US Debt Tops USD 39 Trillion: Kiyosaki and Other Warnings
US federal debt exceeded USD 39 trillion for the first time in history this year. Last week the investor and author Robert Kiyosaki also commented on the figure, using it as another argument for a strategy he says he has followed for over six decades. In this story, however, Kiyosaki is just one of many voices warning about the growing debt in recent months – and his specific price predictions deserve a closer look.
Debt is growing by billions a day
According to US Treasury data, the debt reached USD 39.4 trillion in mid-year, roughly USD 115,000 for every US citizen. Since last October alone it has grown by over a trillion dollars – around USD 5 billion a day – and the debt-to-GDP ratio has reached 125%, the highest since the end of the Second World War. Interest costs alone for servicing the debt came to about USD 857 billion in the first nine months of the fiscal year – over a trillion dollars annualised, more than the USA spends on defence.
Not just Kiyosaki – who else is sounding the alarm
Former Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson warned in April that the growing debt is testing investor confidence in US Treasuries to the point where it could trigger a so-called “doom loop”, in which demand for US government bonds gradually weakens. JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon, for his part, stresses that the bond market itself will eventually force Washington to act, once investors start demanding higher yields for lending money. So far the market’s reaction is mixed – long-term bond yields are rising slightly, but the ten-year yield, which most affects the real cost of debt, is holding fairly steady.
Kiyosaki’s strategy: six decades of buying gold, silver and crypto
Kiyosaki wrote on X that he has been buying silver since 1965, gold since 1971, bitcoin since 2012 and ethereum since 2022. He also said he keeps part of his gold in vaults abroad because of fears of possible government interference in private ownership of the metal. Protecting wealth against currency debasement is a standard argument repeated by far more conservative voices such as US Bank and deVere Group. The difference lies in how confidently Kiyosaki links a generally sensible thesis to specific price targets.
Predictions vs. reality: only about 10% came true
Kiyosaki most recently claimed that bitcoin would reach USD 250,000 by the end of 2026, gold USD 27,000 and silver USD 100 to 200. Bitcoin is currently trading around USD 65,000, gold around USD 4,100 and silver between USD 55 and 60. According to an independent review of his predictions, only about 10% have come true since 2022, and his earlier warnings of a “giant stock market crash” in 2021 and 2022 did not materialise either. Interestingly, gold is clearly the strongest of the three this year, while bitcoin lags behind by tens of percent – roughly the opposite of what Kiyosaki’s scenario would assume.
What to take away as an investor
The debt problem itself is real and is confirmed by far more sober voices on Wall Street than Kiyosaki. So the question is not whether US debt is a problem, but whether the answer is a specific price target that someone happens to be selling. Physical investment gold and investment silver remain a long-recognised way of diversifying wealth outside the currency system – without having to believe in specific price targets. Why gold has historically worked as protection against currency debasement is explained in the article Gold and inflation, and the current market situation in the article Gold tests USD 4,000 an ounce as the dollar hits a 13-month high. A similar motive – protection against currency debasement – is also behind why central banks are buying gold on a large scale.
If you want to start with physical ownership, you might choose the 1 g Argor-Heraeus gold bar, the Wiener Philharmoniker coin or the more affordable Nadir Metal silver bar.
Frequently asked questions
How large is US federal debt now?
According to US Treasury data, it reached USD 39.4 trillion for the first time in history in mid-2026, roughly USD 115,000 per US citizen.
Have Robert Kiyosaki’s price predictions come true?
According to an independent review, only about 10% of his estimates have come true since 2022. His current targets (bitcoin USD 250,000, gold USD 27,000, silver USD 100–200 by the end of 2026) are still far from actual market prices.
Are people other than Kiyosaki warning about the growing debt?
Yes – among others former Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon, both far more conservative voices in the financial markets.
This article is based on a report by Finbold.com. The price estimates and predictions mentioned are third-party opinions, not GOLDU’s position. Source: Finbold.com.
About the author
HEFFO, GOLDU’s blogger, sees everything in context. From a pile of global numbers and news, he fishes out what matters and adds a conclusion you would not have expected. The precision of his conclusions and his love of chocolate suggest he has lived in Switzerland for years.
