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China’s Gold Dries Up, India Sets Import Record – World Silver Supply Is on the Brink of Extinction

February 24, 2026By silverstarsilver3 min read
China’s Gold Dries Up, India Sets Import Record – World Silver Supply Is on the Brink of Extinction

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Just after the Chinese New Year, reports emerged that many gold retailers across China have abruptly stopped selling physical gold bars. Contracts signed before the holiday are being refunded, and the situation appears increasingly severe: physical inventory across retail and wholesale channels has effectively vanished. Some traders warn this could be the early signal of a historic repricing event—a market where $10,000 per ounce gold is no longer hyperbole but an approaching reality.

One of the clearest pieces of evidence comes from Houdejin (厚德金), a major and reputable precious metals dealer in China. Houdejin operates under Decheng Jewelry Group (德诚珠宝集团), one of the country’s largest and most established gold jewelry conglomerates with over 36 years of history, hundreds of partner stores, and a broad footprint in gold recycling and buyback services. In a recent public notice, Houdejin informed customers:

“Due to the unavailability of gold after the Spring Festival, our products are out of stock and we are unable to ship your order. You can apply for a refund and we will process the refund for you.”

That statement—bland and procedural on the surface—reveals something stunning underneath: China, the largest physical gold market on Earth, appears to have run out of deliverable bars just days after the nation’s most important holiday.

Meanwhile, across the Himalayas, India has posted record gold imports. As macro analyst Tavi Costa showed on social media, the country’s January data confirms an unprecedented surge in tonnage. Indian importers, long attuned to the rhythm of gold’s monetary heartbeat, seem to be front-running a systemic pivot: the global rotation from paper to metal, from derivative exposure to tangible reserves.

The charts, as Costa wrote, don’t lie.

While Western investors remain transfixed by digital volatility and paper liquidations, the East is consolidating a different kind of power—one measured in atoms, not algorithms.

Gold’s resurgence isn’t simply about inflation hedging or asset diversification; it’s a strategic shift in capital philosophy. As fiat currencies buckle under unsustainable debt expansion, nations with deep cultural and political memory are executing what can only be described as a civilization-level trade: swapping credit promises for elemental certainty.

The “Great Rotation” from fiat debt to physical wealth is no longer a speculative hedge or a tail-risk scenario—it’s the new global baseline.

While Gold is sold out in China

We know a top-rated bullion dealer in Canada where you can still obtain physical gold and silver: SprottMoney.com. The firm has a long-standing reputation in the precious metals market, known for high-quality gold and silver products and professional service. It offers discreet purchasing, insured delivery, and secure, non-bank vault storage options in both the USA and Canada. Investors can choose segregated storage for direct ownership, rather than pooled claims. For those looking to move from paper assets into real metal with a reputable company, SprottMoney.com is a strong, trusted option.

Click the image below now to lock in real Gold and Silver today—before the window closes.

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