Gage Skidmore / Wikimedia Commons
Moneywise and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue through links in the content below.
Rich Dad Poor Dad author Robert Kiyosaki warned last year that Americans were headed into dark times, fueled by debt and the cost of living crisis.
“In 2025 credit card debt is at all time highs. U.S. debt is at all time highs. Unemployment is rising. 401(k)s are losing,” he wrote in an April 2025 X post (1). “U.S.A. may be heading for a GREATER DEPRESSION.”
But how have his claims fared since then?
According to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Americans now owe an unprecedented $1.28 trillion in credit card debt — 5.5% more than last year (2). Total American debt has climbed to $38.6 trillion (3). And U.S. unemployment hit 4.5% in November 2025, marking the highest figure since 2021 — although it’s since rebounded to 4.3% in January (4).
So, what kind of action does Kiyosaki recommend to weather the storm ahead?
“For those who take action today, when the crash crashes, those who invest in just one Bitcoin, or some gold, or silver … You may come through this crisis a very rich person,” Kiyosaki wrote.
That advice should come as no surprise. Kiyosaki has long been a vocal proponent of these alternative assets.
However, not all of Kiyosaki’s claims have come to pass. For example, average 401(k) account balances actually reached “new record highs” in Q3 of 2025, according to Fidelity (5).
So, what about Kiyosaki’s allegations that something worse than the Great Depression is coming for Americans?
As of February 2026, despite many Americans struggling, the nation has not fallen into a recession, let alone a “greater” depression. With that said, some of Kiyosaki’s soothsaying has come to pass, especially when it comes to one alternative to fiat currency.
Here’s a closer look at the assets he’s championing and whether his predictions for 2026 might come true.
Kiyosaki’s warnings may often be exaggerated, but his long-running price calls on gold have occasionally struck true.
Back in October 2023, he wrote on X: “Gold will soon break through $2,100 and then take off. You will wish you had bought gold below $2,000. Next stop, gold $3,700 (6).”
Gold prices surged in 2024 and continued to climb. Over the past 12 months, the price of the precious metal has increased by more than 70% — now hovering around $5,000 per ounce (7).
Kiyosaki says gold still has a long way to go. In a November 2025 X post, he wrote, “My target price for gold is $27K (8).”
While the precious metal had a bumpy ride in late January, gold has largely retained its long-term gains.
And Kiyosaki isn’t the only one who says the precious yellow metal will keep growing. A note from the Chief Investment Office at UBS noted, “We see bullion reaching $5,000/oz in the coming months,” adding, “the gold price could also climb higher than we forecast, to $5,400/oz if political or financial risks increase (9).”
If you’re interested in investing in gold to preserve your wealth, you might want to consider opening a gold IRA with Priority Gold to leverage the account’s tax benefits.
Gold IRAs allow investors to hold physical gold or gold-related assets within a retirement account, which combines the tax advantages of an IRA with the protective benefits of investing in gold.
This can make it an attractive option for those looking to potentially hedge their retirement funds against economic uncertainties. Just keep in mind that gold is typically best used as just one part of a well-diversified portfolio.
To learn more, you can get a free information guide that includes details on how to get up to $10,000 in free silver on qualifying purchases.
Beyond gold, Kiyosaki also has strong views on real estate as an investment.
“Your house is not an asset,” Kiyosaki once said during an interview with finance YouTuber Sharan Hegde (10). “What is the definition of the word? If it puts money in my pocket, it’s an asset. If it’s taking money from my pocket, it’s a liability.”
Kiyosaki argues that owning the home you live in often takes money out of your pocket in the form of mortgage payments, utilities, taxes and maintenance costs. Rental properties, however, can be a different story.
Kiyosaki’s Rich Dad website shared a blog post about rental properties, which noted that they can generate significant, regular cash flow when purchased and managed wisely (11).
“While property prices have risen, savvy investors still look for properties where monthly rent equals at least 1% of the purchase price,” The Rich Dad Real Estate team wrote in the post. “A $200,000 property should rent for at least $2,000 per month to generate meaningful rental property passive income.”
But you don’t need to have $200,000 on hand to get started in real estate investing. Platforms like Arrived offer an easy way to get exposure to this income-generating asset class.
With Arrived, you can invest in shares of rental homes with as little as $100, all without the hassle of mowing lawns, fixing leaky faucets or handling difficult tenants.
The process is simple: Browse a curated selection of homes that have been vetted for their appreciation and income potential. Once you find a property you like, select the number of shares you’d like to purchase, and then sit back as you earn any quarterly dividends from your investment.
Another way to leverage rental property income is with Mogul, a real estate investment platform offering fractional ownership in blue-chip rental properties, which gives investors monthly rental income, real-time appreciation and tax benefits — without the need for a hefty down payment or 3 a.m. tenant calls.
Founded by former Goldman Sachs real estate investors, the team hand-picks the top 1% of single-family rental homes nationwide for you. Simply put, you can invest in institutional quality offerings for a fraction of the usual cost.
Each property undergoes a vetting process, requiring a minimum 12% return even in downside scenarios. Across the board, the platform features an average annual IRR of 18.8%. Their cash-on-cash yields, meanwhile, average between 10 to 12% annually.
Offerings often sell out in under three hours, with investments typically ranging between $15,000 and $40,000 per property.
Every investment is secured by real assets, meaning it’s not dependent on the platform’s viability. Each property is held in a standalone Propco LLC, so investors — not the platform — own the property. Blockchain-based fractionalization adds a layer of safety, ensuring a permanent, verifiable record of each stake.
Getting started is easy. You can sign up for an account and then browse available properties. Once you verify your information with their team, you can invest like a mogul in just a few clicks.
Like gold, Kiyosaki has also made many bitcoin price predictions. Aside from the occasional heart-stopping drop, bitcoin has been one of the top-performing assets of the past decade.
In November 2024, he wrote on X: “Bitcoin will soon break $100,000 (12).” In December of that year, the cryptocurrency surpassed that milestone (13).
Although Bitcoin has since dipped below $100,000, Kiyosaki’s long-term forecast remains ambitious: $1 million per coin by 2035 (14).
And in an X post on Jan. 22, he wrote, “Q: Do I care when the price of gold, silver or Bitcoin go up or down? (15),” to which he rhetorically answered, “No. I do not care,” adding, “Because I know the national debt of the U.S. keeps going up and the purchasing power of the U.S. dollar keeps going down.”
Evidently, Kiyosaki isn’t perturbed by the latest Bitcoin crash because he still believes its investment thesis holds true.
He’s not alone in his optimism: X co-founder Jack Dorsey said in a 2024 interview with Pirate Wires that Bitcoin could hit “at least” $1 million by 2030 — and possibly go even higher (16).
For those with the stomach to buy into the latest bitcoin dip, it’s worth making sure you’re investing with a platform you can trust.
One option is Robinhood Crypto, which helps users to buy and sell crypto with as little as $1 without any trading fees or commissions. You can also access dozens of other coins if your faith in bitcoin has been shaken.
Even better, Robinhood Crypto has the lowest trading cost on average in the U.S. — meaning you could get up to 3.5% more crypto compared to trading on other platforms.
To be clear, it would be highly risky to go all-in on any of Kiyosaki’s favorite assets.
Firstly, having all of your eggs in one basket is never a great way to invest your money. Secondly, some of Kiyosaki’s favorite assets — such as bitcoin — are notoriously volatile.
So before you make any big moves into any of Kiyosaki’s asset recommendations, it’s worth consulting with a professional.
Advisor.com can connect you with an expert near you for free.
Advisor.com does the heavy lifting for you, vetting advisors based on track record, client ratios and regulatory background. Plus, their network comprises fiduciaries, who are legally required to act in your best interests.
Just enter a few details about your finances and goals, and Advisor.com’s AI-powered matching tool will connect you with a qualified expert best suited for your needs based on your unique financial goals and preferences.
Advisor.com even lets you set up a free initial consultation with no obligation to hire to see if they’re the right fit for you.
We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines.
Robert Kiyosaki (1), (6), (8), (12), (14), (15); New York Federal Reserve (2); U.S. Treasury (3); Bureau of Labor Statistics (4); Fidelity (5); Gold Price (7); UBS (9); Finance with Sharan (10); Rich Dad (11); Yahoo! Finance (13); Pirate Wires (16)
This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.