Germany Considers Repatriating Billions in Gold From US Amid Tariff Tensions
Germany, which holds the world’s second-largest gold reserves at 3,352 tons, stores 30-37% of its bullion in New York, a Cold War-era practice designed to ensure dollar liquidity during crises. The remainder is split between Frankfurt (50%) and London (13%).
Discussions about repatriating the U.S.-held gold intensified following President Donald Trump’s imposition of sweeping tariffs, including a 10% levy on EU imports, which German lawmakers argue undermines trust in bilateral agreements.
Political figures, including CDU members Marco Wanderwitz and Markus Ferber, have demanded increased oversight or full repatriation, citing fears the U.S. could restrict access during economic disputes.
The European Taxpayers’ Association echoed concerns, stressing the need for “immediate access” to gold amid discussions of new EU debt instruments. However, the Bundesbank has publicly reaffirmed confidence in the Federal Reserve, with President Joachim Nagel calling the Fed a “trustworthy and reliable partner.”
This debate mirrors Germany’s 2013-2017 repatriation effort, which saw 674 tons moved from New York and Paris to Frankfurt after public pressure and logistical challenges. Only five tons were initially returned in 2013 due to delays, highlighting the complexity of large-scale transfers.
Economically, the tariffs threaten to reduce Germany’s GDP growth by 1.5 percentage points by 2027, per Bundesbank projections. Meanwhile, gold prices have surged to record highs above $3,100 per ounce, driven by market uncertainty. Analysts suggest holding reserves domestically could provide liquidity safeguards if trade disputes escalate.
Globally, 68% of central banks now prioritize domestic gold storage, up from 50% in 2020, according to a 2023 World Gold Council survey. This trend, accelerated by U.S. sanctions on Russia and other nations, highlights a broader shift toward financial sovereignty.
The United States boasts the world’s largest gold reserves at 8,133 tons, a staggering figure representing more than three-quarters of its foreign reserves. Trailing behind Germany, Italy claims the third spot with 2,452 tons, predominantly safeguarded within the Bank of Italy’s vaults and select international depositories.
As of April 2025, no final decision has been made, leaving Germany’s gold strategy suspended between political urgency and institutional caution. The outcome could redefine how nations balance economic security with international partnerships in an era of rising protectionism.
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Pectra Upgrade Offers Hope Amid Ethereum’s 2025 Struggles, Expert Says
Ethereum’s ( ETH) performance since the start of 2025 has been lackluster compared to bitcoin ( BTC) and the broader cryptocurrency market. After beginning the year trading above $3,300, ETH declined, reaching a low of $1,805.40 as of April 4, 2025. In contrast, bitcoin ( BTC), which rallied from under $69,000 on Nov. 5, 2024, to peak at just over $109,000 on Jan. 20, 2025, was down by approximately 10%, compared to ETH’s 45%.
This divergence in performance has led to frustration among ETH holders and fans, who expected the cryptocurrency to outshine or at least match BTC’s growth. However, some experts remain bullish on ETH’s long-term prospects. They predict ETH potentially reaching $5,000 by the end of 2025, and some even see it surpassing $10,000 in the near future.
The experts point to ongoing ecosystem upgrades, including the upcoming Pectra upgrade, as factors likely to kickstart a rebound that could see ETH eventually matching BTC’s strong performance. Still, some ETH holders and supporters continue to vent about the ETH price decline, which they attribute to both a lack of progress and the Ethereum team’s perceived failure to stem the regression. However, Ethereum proponents push back against this narrative, arguing that it ignores the real work being done to improve the protocol.
Alex Loktev, CRO at P2P.org, acknowledges the frustration surrounding ethereum’s recent price performance, but attributes it to the network’s focus on foundational development rather than hype-driven narratives. He argues that Ethereum’s shift to Proof-of-Stake (PoS), the implementation of EIP-1559, and the build-out of its Layer-2 ecosystem, while not immediately impacting price, are crucial for long-term stability and scalability.
Loktev notes that other crypto or related assets such as bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETF), artificial intelligence (AI) tokens, and memecoins have captured market attention. This has left Ethereum to work on its infrastructure. However, he remains cautiously optimistic for 2025, anticipating positive impacts from the Pectra upgrade, potential ETH ETFs with staking, and a maturing Layer-2 ecosystem. He believes ETH could surpass previous highs with favorable market conditions.
With respect to the Pectra upgrade, Loktev said this change promises to reshape the landscape of staking and potentially inject renewed vigor into the Ethereum ecosystem. In fact, Loktev sees the Pectra upgrade as a crucial step in strengthening Ethereum’s economic foundation. The upgrade, he argues, makes staking significantly safer.
“Look at the numbers – slashing penalties dropping by up to 128x makes staking dramatically safer. For institutional money that’s been sitting on the sidelines, worried about tail risk, this removes a major barrier. Combined with auto-compounding, we’ve got a seriously improved staking proposition,” Loktev stated.
Furthermore, the Pectra upgrade, slated for April 30, is said to introduce auto-compounding, enhancing the overall staking proposition. Loktev anticipates the staking ratio, currently around 31%, to climb towards 40-45% within the next year or two from the upgrade. Although the upgrade alone may not immediately “pump” ETH’s price, Loktev believes it will strengthen Ethereum’s economic fundamentals by locking up more supply and creating increased yield opportunities within the decentralized finance (DeFi) sector.
By addressing concerns surrounding staking risks and enhancing yield opportunities, the upgrade could pave the way for increased institutional adoption and a more robust Ethereum ecosystem.
Meanwhile, Loktev claims the upgrade, which increases validators with Maximum Effective Balances (MEB) from 32 to up to 2048 ETH, is poised to bring significant operational efficiencies and risk reductions to the network. While some might question the impact on decentralization, Loktev argues that this move addresses crucial practicalities for validator operators.
He highlights the operational burden of running numerous smaller validators. He said: “Running 64 validators instead of one means 64 times the infrastructure complexity, 64 times the monitoring overhead, and 64 times the potential points of failure.”
Beyond operational benefits, Loktev points to the significant advantages for everyday stakers. The introduction of auto-compounding allows consensus layer rewards, which constitute about 75% of total staking returns, to automatically grow validator balances, effectively providing compound interest without manual intervention.
Furthermore, Pectra upgrade dramatically improves the risk profile for validators. Loktev notes that under the current system, a “simple technical hiccup” can result in a 3.28% loss of stake. Post-Pectra, this risk is reduced to a mere 0.19%, representing a 17x reduction in risk exposure.
Looking ahead to 2030, Loktev predicts significant potential for Ethereum, provided the network successfully executes its roadmap and PoS remains effective. He emphasizes that Ethereum’s growing role as essential infrastructure for the digital economy is the key trend to watch, rather than short-term price fluctuations. Loktev concludes that Ethereum’s future success hinges on its ability to scale through Layer-2 solutions and maintain its position as a leading platform for decentralized applications.
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Securitize Reports Highest-Ever Dividend of $4.17 Million for Tokenized Treasury Product
Securitize, the firm behind Blackrock’s USD Institutional Digital Liquidity Fund (BUIDL), has announced a record-breaking $4.17 million in dividends for March, making it the highest single-month payout among tokenized Treasury products.
According to its X post, this milestone pushes total distributions since launch to $25.4 million, signaling the rising demand for blockchain-based institutional investments.
BUIDL provides investors with daily dividend payouts (Monday–Friday), allowing near real-time yield generation. The fund is now live across seven major blockchain networks, including Solana, Ethereum, Aptos, Arbitrum, Avalanche, Optimism, and Polygon.
The rapid adoption of BUIDL highlights how tokenization is reshaping access to traditional financial instruments, offering greater liquidity and efficiency in the digital asset space. As institutional interest in on-chain yield continues to grow, tokenized Treasury funds like BUIDL are positioned to become a cornerstone of blockchain-powered finance.
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Bitcoin Poised for Violent Decoupling From Global Markets, Expert Says
Eric Weiss, founder and chief investment officer of Blockchain Investment Group, spoke out this week on social media platform X to highlight bitcoin’s potential as a resilient asset amid rising geopolitical instability and volatile financial markets. As global equities decline under the weight of trade tensions, Weiss pointed to the unique qualities of bitcoin, arguing it offers investors a mathematical alternative unburdened by traditional risks. He stated:
As the tariff war escalates and stocks bleed, Wall Street will eventually realize there’s an alternative: bitcoin. No earnings risk. No geopolitics. Just math. The moment capital truly pivots, BTC doesn’t just hold up, it outperforms dramatically.
Weiss also disputed the notion that bitcoin’s behavior mirrors the equity market, predicting a sharp break in correlation. “Bitcoin’s recent correlation with equities won’t last. A divergence is coming and it won’t be subtle,” he opined. His message reflects a broader view emerging among bitcoin advocates that the digital asset is maturing into an independent asset class, capable of acting as a hedge against systemic economic and political shocks.
This sentiment was echoed by Michael Saylor, executive chairman of software intelligence firm Microstrategy (Nasdaq: MSTR), which recently rebranded as Strategy. On April 4, Saylor offered similar comments about bitcoin’s divergence from risk-on assets. “Bitcoin trades like a risk asset short term because it’s the most liquid, salable, 24/7 asset on Earth. In times of panic, traders sell what they can, not what they want to. Doesn’t mean it’s correlated long-term—just means it’s always available,” he explained.
Weiss and Saylor, along with many others in the crypto industry, also drew attention to bitcoin’s insulation from protectionist trade policies, especially as President Donald Trump reimposed tariffs on a large number of countries. “There are no tariffs on bitcoin,” Weiss noted. The statement has become a rallying point for digital asset supporters who argue that bitcoin’s lack of borders and centralized control shields it from the types of economic constraints affecting traditional investments. Proponents argue that bitcoin’s design and independence make it increasingly appealing in a climate shaped by tariffs, trade wars, and monetary intervention.
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