Bitcoin and gold hit record highs as investors flee the dollar. Citadel’s Ken Griffin warns of a “debasement trade.” | Credit: Getty Images.
* Citadel founder Ken Griffin warns of a “debasement trade” as investors seek safety outside the U.S. dollar.
* Gold hit $3,900 and Bitcoin surged past $126,000 in October, both setting new all-time highs.
* Analysts say macro conditions are driving capital into scarce, non-sovereign assets like BTC and gold.
A growing investor exodus from the U.S. dollar into gold and Bitcoin is raising alarm among financial heavyweights.
Citadel founder Ken Griffin told Bloomberg this week that he finds the trend “really concerning,” warning of “substantial asset inflation away from the dollar” as portfolios tilt toward alternative stores of value.
The warning comes at a time when both gold and Bitcoin are breaking records. Gold climbed to $3,900 per ounce on Oct. 6, while Bitcoin hit $126,556.
Gold, Bitcoin Surge
Gold has long acted as a hedge during market stress, rallying during the COVID-19 pandemic and again amid recent trade tensions.
Its latest ascent was fueled by expectations of a Federal Reserve rate cut and uncertainty in the U.S., France, and Japan.
Bitcoin, meanwhile, has cemented its place as a digital counterpart to the precious metal.
The asset not only tracked gold’s rise but set its own record in the opening days of October, continuing what traders dub “Uptober,” historically one of crypto’s strongest months.
De-Dollarization Momentum
The dollar’s weakening role in global trade has been decades in the making, but the pace has quickened.
More countries are settling cross-border transactions in local currencies or digital assets, raising questions about the longevity of U.S. currency dominance.
Yan Lee, Chief Analyst at Bitget, told CCN that Bitcoin and gold now serve as “dual debasement trades.” He argued that investors increasingly prefer scarce, non-sovereign assets in the face of fiscal deficits and loose monetary policy:
“Bitcoin’s evolution into digital gold combines scarcity with portability and 24/7 accessibility,” Lee said. “That makes it an essential hedge in modern portfolios, not just a speculative asset.”
Lee added that Bitcoin is likely to capture the bulk of inflows initially, with momentum spilling over into high-quality altcoins as the scarcity narrative expands.
The Road Ahead
At around $125,000, Bitcoin shows no signs of slowing, and analysts see few technical barriers to further gains.
Gold remains supported by macroeconomic headwinds, making the pairing of the two assets a focal point in what Griffin and others see as a global “debasement trade.”
Whether the shift represents a temporary hedge or a long-term reordering of capital markets, the trend underscores a growing lack of faith in the dollar — and a new era where both physical and digital scarcity are prized above sovereign promises.
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