China has reclassified silver as a strategic material, limiting exports and causing record price increases.

Radu Bădiceanu from PwC Romania emphasizes that global demand for silver has increased significantly, due to its uses in technology, including in data centers for AI, semiconductors, and electric vehicles. China has reacted by restricting exports, reclassifying silver as a strategic material, which has led to a decrease in supply in international markets and an increase in its price. By 2025, the price of silver has risen by 150%, reaching record levels, surpassing the performance of gold.

Export restrictions imposed by China, aimed at protecting domestic consumption, may create additional pressures on supply chains and affect the investment plans of companies in the US and Europe. In the long term, price fluctuations and uncertainty about the availability of silver could influence technological development and the strategies of companies in critical sectors. Thus, silver is becoming an essential metal in the modern economy, playing a crucial role at the intersection of technology, energy, and geopolitics.