Articles | Expat Money®

Why Every Plan-B Should Include Precious Metals

Written by Mikkel Thorup | November 11 2025

Plan-B is your strategy for freedom and security. It’s how you take control of your life and wealth, no matter where you live. You build it by creating options, such as second residencies or passports, offshore investments and structures, and tangible assets like precious metals. A strong Plan-B gives you choices when others have none. It allows you to stay mobile, protect what you’ve built, and move through the world on your own terms.

Among all the tools that support a Plan-B, precious metals play a distinctive role. They represent enduring value, recognized in every corner of the world and trusted through every major economic cycle in history. Gold, in particular, has proven itself as a dependable store of wealth for centuries. 

When currencies weaken or markets fluctuate, it holds firm, offering you stability and confidence. Its finite supply and intrinsic worth make it one of the few assets that transcend borders, politics, and systems. That is why owning gold isn’t just an investment decision, but an insurance of your independence and a quiet anchor of your strength in an unpredictable world.

In this article, I’ll explain why precious metals, especially gold, should be part of every serious Plan-B and how they help you build lasting stability and freedom no matter what the future brings.

 

In a world of financial chaos and political manipulation, precious metals like gold remain the ultimate apolitical store of value that no government can inflate or control

THE ROLE OF PRECIOUS METALS IN A VOLATILE WORLD

We’re living in an age of financial uncertainty. The wars continue on multiple fronts, global power struggles are making the future unpredictable, governments are desperate to find a solution to record levels of debt, and inflation quietly eats away at savings. So, I wasn't surprised at all that gold reached an all-time high of $4,379 per ounce on October 17, 2025, and I expect new all-time highs to follow soon.

As the world order dissolves, Western governments are printing money faster than ever, while central banks, like China and India, are hoarding gold in incredible volumes. In 2024 alone, global central banks purchased over 1,000 metric tons of gold, according to the World Gold Council. This volume is the second-highest annual total in history, and 2025 will probably suppress last year's volume. These central banks are doing this while Western governments sell their own bonds and let their paper currencies slide, deliberately allowing inflation to run high to quietly tax their citizens by devaluing their money.

At the same time, the financial system has become a political weapon. We’ve seen governments freeze accounts, block transfers, and impose capital controls. It’s a reminder that what sits in your bank account isn’t really yours but a permissioned wealth, dependent on policy and politics. However, precious metals are apolitical forms of money, standing outside that system. They don’t rely on a central authority, can’t be printed out of thin air, and have held value through every economic collapse in history. That’s why governments hate precious metals — they reveal that the emperor has no clothes.

It is no surprise that investors are turning to gold. When governments create inflation and central banks hoard gold, it’s a clear signal of where the real store of value lies. It’s a hedge against manipulation and wealth that no government can inflate, freeze, or digitally erase.

 

WHY PRECIOUS METALS NEED TO BE PART OF YOUR PLAN-B

When you build a Plan-B, you’re creating the foundation for independence — a structure that allows you to move your wealth and lifestyle across borders without losing stability. Precious metals are one of the few assets that make this possible. They don’t depend on a digital network, a bank, or a government system to hold value. Whether you’re in Europe, Latin America, or Asia, gold and silver are recognized, trusted, and instantly liquid.

Unlike stocks or digital assets, precious metals exist outside the financial system. They provide a level of resilience that paper wealth simply can’t match. When markets crash, currencies weaken, or governments impose restrictions, gold doesn’t blink. It remains what it has always been — a universal store of value that protects purchasing power and preserves freedom.

That’s why precious metals aren’t just another investment. They’re an essential pillar of any serious Plan-B, giving you true control over your wealth, no matter where life takes you.

 

PRIVACY AND NON-CRS ASSETS

One of the most overlooked reasons smart investors hold precious metals is privacy. We're living in a world where almost every financial transaction is tracked and reported. However, when you hold physical gold or silver in a private offshore vault, those assets don’t fall under automatic reporting systems like the Common Reporting Standard (CRS). That means they remain legally yours, outside the scope of constant government data sharing between tax authorities.

Of course, holding your precious metals has nothing to do with hiding secrets from the authorities; rather, it involves maintaining control over your tangible assets without sharing unnecessary financial information. A proper Plan-B is built on the idea that not every part of your wealth should be exposed to every government database. Precious metals help you achieve that balance. They can’t be hacked, digitally frozen, or inflated away. When the global financial system tightens its grip, through higher taxes, capital controls, or wealth reporting, your gold remains quietly and safely in your hands, untouchable and untracked.

Investors who’ve already learned the value of diversification know that privacy isn’t a luxury but the cornerstone of financial sovereignty.

 

HEDGE AGAINST CURRENCY AND POLITICAL RISK

One of the greatest threats to financial freedom is currency erosion. Investing largely in assets pegged to fiat currency, like stock or bond markets, will leave you exposed to inflation. 

Precious metals serve as a universal hedge against all of it. Gold and silver have no nationality; they’re borderless assets that retain value whether you’re in Panama or the Cayman Islands.

If your local currency loses value or your government suddenly imposes capital controls, gold remains stable. You can liquidate it anywhere, often in multiple currencies, without relying on the local banking system.

 

In a world of debt and devaluation, gold remains your safest path to independence

CONCLUSION

Precious metals are a crucial part of achieving financial independence and managing risk through asset diversification for every expat and globally minded person. They’re the bridge between independence and security, anchoring your wealth in something that has stood the test of every crisis.

Gold and silver have been experiencing great valuation in recent years because of the unprecedented inflation crisis around the world in recent decades. However, the time of the precious metals has not ended but just started. The governments will continue printing money to create artificial incentives for economic growth and will raise their tariff walls in desperation to protect their national economies. In the end, global power politics will continue to feed the conflict, leading to an even deeper global recession. 

Then, once again, the claims of analysts working with governments that the rise in precious metals is over will be refuted. When that day comes, how would you want your financial position to look — stuck with bonds until you’re worn out, or having stored your gold safely in private vaults? You’re not too late to build Plan-B, and it is always easy to assess your options with our free special report on Plan-B Residencies & Instant Citizenships.