When the U.S. government added silver to its Draft List of Critical Minerals for 2025, most missed the significance of this. But for investors, this is no bureaucratic decision.
It is Washington signalling that without silver, the machinery of modern life falters: energy systems, medical technologies, defence, and the digital economy all depend on it.
This shift is historic. Silver is now officially classed alongside lithium, copper, and rare earths, all materials deemed vital to national security and economic stability. The designation paves the way for federal subsidies, strategic stockpiling, and accelerated permitting for miners. And yet, the supply side is already struggling to keep pace with demand.
Sovereign wealth funds and billionaires appear to have read the signal early. Saudi Arabia’s central bank has taken positions in silver ETFs, while private investors like technology entrepreneur David Bateman have accumulated holdings that represent more than 1 per cent of global annual supply.
History offers a warning. When lithium and uranium were added to the same list, demand surged overnight while supply took years to respond. The result was not a gentle price adjustment but violent repricing. Silver now sits at the start of that cycle.
In our latest video, we explore why this classification is so significant, why silver’s unique dual role as industrial metal and monetary hedge makes it unlike any other commodity, and why investors should consider whether they have a seat at the table before governments and institutions buy in at scale.
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