Platinum

Monetary property checklist

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

Platinum has all the properties of sound money in theory: A Medium of Exchange (MoE), a Unit of Account (UoA), portable, durable, divisible, fungible, and is relatively scarce. While it lacks the multi-thousand-year monetary history of gold, its physical attributes and growing recognition make it a compelling alternative in today’s markets. Russia once used it as a currency and it's still used today in a lot of different industrial applications. But in practice, it's not as easy to use as a currency for goods and services.

Platinum is inherently private. From an individual perspective, platinum 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.

Platinum is straightforward to acquire through reputable dealers, online platforms, or local bullion shops. Once you hold it physically, it is yours with no ongoing counterparty risk. It serves as a reliable long-term investment because its industrial demand (catalytic converters, electronics, medical) and scarcity ensure it is unlikely to lose all value even in economic stress.

Platinum trades in deep wholesale and physical markets with established futures contracts and physical coin/bar bullion. But again, due to the fact that platinum is not as widely used as an investment metal, it's not as easy to find a place to buy it as it is to sell it. This poses a liquidation risk for your portfolio if you need to buy or sell it quickly.

Platinum is highly unreactive and shelf-stable for centuries. Its ongoing industrial demand across automotive, hydrogen technology, and manufacturing sectors provides a durable floor under its value. Barring a complete technological shift that eliminates its unique properties, platinum is expected to remain in demand for the foreseeable future.

Platinum is extremely easy to self-custody. You can store it in a home safe, vault, or even a small personal depository. Its high value density means a modest physical volume can represent significant wealth, making storage simpler than bulkier metals. The main considerations for large quantities are physical security and operational security during transport.

Platinum bars, coins, and granules are available from major dealers and some local shops. Premiums are manageable but typically higher than gold for smaller purchases. Once you identify trusted sources, verification is straightforward and confidence in authenticity is high. Fractional and investment-grade products make it accessible for both new and experienced buyers.

Owning platinum is the ultimate 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.

Once platinum 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.

Like other metals, platinum is censorship resistant.

However, because platinum 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 platinum as payment- if any exist.