[Digital Today reporter Yoonseo Lee] Robert Kiyosaki (로버트 기요사키), author of "Rich Dad Poor Dad", warned the global economy could enter a collapse phase in 2026 and pointed to silver as one of the most promising investments.

On May 11 (local time), blockchain outlet BeInCrypto reported that he sees tangible assets that fiat currency cannot replace as a way to prepare for the next downturn.

Kiyosaki has repeated the same warning on X, formerly Twitter, in recent months. He claimed all the bubbles he mentioned in a 2002 book are now bursting in earnest. He judged that U.S. debt has reached about $39 trillion and that dollar weakness since 1974 has increased structural vulnerability. He also cited the risk that baby boomer retirement accounts could be shaken.

He then said, "The 2026 global economy is on the verge of collapse," adding, "It is good news for those who can see the future, and bad news for those who cannot." He claimed he became wealthier by holding tangible assets during market plunges in 1987, 2000, 2008 and 2022, and said he will use the same strategy in 2026.

Major institutions take a different view. Many do not agree with the claim that the global economy will fall into a shock on the scale of the Great Depression in 2026. Instead, they see national debt and geopolitical tensions as downside risks while generally maintaining a gradual growth outlook.

The asset Kiyosaki emphasized in particular was silver. He said he began accumulating silver in 1965 when he was 18, and that he still sees it as a currency hedge and a key industrial metal. He also cited its broad use in solar panels, electric vehicles, batteries and artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure. Spot silver prices surged over the past year and are now trading around $85 an ounce.

Kiyosaki has previously suggested silver prices could reach $200 an ounce in 2026. He described physical silver as an inexpensive starting point that new investors can also access, and repeatedly voiced caution about "fake dollars."

Factors favorable to silver were also presented on the supply-and-demand side. The silver market has been in a structural supply deficit for six consecutive years, and industrial demand accounts for about half of total consumption. Against that backdrop, other market participants are also reinforcing bullish forecasts for silver.

Veteran trader Vijay viewed silver prices around $75 to $80 as still too low. He said that over the next six months, there is a high chance the market will be "surprised to the upside." He also said Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) inventories are at their lowest level since January 2025, describing silver as a scarce commodity and one of the most overlooked asset classes in the market.

Research firm World of Finance and Associates suggested an upper range for silver prices of $88 to $92 if shocks from macro variables are limited. Other precious metals analysts view silver miners as a leveraged investment. A cautious view also emerged that, from a long-term investment perspective, both gold and silver need at least one more correction of at least 50 percent.

Kiyosaki's 2026 survival-asset list included gold, crude oil, food production, bitcoin and ethereum in addition to silver. In this trend, silver is being cited both as a means of defending against an economic shock and as an asset that benefits from expanding industrial demand. Still, whether a shock market in 2026 materialises, and whether silver prices approach his forecast by then, is expected to depend on market volatility and macro conditions.

RICH DAD LESSON: The best investors can see the future: FOR EXAMPLE: in 1965, when I was 18 years old, I began stacking silver when silver cost pennies. In 2026 silver is one of best investments I own. Q: What do you see happening in the future? Q: What can you invest…