The Global Currency Reset is almost here. What it means for your wealth. The winners and losers.

SUMMARY

Clive Thompson, a veteran investor, warns of an imminent global currency reset due to unsustainable debt, explaining its sudden impact on cash and bonds while tangible assets like gold and equities survive.

STATEMENTS

A global currency reset involves replacing the existing currency with a new one during crises like hyperinflation or bond failures, occurring across multiple countries simultaneously.
The reset will arrive without warning, similar to an unexpected death or accident, leaving no time for last-minute preparations.
Governments worldwide face unsustainable debt levels, spending more than they collect in taxes and continually borrowing to service previous debts.
In a reset, individuals can convert only a limited amount of old currency to the new one, with restrictions to prevent speculation.
Holders of large cash balances or bonds will suffer significant losses, as the old currency becomes defunct and trades at a steep discount on black markets.
Pensions and savings plans holding bonds will be affected, though governments may bail out smaller domestic holdings or provide basic income support.
Tangible assets like gold, silver, property, tools, and equities will retain value post-reset, as companies continue operations in the new currency.
Companies with net borrowings will benefit, as their debts in the old currency become worthless, allowing fresh borrowing and economic recovery.
Governments emerge debt-free in the new currency, enabling quick bailouts and stimulus, but wealthy individuals with excess cash face partial or no compensation.
Preparing now with real assets ensures protection regardless of the reset's timing, turning potential crisis into opportunity.

IDEAS

The global currency reset mirrors inevitable death: certain but unpredictable, lulling people into complacency until it strikes suddenly.
No announcements precede the reset; by the time it's known, panic ensues, making collective actions futile as everyone scrambles simultaneously.
Overindebted governments resemble families maxing out credit cards, borrowing endlessly to pay interest without ever reducing principal.
A new currency like CBDC could launch instantly in crisis, but conversion limits act as rationing, echoing post-WWII European ration coupons for essentials.
Old currency holders, even billionaires, lose access to wealth beyond limits, rendering vast fortunes useless overnight.
Black market trading devalues old currency rapidly—from 70 cents to zero within a year—trapping savers in a depreciating trap.
Equities in strong companies like Apple endure, as businesses adapt to the new currency and shed worthless debts.
Corporate borrowers gain a clean slate, boosting hiring and expansion, while governments reset to zero debt-to-GDP for rapid recovery.
Small savers below conversion limits notice no change, as salaries and expenses shift seamlessly to the new currency.
Bailouts favor modest pensions and basic needs, but affluent individuals' excess holdings evaporate without full recourse.

INSIGHTS

Unsustainable global debt creates a systemic time bomb, where resets wipe slates clean for institutions but devastate individual savers reliant on fiat.
Tangible assets transcend currency upheavals, preserving wealth's essence while abstract forms like cash dissolve into irrelevance.
Preparation in uncertainty builds resilience, as actions like diversifying into real goods yield benefits irrespective of crisis timing.
Crises paradoxically stimulate economies by nullifying debts, allowing fresh growth but at the cost of punishing conservative wealth holders.
Rationing mechanisms in resets reveal true scarcity, prioritizing survival over speculation and exposing fiat's fragility.
Equity in enduring enterprises offers a hedge, as operational value persists beyond monetary resets, fostering long-term prosperity.

QUOTES

"The global currency reset is going to come for sure. You just don't know when and you don't know when you're going to die."
"It will come without any warning. Nobody will know it's going to happen until it's too late."
"The old currency will probably trade on the black market at 70 cents on the dollar. 3 months later, you'll be lucky to get 20 cents on the dollar and a year later you probably get zero on the dollar."
"Anything that you can touch and feel and hold will still be there no matter what they do to the money."
"The winners will be those with tangible, useful assets such as equities, gold, silver, property, tools, or anything which can't be taken away from you."

HABITS

Invest in tangible assets like gold and silver to safeguard wealth against currency instability.
Diversify portfolios into equities and property for long-term resilience in economic shifts.
Learn from investment mistakes over decades to develop a disciplined risk-return approach.
Avoid over-reliance on cash or bonds by converting savings into physical or productive holdings.
Regularly research and consult advisors to align investments with personal risk tolerance.

FACTS

Post-WWII Europe used ration coupons alongside money for essentials like butter, limiting spending regardless of wealth.
Global governments spend more than tax revenues annually, borrowing to cover deficits and inflating debt to unsustainable levels.
Central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) enable rapid issuance during emergencies, potentially as a reset mechanism.
Most companies carry net borrowings, which could become worthless in a reset, easing their financial burdens.
Western nations broadly share similar debt burdens exceeding 100% of GDP, acknowledged as problematic by experts.

REFERENCES

Clive Thompson's website: https://clivethompson.com for portfolio downloads and more on investing.
Gold Bullion Partners for UK/Europe gold investments, including SIPP holdings.
ITM Trading for U.S. gold and silver diversification guidance.

HOW TO APPLY

Assess your current holdings: Identify cash, bonds, and pensions exposed to reset risks, then quantify amounts above potential conversion limits like 10,000-50,000 units.
Shift to tangible assets: Allocate savings into gold or silver through reputable dealers, aiming for physical forms that you can hold securely.
Build equity exposure: Invest in shares of stable companies like Apple, focusing on those with real products and operations that persist post-crisis.
Acquire property or tools: Purchase real estate or practical items like workshops and vehicles that retain utility regardless of currency changes.
Consult professionals: Engage an independent financial advisor to tailor a diversification plan to your situation, incorporating research on CBDCs and debt trends.

ONE-SENTENCE TAKEAWAY

Prepare wealth with tangible assets to thrive through the inevitable global currency reset.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Prioritize gold and silver for their enduring value outside fiat systems.
Invest heavily in equities of productive companies to benefit from debt forgiveness.
Limit cash holdings to essential short-term needs below expected conversion thresholds.
Explore property ownership for stability in any economic regime.
Stay informed on debt indicators to act early without waiting for warnings.

MEMO

In the crisp air of a Swiss ski resort on December 30, 2025—the last trading day of the year—veteran investor Clive Thompson delivers a stark warning from his home base in Crans Montana. With over 50 years of market experience etched into his voice, Thompson likens the looming global currency reset to death itself: inevitable, unpredictable, and devastating if unprepared. As governments worldwide grapple with debt loads surpassing 100% of GDP, the reset threatens to upend financial systems overnight, replacing old currencies with restricted new ones amid hyperinflation or bond crises. Thompson, speaking alongside his son Clive Jr., emphasizes that no fanfare will precede this shift; it will strike like an accident, leaving holders of cash and bonds scrambling in vain.

The mechanics of this reset, Thompson explains, echo historical precedents like post-World War II Europe's ration coupons, where even the wealthiest couldn't buy basics without government-issued slips. In a modern version, conversion limits—perhaps 10,000 to 50,000 units—would render excess old currency useless, trading at 70 cents on the dollar initially before plummeting to zero on black markets. Pensions laden with bonds face similar fates, though governments might bail out modest domestic plans or introduce universal basic income. Yet for the affluent, large savings evaporate, forgiven as the state resets its own tab to zero debt-to-GDP. Thompson's message is unflinching: fiat's fragility exposes the illusion of security in paper wealth.

Tangible assets, however, emerge as the great survivors. Gold, silver, property, tools, bicycles, even whiskey—anything physical and imperishable—will endure, Thompson asserts. Equities in resilient firms like Apple fare even better; companies shed worthless debts, freeing capital for expansion and hiring in the new currency. This paradox could spark economic renewal, as debt-laden entities start fresh, but only for those positioned in real value. Small savers below limits might notice little change, their salaries and bills seamlessly transitioning, but the reset's architects—the overindebted states—gain a phoenix-like rebirth at citizens' expense.

Thompson's advice cuts through the panic: Act now, without waiting for signs that won't come. Diversify into what you can touch and hold, consult advisors, and learn from past mistakes to build disciplined portfolios. His channel, a repository of hard-won lessons on stocks, bonds, and precious metals, urges viewers not to copy trades but to avoid pitfalls. As the world kicks the debt can down the road, the five minutes to midnight ticks louder. In an era of central bank digital currencies waiting in the wings, Thompson's call resonates: Wealth's true guardians are not banks, but the enduring stuff of reality itself.