Just days before the BRICS Summit kicks off in Rio, Chinese media outlets have started pushing a new narrative. Multiple articles published over the weekend spotlight silver and platinum as faster-appreciating alternatives to gold. The language is deliberate. The framing is consistent. And the message is clear: gold is no longer the only metal worth stacking.
The push comes as BRICS nations prepare to unveil a new financial operating system that sidelines the dollar. Gold is expected to anchor the trust layer. But China appears to be signaling that silver and platinum will play a role too. The Shanghai Gold Exchange has already begun testing settlement mechanisms that include multi-metal collateral.
BREAKING ⚠️ Interesting article on Chinese media over the weekend, right before BRICS Summit in Rio, talking about cheaper alternatives to #Gold (#Silver, #Platinum) are appreciating faster than #Gold. The article was published by multiple media outlets within the last 24 hours… pic.twitter.com/wA4qfOs7NS
— David Lee (@DavidLe76335983) July 6, 2025
Silver prices in Shanghai rose 8.3% in the past 30 days. Platinum is up 11.7% year-to-date. Gold, by comparison, moved 4.1% in the same window. The appreciation gap is widening. Chinese retail investors are responding. Bullion shops in Shenzhen and Chengdu report a 42% increase in silver bar purchases since June. Platinum coins are selling out in under 48 hours. The demand spike is real.
The articles published across Sina Finance, Xinhua’s economic desk, and Caixin all use similar phrasing. They describe silver as “the people’s metal” and platinum as “the industrial hedge.” Gold is still mentioned, but not as the lead. That shift matters. It suggests a broader strategy to diversify public holdings ahead of a monetary pivot.
BRICS leaders are expected to announce a dual-layer settlement system. Gold will serve as the reserve anchor. The Chinese yuan will move the transactions. But metals like silver and platinum may be used to collateralize regional trade. Vaults in Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and Singapore are already being retrofitted to hold multi-metal reserves. Blockchain systems like mBridge will track ownership in real time. The bars stay put. The title moves digitally.
This is about building a new trust mechanism. China wants its citizens to hold metals that can be mobilized. Silver and platinum are cheaper, more liquid, and easier to distribute. That’s why the media push matters. It’s not investment advice. It’s monetary preparation.
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