. Gold’s value isn’t rising because “goods are getting more expensive,” but because confidence in “financial promises” is waning. This is the true qualitative shift.

From Screen Price to Execution Price: The Gap That Breaks Balance

Current analyses suggest a 45% probability that gold could reach $8,500 by 2028. This number is not just a random forecast—it reflects a growing awareness that a global reassessment of assets is imminent.

But there’s something more important than the price itself: the widening gap between the “screen price” (the prices listed on electronic markets) and the “actual execution price” (the real transaction prices) is alarming. This gap reveals a market divided into two segments: one for ordinary people, and another for the wealthy and large institutions.

Massive positions are now being built away from the noise of screens. The real bet is not on the price of gold itself, but on the “collapse of trust” in America’s ability to guarantee the value of assets denominated in its currency.

Summary: Gold Is Not a Commodity, But an Insurance Against System Collapse

If the dollar is “words” (promises), then gold is “action” (tangible reality). Gold does not move like an ordinary commodity affected by traditional supply and demand. Gold moves as an “insurance” against a legal and financial system that is beginning to erode from within.

This was hidden behind the temporary collapse on January 30. It was not an ending, but a turning point. A broken screen of illusions, leaving only gold and real metals.

The question you should now ask yourself: are you investing in “promises” that could be canceled by political decision, or in the “physical bar” you can hold in your hand? Your answer will determine the future of your wealth.