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America’s Love Affair With Stocks Is Dying — And Gold Is Taking Its Place

EDITOR'S NOTES

A new Gallup poll reveals a major shift in how Americans view long-term investments: gold has officially dethroned stocks as the #2 choice, behind only real estate. With growing distrust in the stock market and fear of inflation, the yellow metal is rising fast. This article explains what’s driving the shift and why gold’s time may have finally come.

If you’ve been feeling uneasy about the markets lately, you’re not alone — and the data now proves it. For the first time since 2013, gold has leapfrogged over stocks to become America’s second-favorite long-term investment, right behind real estate. That’s not just a minor shift. That’s a seismic crack in the public’s trust in Wall Street — and it’s a sign that more and more folks are waking up to what many of us have been saying for years: gold is real, gold is safe, and gold is freedom.

According to the latest Gallup poll, 23% of Americans now see gold as the best long-term place to park their money — a 5-point jump from last year. Stocks, meanwhile, fell hard — now only 16% view them as the best option, down six points. That’s a massive shift in just one year.

Let’s break this down.

Frank Balm May 13, 25

The Tides Are Turning: Gold Steps Back Into the Spotlight

Now I’ve been in this business for decades, and I’ve seen gold go through cycles — but this one feels different. For most of the last decade, the mainstream press treated gold like some dusty relic. But now? People are watching their 401(k)s get whipsawed every time a politician opens their mouth, and suddenly that “dusty relic” looks like a rock-solid life raft.

Gallup’s numbers show that while real estate is still holding strong with 37% of Americans calling it the best long-term investment (no change from last year), gold is charging up behind it. That makes gold the top choice among all non-real-estate options — and it’s not even close.

What’s Behind the Shift? Hint: It’s Not Just About Returns

Let’s be clear: this isn’t just about price gains. It’s about trust. Americans are losing faith in paper promises.

The poll was conducted in early April — right when the second Trump administration dropped a fresh round of tariffs that sent the markets into a tailspin. That’s not a coincidence. People aren’t stupid. When Washington throws another wrench in the system and your stock portfolio tanks overnight, you start looking for something that won’t disappear with the next press conference.

History backs this up. Gold’s last major surge in popularity came after the Great Recession, during the peak of housing foreclosures and market collapses. Back then, 34% of Americans said gold was the best investment — its highest point ever. That was 2011, when people still had fresh scars from the financial system’s meltdown.

Sound familiar?

Working-Class Americans Are Leading the Gold Comeback

This part hits close to home for me. According to Gallup, lower-income Americans are far more likely to favor gold over stocks. That tracks. Folks who live paycheck to paycheck don’t have the luxury of playing roulette with their retirement. They want tangible wealth — not digits on a screen that vanish during the next “correction.”

People earning over $100,000 still lean toward stocks, but even that’s starting to shift. And if this economy stays volatile — and believe me, it will — gold is going to keep climbing in the public’s perception.

Inflation Still Haunts Households

Here’s the kicker: even though the headlines say inflation is “cooling,” nearly 1 in 3 Americans (29%) say it’s still their top financial worry. That’s down from last year, but way up from before this inflationary mess began in 2021. People feel it every time they go to the grocery store or fill up their gas tank. That anxiety doesn’t go away just because the CPI number is lower this month.

And what do people do when they feel that pinch? They reach for assets that protect against inflation — assets like gold.

The Bottom Line: Gold’s Rise Is a Sign of What’s to Come

This shift isn’t a fluke. It’s part of a larger trend — one I’ve been warning about for years. When the people stop trusting the system, they go back to what they can hold in their hands. Gold. Silver. Real, physical assets that can’t be inflated away or seized at the push of a button.

Sure, stocks might recover a bit here and there. But long-term? The trend is clear. Trust is gone. The system is broken. And gold is back where it belongs: near the top.

Your Move: Protect What’s Yours Before It’s Too Late

If you’ve been sitting on the fence about precious metals, now’s the time to act. Don’t wait until your retirement gets gutted in the next correction. Download Bill Brocius’ free eBook, Seven Steps to Protect Yourself from Bank Failure, and get the tools you need to take control of your financial future.

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