Frankfurt, 27.03.2025 - The three-day precious metals congress "ZukunftsForum Edelmetalle" from 23.03. to 25.03. in Frankfurt ended on Tuesday evening with groundbreaking insights and intensive discussions about the future of the precious metals industry.

Precious metals markets, the economy and geopolitics. Organizer Wolfgang Wrzesniok-Roßbach welcomed high-ranking experts and industry representatives to discuss current challenges and opportunities in a changing environment. "We are delighted that the event was so well received by the industry, but also by the target group of financial advisors, asset managers and family offices, right from the start. This shows how much a German-language event has been missing in this area. We look forward to continuing this dialog in 2026 from 22 - 24 March." 

Geopolitical and economic challenges for investors
The keynote speech by Dr. Holger Schmieding, Chief Economist at Berenberg Bank, kicked off the event. The distinguished economist analyzed the economic consequences of geopolitical uncertainties. The return of Donald Trump in 2025 has created a new "world disorder", which brings with it trade conflicts and economic burdens. Protectionism and stricter immigration policies could weaken the US economy, while Europe would be particularly affected by trade conflicts. In addition, China's growth prospects remain limited due to structural

weaknesses and demographic change.

Focus on gold: renaissance of a safe haven
Ronald-Peter Stöferle, Managing Partner of Incrementum AG, then spoke about the role of gold in a new world order. The increased gold purchases of the Central banks - especially in emerging markets - are marking a paradigm shift. While Western investors are still hesitant, gold is gaining in importance as a strategic central bank asset and is increasingly seen as an alternative to US government bonds. The continuing weakness of the bond market and inflation concerns could further boost gold. Ronald-Peter Stöferle forecast a long-term gold price of USD 4,800 by 2030 and compared the Gold's image change with a wrestling analogy - from "heel" to "bogeyman". "Face" (audience favorite).

Challenges of gold mining: Is there enough?
Christoph Wild, President of the Swiss Association of Precious Metals Manufacturers and Traders (ASFCMP), emphasized that global gold production will reach its limits in the long term. Despite continued high production, the resources
limited, and in 15 years primary production could fall sharply. Recycling alone will not be able to compensate for the decline. In addition geopolitical developments are restricting access to gold, particularly from China and Russia. With one third of global refinery capacity, Switzerland remains a central player in the gold market.

Europe between Trump, Putin and Xi: strategic realignment required
Ralf Schuster, geopolitical expert at Helaba, highlighted the geopolitical realignment in his keynote speech. While China is expanding its global trading power, Europe is losing influence. The sanctions against Russia are only supported to a limited extent worldwide, which further weakens Europe's foreign policy position. In addition, US policy under Trump remains unpredictable. Europe must therefore focus more on technological innovations and realign strategic partnerships in order to assert itself geopolitically in the long term. 

Conclusion: focus on precious metals as a crisis currency
The Precious Metals Future Forum highlighted the growing importance of gold in an environment characterized by uncertainty. Both geopolitical and economic factors point to a renaissance of precious metals as a safe haven.
strategic asset class. The participants at the congress were cautiously optimistic about gold and agreed that the coming years will be decisive for the future of the precious metals market and require a forward-looking strategy.

Future Forum Precious Metals 2026
The Precious Metals Future Forum is a leading industry event that brings together experts from the worlds of business, finance and geopolitics. The aim is to analyze key developments and future prospects for the precious metals markets and derive well-founded recommendations for action.

Event details: Date: 22 - 24 March 2026 Location: Congress Center Kap Europa of Messe Frankfurt, Osloer Str. 5, 60327 Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Topics: Gold, silver, platinum metals, mining, recycling, sustainability, economic and political developments, industrial applications, investment

Further information can be found on the official website of the Future Forum: www.zukunftsforum-edelmetalle.de.

Partner 2025: Gold: Bayern LB, Heraeus Precious Metals, MÜNZE ÖSTERREICH, WORLD GOLD COUNCIL, Platinum: Helaba, HM Precious Metals, Premium programPartner: C. Hafner, LBMA, Silver: GOLD&Co., OPHIRUM, philoro, pro aurum, reisebank Edelmetalle, SOLIT, StoneX Bullion, Program partner: Helaba, ÖGUSSA, Scheer IDS, TRADIUM