A Bear Market in Trust Has Begun

Could the West’s latest “security move” be the spark that ignites global asset seizures — including gold?

As gold surges past $4,000 an ounce, Simon Mikhailovich warns that we’re not witnessing a speculative bubble — but a bear market in trust. Central banks are hoarding gold while the EU just seized a Chinese-owned semiconductor firm, marking what he calls a “massive escalation — the freezing of Russian reserves 2.0.”

This isn’t about markets anymore. It’s about property rights, sovereignty, and survival in a bifurcating world economy.

Central Banks Are Buying — The West Isn’t Paying Attention

While Western investors chase tech stocks and crypto highs, central banks are quietly cornering the gold market:

• 1,200+ tons of gold added in 2025 alone — more than global mining output.

• Western ETF holdings remain flat, still below 2020 levels despite record prices.

• Non-Western central banks and sovereign funds are absorbing supply, preparing for a post-dollar future.

Mikhailovich notes that this isn’t “parabolic speculation” — it’s a structural reallocation away from the dollar system. The real gold rush is happening behind closed vault doors, not on Wall Street screens.

“It’s not a bull market in gold,” he says. “It’s a bear market in trust.”

EU Seizure of Chinese Chipmaker: “Freezing of Reserves 2.0”

When the Dutch government seized control of Nexperia, a Chinese-owned chip firm, the West crossed a new line. Mikhailovich calls it “massive… a declaration of war.”

Why? Because it proves that property rights are conditional — and geopolitics now trumps contract law.

• The EU invoked “emergency powers” to nationalize a foreign company.

• This follows China’s new export controls on rare earths — critical to Western defense and EV supply chains.

• Mikhailovich compares it to the 2022 freezing of Russian reserves, which shattered confidence in Western banking.

Once governments show they can seize, freeze, or “temporarily nationalize” assets — it’s only a matter of time before capital flight accelerates.

From Reserve Freezes to Asset Confiscation

History shows that financial crises breed desperation and control.

• 1933: U.S. Executive Order 6102 banned private gold ownership.

• 2022: Russian reserves frozen by G7 nations.

• 2025: EU “protects” semiconductor supply by seizing a foreign firm.

Each step normalizes government overreach under the banner of “national security.”

Mikhailovich warns that gold confiscation and capital controls, once considered unthinkable, move from zero probability to near-certainty once confidence breaks.

“Governments will do whatever it takes,” he says, “to preserve the system when it’s collapsing under its own debt.”

A System Built on Leverage and Illusion

The U.S. economy is dangerously overlevered:

• 10% of Americans generate 50% of consumer spending.

• The same 10% pay 60% of income taxes and own 90% of stocks.

• Federal revenues are now tethered to market performance — a single crash could shatter both spending and confidence.

When the system wobbles, governments don’t debate—they act. From bank bail-ins to asset freezes, history shows the pattern.

That’s why Mikhailovich believes the next phase won’t be monetary policy — it will be confiscation policy.

Gold & Silver: Tangible Assets in an Intangible World

Amid rising confiscation risk, physical gold and silver remain the ultimate form of wealth preservation.

• They exist outside the banking system.

• They can’t be “frozen” by digital decree.

• They’re universally recognized as money without counterparty risk.

When trust collapses, liquidity and freedom flow to the assets you can hold. That’s why central banks — not retail investors — are leading this flight to tangibility.

Every ounce of physical gold or silver is a vote against systemic fragility and digital control.

Conclusion: The New Era of Asset Control

The EU’s seizure of a Chinese firm and the accelerating de-dollarization wave mark a new phase in global financial warfare.

When property rights, reserves, and corporations can be confiscated overnight — the line between financial policy and national security disappears.

And when that happens, gold isn’t a “trade.” It’s insurance against the unthinkable.

About ITM Trading

ITM Trading has over 28 years of experience helping clients safeguard their wealth through personalized strategies built on physical gold and silver. Our team of experts delivers research-backed guidance tailored to today’s economic threats.

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