Palladium

Monetary property checklist

Property	Met
Medium of exchange	✅
Unit of account	✅
Portable	✅
Durable	✅
Divisible	✅
Fungible	✅
Relative scarcity	✅

Palladium has all the properties of sound money: A Medium of Exchange (MoE), a Unit of Account (UoA), portable, durable, divisible, fungible, and is relatively scarce. Its monetary history is shorter and more industrial-focused than gold’s, yet its physical qualities position it as a serious contender for sound-money status. Russia once used it as a currency and it's still used today in a lot of different industrial applications.

Palladium is inherently private. From an individual perspective, palladium won’t be tracked by anyone unless you want it to be. Hide it under your mattress, in a safe, or in a vault. You decide.

Palladium isn't as readily available as gold or silver from dealers and online bullion platforms. Physical ownership removes counterparty risk once in hand. Its scarcity and consistent industrial consumption (especially catalytic converters) support long-term demand, though its price can exhibit sharper volatility than gold or platinum. It's not as easy to get your hands on as gold or silver, so it's not as easy to invest in as gold or silver.

Due to the fact that palladium is not as widely used as an investment metal, it poses a liquidation risk for your portfolio if you need to sell it quickly. It's potentially easier to liquidate as a scrap metal than it is to sell it as an investment metal. Most people sell it in the form of jewelry, dental scrap, or as industrial scrap. Again, you'll have to do your own research to find the best way to liquidate it.

Palladium is chemically stable and will endure indefinitely in storage. Its heavy reliance on automotive and electronics demand provides a solid baseline, though shifts in technology or substitution could introduce more variability than gold. Overall, its scarcity and proven utility support continued relevance for the foreseeable future.

Palladium is extremely easy to self-custody. Store it in a home safe, vault, or depository. Its high value density means compact amounts represent substantial wealth, reducing storage footprint compared with lower-value-density metals. Security and operational discipline are key when moving larger quantities.

Palladium bars, coins, and investment products are available through major dealers and online retailers. Premiums tend to be higher than gold, and selection is more specialized, but trusted sources make acquisition straightforward. Once familiar with the market, buyers can transact with confidence.

Like other metals, palladium is a good form of wealth sovereignty. No middlemen, no gatekeepers, no government interference. You own it, you control it, you decide what to do with it. You can hold it, trade it, or use it as you see fit.

The downside is that it's just not as easy to liquidate. If you're looking long term... then that's probably not a problem for you.

Once palladium is in your possession, it's yours as long as you keep it safe.

The only counterparty risk is associated with where you buy it from. If you buy it from a trusted dealer, your risk is often low. Testing palladium purity is like testing gold purity but definitely not as easy to do at home. Gold and silver can use acid tests but palladium requires a more specialized testing process.

Like other metals, palladium is censorship resistant.

However, because palladium is not as widely used as an investment metal, it's absolutely not easy to spend or use as a currency for goods and services. This means it's not as easy to settle for those that accept palladium as payment- if any exist.