The current financial world is witnessing a stark reset of the established hierarchies, with the definition of safe havens changing rapidly. The current US-Iran war saw Bitcoin emerging as a leading safe haven asset, with gold spiraling down a notch. Moreover, the current war dynamics ended up bolstering the value of the US dollar, reinstating the fact that the king dollar is the ultimate safe haven asset, to which the IMF has also agreed.

The IMF says the US dollar Is The Ultimate Safe Haven Asset

In traditional war narratives, gold was the only primary asset that saw credible price spikes as investors rushed to safeguard their assets by buying a stake in the precious yellow metal. However, the ongoing US-Iran war saw a different scenario taking over the sector. The domain witnessed the strengthening of the US dollar, with gold crashing down the line. As investors expected the Fed would continue to keep the interest rates higher during the war, the US dollar continued to gain momentum, with gold taking a backseat this time.

This development reinstated the fact that the US dollar continues to be an incomparable safe haven asset, a fact reiterated by the IMF itself. The organization’s chief economist, Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas, said that the dollar’s free fall last year was concerning, but the fact that it grew throughout the war proves how dependable a safe haven the dollar truly is.

“Since the beginning of hostilities… the dollar has appreciated… capital has been flowing out of emerging markets. I don’t think that there is a lot of questioning about the… place of the dollar in the international monetary system,” he said.

Will Gold Be Able To Flip The Switch?

While the world applauds the US dollar’s current progress, the majority of the analysts are forecasting bullish predictions for gold, flipping the current switch.

Per Rashad Hajiyev, gold is on cards to hit $7K, with a bold call for the metal to hit $8K also on cards for the asset.

“Previous gold’s breakout resulted in a 65% gain over a 5-month period. Every leg up in this bull run that started in October 2023 becomes steeper and forms faster. Hence, I would not be surprised if gold reaches $8k or rallies the same 65% within 3-4 months or by late summer 2026…”