Kiyosaki says ‘greatest depression in world history’ is starting — with boomers facing disaster. Protect your money now

Kiyosaki says ‘greatest depression in world history’ is starting — with boomers facing disaster. Protect your money now Jing Pan Sun, July 26, 2026 at 2:15 PM GMT+2 9 min read Photo by Gage Skidmore / Wikimedia Commons Moneywise and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue through links in the content below. Robert Kiyosaki is sounding the alarm again — and this time, his warning hits close to home for millions of American boomers approaching or already in retirement.

The Rich Dad Poor Dad author has repeatedly warned throughout 2026 that the "Everything Bubble" is beginning to unravel. Must Read Jeff Bezos backs a platform that lets anyone invest in rental homes for as little as $100 — 6 ways to build wealth like a landlord without actually being one JPMorgan still sees gold hitting $5,000/oz by Q4 — and savvy investors are protecting their wealth with a tax-advantaged Gold IRA. Learn more with a free guide from Priority Gold The tax breaks in Trump's 'big beautiful bill' expire after 2028 — and experts say most people won't act in time.

What to do before the window closes In one of his latest posts on X, he argued that investors should buy hard assets before "the pin" bursts the bubble (1), reiterating his belief that the world is headed toward what he calls"the greatest depression in world history" (2). "You don't have to be a victim," Kiyosaki wrote, arguing that even as bubbles burst and the world economy crashes, people can still position themselves to be "a financial winner. " He pointed to economic stress in major global markets "from Dubai to Vegas, from Tokyo to New York City," warning that homelessness could spread globally if conditions deteriorate.

But Kiyosaki's warning goes beyond a broad market crash. In a separate post, he revived one of his long-running concerns: what he calls the "Baby Boomer Retirement Disaster" (3). "In 2026 millions of Boomers will be out of work in trouble financially...

many homeless," he wrote. Kiyosaki said he saw the crisis coming as far back as 1974 — a pivotal year for America's retirement system. That year, Congress passed the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), which was designed to protect workers' pensions.

But over time, many employers moved away from traditional defined-benefit plans, which promised retirees a fixed income for life, toward defined-contribution plans such as 401(k)s, leaving workers with more responsibility for funding their own retirements. IRAs were also introduced as a new savings vehicle for individual workers. In other words, the retirement burden has increasingly shifted from employers to workers — and that shift helps explain why Kiyosaki believes many boomers could be especially vulnerable if a major downturn hits.

Story Continues What Kiyosaki likes for protection Kiyosaki's preferred playbook has been consistent for years. "I have recommended real gold, silver, Bitcoin and Ethereum as your foundation for your financial future," he wrote. More recently, he doubled down on that message, telling followers on X to buy those assets before "the pin" burst the Everything Bubble.

He predicted that if that happens, "Gold, silver, Bitcoin and Ethereum will go to the stars" (1). His affection for precious metals stems partly from his deep distrust of the fiat currency system. As he put it in a 2021 interview: "I'm not buying gold because I like gold, I'm buying gold because I don't trust the Fed" (4).

That's indeed the broader appeal of precious metals for many investors. Unlike fiat currencies, gold and silver can't be printed at will by central banks, which is why they're often viewed as potential hedges against inflation and currency debasement. Gold, in particular, is widely treated as a safe-haven asset because it isn't tied to any one company, government or economy.

Kiyosaki has also said he owns the metal directly. "I have boxes of gold. I own gold mines," he revealed in a 2025 interview (5).

Gold has continued rewarding long-term holders. In the past year alone (and despite pullbacks) the yellow metal has surged 22% as of July 24, 2026 (6). A gold IRA is one option for building up your retirement fund with this inflation-hedging asset.

Opening a gold IRA with the help of Goldco allows you to invest in gold and other precious metals in physical forms while also providing the significant tax advantages of an IRA. With a minimum purchase of $10,000, Goldco offers free shipping and access to a library of retirement resources. Plus, the company will match up to 10% of qualified purchases in free silver .

If you're curious whether this is the right investment to diversify your portfolio, you can download your free gold and silver information guide today . Read More: Millionaires under 43 hold only 25% of their wealth in stocks. Here's where their money is actually going Build retirement income through real estate Beyond precious metals, Kiyosaki also pointed boomers and their families to two books he said he wrote for those who wanted to prepare for this period.

One of them is Retire Young Retire Rich , which focuses on achieving financial freedom by moving from a wage-earner mindset to an investor mindset. A key theme is using "good debt" to acquire cash-flowing assets — especially real estate — and building income streams that do not depend solely on a paycheck. That idea can be especially relevant in retirement.

Real estate has long been a go-to asset for investors seeking recurring income. While stock markets can swing wildly on sentiment, well-located rental properties can continue generating monthly cash flow, helping retirees cover expenses without having to sell assets during a downturn. It can also be a powerful hedge against inflation.

When inflation rises, property values often increase as well, reflecting the higher costs of materials, labor and land. At the same time, rental income tends to go up, providing landlords with a revenue stream that adjusts with inflation. Of course, real estate isn't a guaranteed ticket to retirement income.

Rental properties come with their own headaches — from repairs and property taxes to vacancies and unexpected costs. And for retirees, taking on too much debt can create problems if the market shifts, mortgage costs rise or rental income doesn't end up fully covering expenses. Still, Kiyosaki has long credited real estate as a key part of his wealth-building strategy.

In the same 2025 interview, he disclosed that he owns 1,500 rental properties. Today, you don't need to be as wealthy as Kiyosaki to get started in real estate investing. Mogul is 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% and 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 , not dependent on the platform's viability. And each property is held in a standalone Propco LLC, so investors own the property — not the platform. Blockchain-based fractionalization adds a layer of safety, ensuring a permanent, verifiable record of each stake.

Getting started is a quick and easy process. 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.

The potential of crypto Kiyosaki's protection playbook doesn't stop at hard assets. Alongside precious metals and real estate, he said he has long recommended Bitcoin and Ethereum as part of the "foundation" for a financial future. That enthusiasm fits with his broader skepticism of fiat currency and central banks.

Bitcoin, in particular, is designed with a fixed supply cap, which is why supporters often describe it as a form of "digital gold" — an asset outside the traditional banking system that can't be printed at will. Of course, Bitcoin's roller-coaster ride has also underscored just how volatile crypto can be. For investors who do want crypto exposure, experts often suggest keeping it only as a small portion of a broader, diversified portfolio.

But Kiyosaki has made clear that price swings have not shaken his conviction. If anything, he has described them as a buying opportunity. "I am so bullish on Bitcoin I am buying more and more as Bitcoin's price goes down," he said in February, pointing to Bitcoin's hard-coded supply limit of 21 million coins (5).

While Kiyosaki sees Bitcoin as a hedge against currency weakness and inflation, crypto is a very different type of investment than traditional retirement assets. Prices can rise quickly, but they can also fall sharply — something retirees relying on their savings for income may not have much room to absorb. That said, cryptocurrencies remain highly volatile — and not everyone has the stomach for the swings.

But for those curious about adding crypto exposure, getting started has never been easier. If you're looking to diversify beyond traditional stocks and ETFs, Robinhood Crypto lets you buy and sell cryptocurrencies with as little as $1 . With some of the lowest trading costs on average in the U.

S. , you could end up with up to 2. 7% more crypto compared to other platforms.

Robinhood Crypto makes it easy to make investing a habit with recurring buys on a fixed schedule, while giving you access to all your favorite coins — from Bitcoin and Ethereum to Solana, Dogecoin, XRP and more. You can also transfer crypto securely to other wallets, set custom price alerts, track market trends and manage your portfolio all in one place. Robinhood ensures the security of your cryptocurrency is a top priority, with the majority of coins held in offline cold storage.

Robinhood also carries crime insurance against theft and cyber breaches and 24/7 customer support is available if you need help. - With files from Laura Grande. You May Also Like Here are the 7 top habits of 'quietly wealthy' Americans.

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