VRIC Media

Jennifer Shaigec joins Darrell Thomas to unpack the geopolitical forces reshaping commodities, currencies, and investor risk. She argues that the Middle Corridor — running through Armenia, Azerbaijan, Central Asia, and the Caspian region — is becoming a key battleground for energy security, trade routes, gold accumulation, and monetary influence. The conversation connects CBDCs, stablecoins, the EU’s gold position, China-Europe trade, U.S. strategy, the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process, and portfolio diversification in a world where digital assets, cyber risk, and sovereign control are becoming harder to ignore.

Connect with Jennifer:

https://sandpipertradingcorporation.com/

https://x.com/jenstilmanydots

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Learn to invest alongside the top minds in commodities. Join The Commodity University today. CLICK: https://linkly.link/26yH9

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00:00 - Introduction

01:10 - Soft nationalization, CBDCs, and portfolio risk

02:23 - CBDCs vs. stablecoins

04:01 - Middle East conflict and the Middle Corridor

05:40 - Caspian oil, Baku, and the historical battle for resources

08:16 - Nixon, gold, and the path to U.S. debt expansion

10:00 - Europe’s gold position and the euro-area gold bloc

11:12 - Central Asian gold buying and the rise of the Middle Corridor

13:06 - China-Europe trade routes and RMB internationalization

17:19 - U.S., Russia, and Central Asia’s strategic importance

19:00 - Ukraine, trade realignment, and the new world order thesis

23:06 - Armenia, Canada, and the new Great Game

25:01 - Trump, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and the TRIPP corridor

27:23 - Iran, food exports, and regional pressure points

28:22 - Armenia’s election and EU influence

31:04 - Europe, Caspian resources, and the petrodollar question

32:24 - Can the European Union hold together?

35:15 - Armenia, Azerbaijan, and energy security

36:04 - Can Europe protect its new trade routes?

38:56 - Portfolio positioning, gold, and financial sovereignty

41:31 - Cyber risk and spreading institutional exposure

45:27 - Where to find Jennifer’s research

46:52 - Final thoughts on junior mining research

Copyright © 2026 Cambridge House International Inc. All rights reserved.

Chris Vermeulen of The Technical Traders joins Darrell Thomas to break down the current weakness across markets, the renewed strength in the U.S. dollar, and what it could mean for gold, silver, platinum, Bitcoin, and broader equities. Vermeulen argues that while precious metals remain in a long-term bull market, short-term technicals point to further downside, with gold potentially retesting the $3,300–$3,800 range and silver possibly flushing toward $40 before the next major setup forms.

Follow Chris:

https://x.com/TheTechTraders

https://thetechnicaltraders.com/

https://www.youtube.com/@UCenLy4V5NgxEz7pwosA9hiw

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00:00 – Market internals begin to weaken

02:14 – Why the U.S. dollar matters right now

04:21 – Gold versus the dollar

09:33 – Gold downside targets and the shakeout phase

14:01 – Is gold oversold yet?

16:42 – Long-term upside targets for gold

20:41 – Silver breaks down after the parabolic move

24:20 – Why a silver flush could create opportunity

29:20 – Platinum downside targets

32:08 – Bitcoin breaks down and key levels to watch

38:24 – MicroStrategy and the danger of falling in love with a trade

40:44 – Chris Vermeulen’s current market strategy

Copyright © 2026 Cambridge House International Inc. All rights reserved.

Axel Merk joins Darrell Thomas to break down the Fed’s shifting role, the legacy of easy money, and why monetary policy still sits at the center of every major asset price. Merk explains why gold remains a core long-term holding, how real yields and geopolitical shocks can pressure the metal in the short term, and why central banks are still incentivized to move away from the U.S. dollar. The conversation also covers U.S. debt, inflation, junior mining opportunities, silver and much more.

Follow Axel:

https://x.com/AxelMerk

https://www.merkinvestments.com/

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Learn to invest alongside the top minds in commodities. Join The Commodity University today. CLICK: https://linkly.link/26yH9

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00:00 - Introduction

00:48 - Alan Greenspan’s legacy

04:14 - Kevin Warsh, Fed reform, and forward guidance

07:35 - Interest rates, Iran, and pressure on gold

10:18 - Fed balance sheet policy and the ample reserve regime

13:17 - Gold outlook under today’s macro headwinds

15:24 - U.S. debt, inflation, and default risk

20:23 - Political incentives and supply shocks

21:49 - Short-, medium-, and long-term view on gold

27:03 - Where Merk sees opportunity in gold miners

29:09 - Silver, volatility, and risk management

32:05 - AI, industrial demand, and the mining sector

35:38 - Silver deficits, copper, and strategic metals

38:19 - Central bank gold buying and de-dollarization

41:17 - Where to follow Axel Merk

Copyright © 2026 Cambridge House International Inc. All rights reserved.

Michael Howell of CrossBorder Capital joins Darrell to explain why global liquidity is starting to shift away from financial markets and into the real economy, what that means for stocks, bonds and commodities, and why China may now be the key driver of the gold price.

Follow Michael:

https://substack.com/@capitalwars

https://www.glindexes.com/

https://x.com/crossbordercap

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Learn to invest alongside the top minds in commodities. Join The Commodity University today. CLICK: https://linkly.link/26yH9

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00:00 – Introduction

01:06 – Where Global Liquidity Is Moving Now

02:52 – Are Financial Markets Near a Peak?

06:39 – The Fed, Trump, and Market Conditions

10:26 – Bond Yields, Liquidity, and the Yield Curve

19:35 – Higher Interest Costs and the Debt Problem

23:15 – Why Howell Expects Higher Yields and a Stronger Dollar

25:30 – What Happens to Gold in This Environment?

28:41 – China’s Debt Problem and the Gold Market

33:03 – Why Gold Is Under Pressure Short Term

35:07 – Key Gold Levels to Watch

36:11 – Howell’s Long-Term Gold Outlook

40:19 – Bitcoin: Strong Long Term, Weak Short Term

41:35 – Where to Follow Michael Howell

Copyright © 2026 Cambridge House International Inc. All rights reserved.

John Rubino joins Darrell to discuss why the current macro environment is pushing investors toward gold, silver, and hard assets. He explains how rising debt, persistent deficits, higher interest costs, and limited central bank tools could lead to a future currency crisis, while comparing today’s setup to the 1970s. Rubino also breaks down how investors can approach physical metals, mining equities, junior explorers, copper, uranium, and strategic metals without getting shaken out by short-term volatility.

Check out John's substack: https://rubino.substack.com/

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00:00 Introduction

00:57 A Wild Macro Backdrop

03:37 The Fed’s Box

05:38 Why This Is Not the 1970s

08:29 Debt, Deficits, and Interest Costs

11:33 Why Bonds Are Vulnerable

13:30 Navigating Short-Term Metals Volatility

16:44 Physical Gold, Miners, and Portfolio Positioning

19:23 How Much Risk to Take in Juniors

22:12 Following Experts vs. Doing the Work

24:23 Gold, Silver, Copper, and Uranium

26:49 Platinum Group Metals and Strategic Metals

28:22 What Happens in a Recession

32:29 The Case for Holding Quality Assets

Copyright © 2026 Cambridge House International Inc. All rights reserved.

Doug Casey joins Darrell to break down why he believes the global economy is entering a more dangerous phase, from U.S.-Iran tensions and rising war costs to inflation, debt, commodities, and the future of mining stocks. He explains why gold may no longer be cheap, why mining equities still offer major upside, and why he remains bullish on silver, copper, uranium, energy, and broader commodities as governments continue to spend, borrow, and print.

Check out Doug's work:

https://x.com/RealDougCasey

https://internationalman.com/

https://www.crisisinvesting.com/

https://www.youtube.com/@DougCaseysTake

https://expertsroundtable.com/

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0FLRKZCKL?ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_FJ2AVS1G16XMZJJKZR55&bestFormat=true

Follow Darrell on X: https://x.com/MoneyLevelsShow

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Learn to invest alongside the top minds in commodities. Join The Commodity University today. CLICK: https://linkly.link/26yH9

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00:00 - Introduction

01:43 - U.S.-Iran Tensions

06:03 - Energy Disruptions and Strategic Reserves

10:13 - The Rising Cost of War

15:22 - Inflation, Debt, and the Dollar

20:23 - Cycles, History, and Government Growth

27:26 - Free Speech and Civil Liberties

30:29 - Gold, Mining Stocks, and the Next Bull Market

35:20 - Explorers, Developers, and Producers

40:21 - Royalty Companies and Optionality

45:22 - Silver, Copper, Uranium, and Commodities

51:10 - Data Centers, and Resource Demand

55:00 - Onshoring, Manufacturing, and China

58:50 - Argentina, Uruguay, and South America

01:04:16 - The Preparation and Rethinking College

Copyright © 2026 Cambridge House International Inc. All rights reserved.

Prolific investing youtuber Keenan Grace joins Darrell to discuss his path from growing up in poverty to becoming an eight-figure trader, building financial discipline, and teaching others how to approach the markets with a clear plan. Keenan breaks down the difference between motivation, discipline, and obsession, explains why risk management matters more than you think, and shares his view on options trading, ETFs and building long-term wealth through consistent investing.

Follow Kenan and check out the KGU:

https://kenangraceuniversity.com/

https://x.com/KenanGrace

https://www.instagram.com/kenangrace1/

https://www.youtube.com/@KenanGrace/

Follow Darrell on X: https://x.com/MoneyLevelsShow

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Learn to invest alongside the top minds in commodities. Join The Commodity University today. CLICK: https://linkly.link/26yH9

Sign up for Jay’s newsletter at https://2ly.link/211gx

00:00 Introduction

01:40 Keenan’s Background and Path Out of Poverty

04:20 From Teaching to Trading Full-Time

05:58 Motivation, Discipline, and Obsession

08:44 Lessons From Trading Through the Pandemic

10:39 Why You Should Never Fully Exit the Market

12:30 Starting Small and Building Wealth Over Time

15:13 The Psychology of Options Trading

18:11 The Danger of Full-Portfolio Trades

21:04 Taking Profits and De-Risking

23:09 Greed, FOMO, and Stop Losses

25:17 Buying Corrections With Confidence

29:20 Comparing Stocks to Real Estate

32:24 Speculation, Mining Stocks, and Position Sizing

34:13 Recovering After a Major Trading Loss

36:41 Long-Term Investing vs. Trading

38:01 ETFs, Individual Stocks, and Experience Level

Copyright © 2026 Cambridge House International Inc. All rights reserved.

Michael Oliver of Momentum Structural Analysis joins Darrell to break down why he believes the broad stock market is vulnerable, why government bond stress could become the next major pressure point, and why monetary metals remain the strongest place to watch. Oliver explains why headlines like IPOs, wars, inflation prints, and short-term volatility rarely drive the major trend, then lays out his case for gold, silver, miners, commodities, oil, and emerging markets as capital begins to move away from overextended equity markets and toward hard assets.

Follow Michael's work:

https://x.com/Oliver_MSA

https://www.olivermsa.com/

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Learn to invest alongside the top minds in commodities. Join The Commodity University today. CLICK: https://linkly.link/26yH9

Sign up for Jay’s newsletter at https://2ly.link/211gx

00:00 – Intro

00:29 – SpaceX IPO and why single events rarely drive major trends

02:41 – Broad market volatility and why entry points matter

04:24 – Why Oliver believes the stock market is topping

05:30 – Gold and silver consolidation and the next potential breakout

06:51 – Why Q3 could bring major pressure for the broader market

07:09 – Bank weakness, and the warning signal Oliver is watching

10:07 – Why gold remains money

11:06 – Government bond stress and why this cycle differs from 2008

15:23 – 24/7 gold and silver futures trading

16:24 – Why Oliver says silver is money, not just an industrial metal

18:24 – Silver’s breakout, historical comparisons

25:03 – Gold and silver miners, relative value, and why Oliver prefers miners

28:21 – Gold targets and the case for a move above $8,000

30:46 – Platinum, palladium

33:07 – Oil, the impact of headline-driven speculation

38:05 – Emerging markets versus U.S. equities

40:40 – Where to follow Michael Oliver

Copyright © 2026 Cambridge House International Inc. All rights reserved.

Lynette Zang joins Darrell to break down what recent gold and silver price action is really signaling beneath the surface. She argues that paper contracts, tokenized assets, and central bank policy are all part of a broader transition away from control by the people and toward a more digital, debt-driven financial system. The conversation covers sound money, counterparty risk, the Federal Reserve, inflationary depression, physical metals, and why Lynette believes community, preparation, and personal responsibility matter more as the current system comes under pressure.

Darrell sits down with Melody Wright, writer and market strategist, to discuss the growing stress inside the U.S. economy. Melody explains why she believes the bond market is signaling deeper structural problems, why housing activity is weaker than headline data suggests, and why she sees gold becoming more important as confidence in currencies, and debt comes under pressure.

Follow Melody:

https://x.com/m3_melody

https://m3melody.substack.com/

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Learn to invest alongside the top minds in commodities. Join The Commodity University today. CLICK: https://linkly.link/26yH9

Sign up for Jay’s newsletter at https://2ly.link/211gx

00:00 – Introduction

01:26 – Why Melody Watches the Bond Market

02:26 – What Rising Yields Are Signaling

04:43 – U.S. Debt, Interest Costs, and Restructuring Risk

07:52 – What a Debt Reset Could Look Like

10:04 – Job Market Weakness and GFC Parallels

13:41 – What Happened to the Housing Market

15:03 – Why Housing Activity Has Frozen

18:19 – Media Narratives and Housing Data

19:24 – Rent vs. Buy in Today’s Market

22:29 – Property Taxes, Insurance, and Ownership Costs

24:32 – Roommates, Household Formation, and Affordability

27:54 – Mortgage Delinquencies and Foreclosure Risk

31:04 – The Lack of Margin for Error in Housing

33:00 – Commercial Real Estate and the Maturity Wall

36:38 – Retirement, Social Security, and Demographic Pressure

41:32 – Families Moving Back Together

42:09 – How Melody Is Preparing Financially

45:17 – Food Security and Basic Preparedness

46:10 – Where to Follow Melody Wright

Copyright © 2026 Cambridge House International Inc. All rights reserved.