Finance guru who predicted crash of 2008 issues devastating take on US economy
In a stark warning bestselling financial author Robert Kiyosaki says he believes the United States is barreling toward an unprecedented economic catastrophe.
Kiyosaki says that the next downturn will eclipse that of Great Depression and make the 2008 crash look minor by comparison - and far worse than anything seen since the 1930s.
'This is not just another downturn,' Kiyosaki declared in a viral X post. 'The U.S.A. may be heading for a GREATER DEPRESSION.'
The expert who predicted the collapse of Lehman Brothers in 2008 wrote Rich Dad Poor Dad in 2002 and it still remains one of the most influential personal finance books of all time.
Kiyosaki cites a dangerous cocktail of record-high credit card debt, ballooning national liabilities, rising unemployment, and shrinking retirement savings as signs the economy is about to unravel in spectacular fashion.
'In 2025, credit card debt is at all-time highs. US debt is at all-time highs. Unemployment is rising. 401(k)'s are losing,' he wrote.
'This coming Great Depression will cause millions to be poor … and a few who take action may enjoy great wealth and freedom.'
According to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Americans are now drowning under $1.21 trillion in credit card debt - an all-time high, a national debt of $36.22 trillion, and a jobless rate that ticked up to 4.2% in March.
Kiyosaki says that the next downturn will eclipse the Great Depression and make the 2008 crash look minor by comparison and worse than anything seen since the 1930s
For many, their 401(k)s, once viewed as the backbone of retirement, are now in the red.
Far from a recession, Kiyosaki's prediction is suggesting there will economic annihilation and that people should pivot into what he considers the only real shelters left: Bitcoin, gold, and silver.
'For those who take action today, when the crash crashes, those who invest in just one Bitcoin, or some gold, or silver … You may come through this crisis a very rich person,' he urged.
Gold is trading around $3,300 per ounce, having blown past the once-daunting $2,000 mark. Silver, too, has climbed, and Bitcoin, despite its volatility, recently broke $110,000 per coin but Kiyosaki says the real explosion is yet to come.
'I strongly believe, by 2035, that one Bitcoin will be over $1 million. Gold will be $30K and silver $3,000 a coin,' he declared.
Ray Dalio, founder of Bridgewater Associates, echoed Kiyosaki's sentiment in February, telling CNBC, 'People don't have, typically, an adequate amount of gold in their portfolio,' adding, 'when bad times come, gold is a very effective diversifier.'
Kiyosaki, 78, agrees and has been advising Americans to stock up for years.
Back in October 2023, he warned: 'Gold will soon break through $2,100 and then take off. You will wish you had bought gold below $2,000. Next stop, gold $3,700.'
Kyosaki predicts Bitcoin will reach $1 million by 2035 - a lofty prediction considering the crtpyocurrency's value currently sits at $110,000
Indeed, financial firms have introduced easier ways to invest including gold-backed retirement accounts, known as Gold IRAs, which combine the tax advantages of IRAs with the safety of physical bullion.
Kiyosaki has always challenged conventional wisdom even when it comes to the American Dream of home ownership.
'Your house is not an asset,' he told finance YouTuber Sharan Hegde in September 2023.
'If it puts money in my pocket, it's an asset. If my house is taking money from my pocket, it's a liability.'
Instead, he advocates for rental properties - investments that pay you, rather than drain you.
Through crowdfunding platforms like Arrived, even those with limited capital can buy into vetted rental homes for as little as $100 and begin earning income - no landlords, no leaky faucets, no nightmare tenants.
Kiyosaki's boldest bet, however, remains on Bitcoin.
In November, he posted: 'Bitcoin will soon break $100,000.' By early December, that prediction came true. While the digital currency has since fluctuated, his long-term vision remains wildly bullish.
Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey similarly predicted in May 2024 that Bitcoin would hit at least $1 million by 2030 - and perhaps far beyond.
Crypto platforms such as Gemini, Robinhood and Coinbase have made buying Bitcoin easier offering regulated, full-reserve exchanges where users can trade dozens of digital assets with peace of mind.
Kiyosaki's warnings come at a time of deep political and economic uncertainty. President Trump's sweeping tariffs have thrown global markets into disarray.
Inflation, though somewhat tamed from its peak is still an issue and interest rates remain high.
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