What currency is feared by the European Central Bank as a threat to fiat monetary institutions? What currency is cash-like but digitally transmittable allowing for ultimate anonymity and global mobility? What digital currency is up over 2,200% over the last year? It's Bitcoin.

China, Russia and other nations are exiting their dollar-denominated holdings in favor of gold. This action should put pressure on the dollar and U.S. treasuries, pushing not only central banks, but mainstream investors towards the safety of precious metals and other tangible assets that cannot be defaulted on. There will be a rush out of dollars and into assets with no counter-party risk, it is just a matter of how soon it happens.

If the U.S. national debt continues to grow then the U.S. dollar system will collapse in 2017 suggests a Russian lawmaker in submitting a bill to the country’s parliament that would ban the use or possession of the American currency.

The World Economic Forum released its annual Global Gender Gap Report for 2013 measuring gender disparity between men and women around the world…and disappointingly the United States didn’t even make it in the top 20! How did your country fare?

Due to concerns about inflation and money printing, the last 20 years has seen an incredible number of new developments in the world of money. This infographic shows how gold got digital, how digital currencies exploded into life and who the key players are in this global story.

China is buying up the world - big time! Take a look. It's all shown here in one map.

Some of the finest and most highly regarded minds in the world of PMs have been saying gold and silver are going higher...[but] the charts have “said” otherwise, and that has been the correct read...The fundamentals may be as bullish as can be [but] the charts are sending a different message.

Looking for a simple way to outperform the market on your international equity index portfolio? Here's how.

Leading up to the short term resolution of the debt ceiling crisis there were many articles about the extent of the national debt of the U.S.. the likelihood of default and, as such, the overall credit-worthiness of the once proud U.S. of A. The fact is, however, that while the U.S. does not rank in the top 10, it is far more financially sound than most other countries. Take a look at where it ranks compared to 47 other countries.