ewsba.se
Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below.
Warnings of a broader energy crunch are growing louder and oil is pushing to new highs as the critical Strait of Hormuz stays shut. But billionaire investor Ray Dalio says the real risk goes beyond oil.
If the Hormuz crisis isn't resolved from a position of strength by the U.S., it could start to erode confidence in American power and the dominance of the U.S. dollar, Dalio wrote in a post on X on March 16. With the world watching closely, U.S. credibility is at risk if it can't project power and achieve its goals in the conflict, Dalio said.
"When the world’s dominant power that has the world’s reserve currency is overextended financially, watch out for allies and creditors losing confidence, the loss of its reserve currency status, the selling of its debt assets, and the weakening of its currency, especially relative to gold," Dalio wrote.
Why Traders Are Flocking to Leveraged ETFs — And What It Means for You
See What AI Could Build for Your Portfolio — Try a Custom Index Now
The Strait of Hormuz crisis has only worsened since Dalio's comments. The closure is the biggest shock to the global oil system in history, with losses of about 13 million barrels per day in exports, according to the International Energy Agency. The disruption has sharply reduced global supply and forced countries to rely on emergency stockpiles.
Blocking critical trade routes to pressure a major power is a pattern that has played out throughout history, Dalio said. In those moments, the stronger nation moves to force the route open, tensions escalate, and the world watches closely. Such conflicts become decisive moments that can determine "whether the empire survives or falls," he said in his post.
Dalio drew parallels to the Suez Canal Crisis of 1956, describing it as part of a repeating pattern where leading powers lose influence after setbacks tied to trade routes, wars, and financial strain.
See Also: Explore whether your retirement strategy is optimized for income, taxes, and long-term withdrawals — take the AdviserMatch quiz today.
"These countries and where their money goes based on what happens," Dalio said. "People and financial flows quickly and naturally run from the losers. These shifts affect markets, especially the debt, currency, and gold markets, and geopolitical power."
If the U.S. shows it can secure the strait and keep oil flowing, it would boost its credibility as a global power and make countries more willing to hold its debt and currency, Dalio said. He pointed to the Iran–Iraq War in the 1980s, when President Ronald Reagan ordered the U.S. Navy to escort oil tankers in the Gulf.
"If President Trump demonstrates his and the U.S.’s power to do what he said he would do, it will greatly bolster confidence in his and the U.S.'s power," Dalio said in his X post.
As geopolitical tensions raise new questions about energy markets, currency strength, and global capital flows, some investors are looking for ways to position their portfolios around specific macro scenarios rather than trying to predict a single outcome.
Tools like Public's AI-powered Generated Assets allow investors to turn ideas—such as rising oil prices or shifts in global power—into custom, data-backed portfolios in minutes. By building and testing strategies based on real market data, investors can explore ways to hedge or adapt their exposure as conditions evolve, all within a single multi-asset platform.
Earn While You Scroll: The Deloitte-Ranked #1 Software Company Growing 32,481% Is Opening Its $0.50/Share Round to Investors
You Saved for Retirement — But Do You Know What You'll Keep After Taxes?
Building a resilient portfolio means thinking beyond a single asset or market trend. Economic cycles shift, sectors rise and fall, and no one investment performs well in every environment. That's why many investors look to diversify with platforms that provide access to real estate, fixed-income opportunities, professional financial guidance, precious metals, and even self-directed retirement accounts. By spreading exposure across multiple asset classes, it becomes easier to manage risk, capture steady returns, and create long-term wealth that isn't tied to the fortunes of just one company or industry.
Connect Invest is a real estate investment platform that allows investors to access short-term, fixed-income opportunities backed by a diversified portfolio of residential and commercial real estate loans. Through its Short Notes structure, investors can choose defined terms (6, 12, or 24 months) and earn monthly interest payments while gaining exposure to real estate as an asset class. For investors focused on diversification, Connect Invest may serve as one component within a broader portfolio that also includes traditional equities, fixed income, and other alternative assets—helping balance exposure across different risk and return profiles.
Mode Mobile is changing the way people interact with their phones by letting users earn money from the same apps and activities they already use every day. Instead of platforms keeping all the advertising revenue, Mode Mobile shares a portion back with users who engage with content, play games, and scroll on their devices. Named one of Deloitte's fastest-growing software companies in North America, the company has built a large beta user base and is scaling a model that turns everyday smartphone usage into a potential income stream. For investors, Mode Mobile offers exposure to the expanding mobile advertising and attention economy through a pre-IPO opportunity tied to a new approach to user monetization.
rHealth is building a space-tested diagnostics platform designed to bring lab-quality blood testing closer to patients in minutes rather than weeks. Originally validated in collaboration with NASA for use aboard the International Space Station, the technology is now being adapted for at-home and point-of-care settings to address widespread delays in diagnostic access.
Backed by institutions including NASA and the NIH, rHealth is targeting the large global diagnostics market with a multi-test platform and a model built around devices, consumables, and software. With FDA registration in progress, the company is positioning itself as a potential shift toward faster, more decentralized healthcare testing.
Direxion specializes in leveraged and inverse ETFs designed to help active traders express short-term market views during periods of volatility and major market events. Rather than long-term investing, these products are built for tactical use—allowing investors to take magnified bullish or bearish positions across indices, sectors, and single stocks. For experienced traders, Direxion offers a way to respond quickly to changing market conditions and act on high-conviction views with greater flexibility.
Immersed is a spatial computing company building immersive productivity software that enables users to work across multiple virtual screens inside VR and mixed-reality environments. Its platform is used by remote workers and enterprises to create virtual workspaces that reduce reliance on traditional physical hardware while improving focus and collaboration. The company is also developing its own lightweight VR headset and AI productivity tools, positioning itself in the future-of-work and spatial computing space. Through its pre-IPO offering, Immersed is opening access to early-stage investors looking to diversify beyond traditional assets and gain exposure to emerging technologies shaping how people work.
Backed by Jeff Bezos, Arrived Homes makes real estate investing accessible with a low barrier to entry. Investors can buy fractional shares of single-family rentals and vacation homes starting with as little as $100. This allows everyday investors to diversify into real estate, collect rental income, and build long-term wealth without needing to manage properties directly.
Masterworks enables investors to diversify into blue-chip art, an alternative asset class with historically low correlation to stocks and bonds. Through fractional ownership of museum-quality works by artists like Banksy, Basquiat, and Picasso, investors gain access without the high costs or complexities of owning art outright. With hundreds of offerings and strong historical exits on select works, Masterworks adds a scarce, globally traded asset to portfolios seeking long-term diversification.
Public is a multi-asset investing platform built for long-term investors who want more control, transparency, and innovation in how they grow wealth. Founded in 2019 as the first broker-dealer to offer commission-free, real-time fractional investing, Public now lets users invest in stocks, bonds, options, crypto, and more—all in one place. Its latest feature, Generated Assets, uses AI to turn a single idea into a fully customized, investable index that can be explained and backtested before committing capital. Combined with AI-powered research tools, clear explanations of market moves, and an uncapped 1% match for transferring an existing portfolio, Public positions itself as a modern platform designed to help serious investors make more informed decisions with context.
AdviserMatch is a free online tool that helps individuals connect with financial advisors based on their goals, financial situation, and investment needs. Instead of spending hours researching advisors on your own, the platform asks a few quick questions and matches you with professionals who can assist with areas like retirement planning, investment strategy, and overall financial guidance. Consultations are no-obligation, and services vary by advisor, giving investors a chance to explore whether professional advice could help improve their long-term financial plan.
Accredited Debt Relief is a debt consolidation company focused on helping consumers reduce and manage unsecured debt through structured programs and personalized solutions. Having supported more than 1 million clients and helped resolve over $3 billion in debt, the company operates within the growing consumer debt relief industry, where demand continues to rise alongside record household debt levels. Its process includes a quick qualification survey, personalized program matching, and ongoing support, with eligible clients potentially reducing monthly payments by 40% or more. With industry recognition, an A+ BBB rating, and multiple customer service awards, Accredited Debt Relief positions itself as a data-driven, client-focused option for individuals seeking a more manageable path toward becoming debt-free.
This article 'The Empire Survives or Falls' – Billionaire Ray Dalio Says Iran War Threatens U.S. Dollar Dominance as People 'Naturally Run From The Losers' originally appeared on Benzinga.com