The Netherlands has chosen to store its 86 tons of gold in the UK rather than in the US—not due to cost issues, but as a clear signal of deepening rifts between America and Europe. The gold repatriated from North America was not kept at home in the Netherlands, nor stored on the European continent, but instead moved to the UK. The reason for this is that the Dutch banking system is too small to afford the high storage costs. However, this decision is not merely about storage or transaction expenses—it reflects a world increasingly fracturing into fragments. Choosing to place gold in the UK rather than the US itself signifies a profound division between the United States and Europe.
Although the United States remains the world’s most powerful hybrid of finance, technology, and military strength, the cost of maintaining this system is rising sharply, and its differences with allies are growing wider. To sustain dollar hegemony, the U.S. will undoubtedly intensify exploitation, containment, and control over other economies. In the past, everyone played by the rules of the dollar system; now, it's becoming widely recognized that the dollar is fundamentally unreliable.
History teaches us that the most dangerous moment isn’t when a system has already been transformed, but when the old system loses stability while the new one hasn’t yet taken shape. The old system won’t simply vanish—it will fight desperately to survive. We must adopt a bottom-line mindset and prepare for the worst possible scenario.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1875488974610432/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author