Gold, Silver & Bitcoin ETFs: Kiyosaki’s 2025 Warning – ’Paper Assets Won’t Cut It’

Wall Street’s latest paper promises—gold, silver, and Bitcoin ETFs—are flooding the market. But Robert Kiyosaki, author of 'Rich Dad Poor Dad,' isn’t buying the hype. Literally.

The ETF Illusion

ETFs let you 'own' assets without holding them. Convenient? Sure. But Kiyosaki calls it financial theater—a way for institutions to profit while retail investors get synthetic exposure. 'Paper isn’t enough,' he scoffs.

Bitcoin’s Paper Paradox

Spot Bitcoin ETFs finally got approved, but purists argue they defeat crypto’s decentralized ethos. Why trust BlackRock’s ledger when you can hold the real thing? 'ETF Bitcoin is like vegan bacon,' jokes one trader.

The Hard Truth

Kiyosaki’s advice? Stack physical gold, silver, and self-custodied Bitcoin. Because when the system inevitably sneezes, paper contracts might just dissolve. And as always, Wall Street will sell you umbrellas in a hurricane—for a fee.

The Bottom Line

ETFs democratize access, but they’re still bets on someone else’s integrity. In 2025’s volatile markets, that’s a risky prayer. Or as Kiyosaki puts it: 'If you like IOUs, buy ETFs. If you like wealth, get the real stuff.'

Financial expert Robert Kiyosaki has shared a powerful reminder to his followers on X. This message is for those investors who rely heavily on paper assets like ETFs (Exchange-Traded Funds). Although ETFs can make investing easier for beginners, they might not always be the smartest choice in uncertain times, he says.

In his words, “An ETF is like having a picture of a gun for self-defense.” That is why he urges people to understand the difference between owning papers and the “real thing.”

BEWARE of PAPER

I realize ETFs make investing easier for the average investor….so I do recommend ETFs for the average investor. Yet I extend these words of caution:

For the average investor I recommend:

Gold ETFs
Silver ETFs
Bitcoin ETFs

Yet an ETF is like having a picture…

For an average investor, he still recommends Gold, Silver and Bitcoin ETFs. But he also stresses the importance of knowing when its better to have physical gold and silver, real Bitcoin (not just ETF shares).

His message is simple but powerful: Know the difference between paper and real assets — and know when to use each one. This is what separates the average from the truly prepared, he says.

Gold and bitcoin are both up 28% in 2025, as investors turn to alternatives for diversification. With stock markets volatile and bond returns uneven, ETFs have become the go-to way to gain exposure to assets like gold, Bitcoin, and even altcoins. Gold ETFs remain strong, with over $170 billion in assets as of April.

Bitcoin ETFs, launched last year have seen tremendous success and now Ethereum  ETFs are gaining momentum too. With big players like BlackRock and Fidelity, the institutional interest and inflows continue to rise.

U.S spot ETFs saw strong momentum yesterday as well. Bitcoin ETFs pulled in $226.7 million in net inflows, with BlackRock alone contributing $32.5 million.Ethereum ETFs did even better, with $231.2 million in net inflows and Fidelity led the charge by adding a massive $210.1 million in ETH.

BlackRock’s iShares ethereum Trust (ETHA) recently hit $10 billion in assets, doubling from $5B in just 10 days. That makes it the fastest Ethereum ETF to reach $10B, and the third fastest ETF ever in U.S. history.

Lately, Ethereum ETFs have even outpaced Bitcoin in inflows. On July 17 alone, they brought in $602 million, beating Bitcoin ETFs for the day. Over the past month, ETH ETFs saw $4.7 billion in inflows — a clear sign investors are betting big on Ethereum’s future.

Experts say that the trend shows growing confidence in Ethereum’s real-world use cases — beyond just being a store of value. ETH’s 50% monthly rally, plus its staking and yield features, are attracting attention from corporate treasuries and institutional funds.

As of July 24, Spot Ethereum ETFs have seen a cumulative net inflow of $8.88 billion. However Bitcoin still leads with $54.69 billion in total net inflows, as per data from SoSoValue.