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JPMorgan's Silver Exit: A $200M Signal for Hard Assets?
JPMorgan has closed massive short positions in silver just as 12.5 million ounces stand for delivery. Is the era of paper manipulation ending?
Miguel Treviño•
A massive shift is happening in the precious metals market, and it looks suspiciously like a capitulation by one of the biggest players in the game.
According to recent CME reports highlighted by analysts, JPMorgan has closed its short positions in silver—right at the market bottom.
The Data: 12.5 Million Ounces for Delivery
The numbers are staggering for a typically quiet delivery month:
- 2,514 Silver Futures Contracts are standing for delivery on Feb 26.
- This represents 12.5 MILLION ounces of physical silver.
- This volume is highly unusual for this time of year, signaling a rush for physical possession.
Why This Matters for Crypto
For years, "silver bugs" have warned about the difference between "paper silver" (IOUs) and physical metal. The theory was that large banks suppressed the price by selling unlimited paper derivatives.
If JPMorgan is exiting its shorts and traders are demanding physical delivery, the "paper facade" might be cracking.
This is exactly why Bitcoin and DeFi were built.
In the traditional system:
- You buy "silver" (often just a claim on a database).
- The bank lends that same silver out to 10 other people.
- Price is discovered by trading the IOUs, not the asset.
In the crypto ecosystem:
- Code is Law: You can't print more Bitcoin than the protocol allows.
- Verify, Don't Trust: You can audit the supply on-chain 24/7.
- Self-Custody: If you hold the keys, you hold the asset.
The Zelf Approach: True Ownership
Whether it's Silver, Bitcoin, or Tokenized Real World Assets (RWAs), the principle remains the same: If you don't control the access, you don't own the asset.
Zelf brings the security of physical custody to the digital age.
- No Paper Promises: Authenticate your ownership directly with your biometrics.
- No Custodians: Use ZK Face Proofs to manage your assets without trusting a bank or exchange.
- Auditability: Prove your solvency without revealing your identity.
As the traditional financial system creaks under the weight of rehypothecation and "paper assets," the move to verifiable, cryptographic ownership isn't just a trend—it's a flight to safety.
