Despite growing talk about a weakening dollar and shifting global power, it is emerging that the United States still remains one of the safest places in the world for wealthy investors from developing countries and emerging economies.
This is the verdict of CDD-Ghana Fellow and Board Member of Ecobank, Dr. Hene Aku Kwapong. The CDD Fellow believes that despite the struggles of the US dollar and its market, it is still a safe haven to park and grow their money.
Dr. Kwapong believes that there is an “obsession” about holding assets in gold, which poses a great risk and danger due to its volatility. Drawing from his experience and a trend analysis, he puts it that “There shall be tears….A day of reckoning is coming for the precious metals market. It will happen.”
Justifying why the US dollar still holds a safe investment opportunity, he focused on recent data on net foreign purchases of US assets to tell how the behaviour of global capital tells a clearer story than headlines or speculation.
He notes that when it comes to protecting wealth and earning returns, investors are still choosing America.
The chart from the US Department of Treasury, Macrobond, Apollo Chief Economist, referenced by Dr. Kwapong, shows that foreign investors briefly sold off US assets in April 2025, during a period of market tension he describes as “Liberation Day.”
That moment, however, was short-lived. What followed was a strong rebound in foreign buying of US Treasury bonds, equities, and other financial assets. Foreigners, he says, quickly returned once the dust settled.
According to Dr. Kwapong, this pattern confirms a familiar cycle. When uncertainty rises, investors may pause or pull back briefly. But when they look for safety, depth, and opportunity, they come back to the US.
One key reason is the dollar itself. A depreciating dollar, he explains, actually works in favour of foreign investors. When the dollar weakens, people investing from places like Africa, Asia, or Latin America can buy more US assets with their local currencies. American stocks, bonds, and companies become relatively cheaper.
The weaker dollar also boosts the US economy by making American exports more competitive globally, supporting growth and corporate profits. That, in turn, feeds back into stronger investment returns.
“Our Money is still safe in dollars. The early 2000s cycle has started again. For rich people in emerging and developing countries, this seems to be the time to make money in America. The broader impact of the depreciating dollar means your local money goes further in American investments. When the value of the dollar declines, exports rise, which is a boost to US GDP,” he noted.
The CDD Ghana Fellow identifies two main motivations driving foreign money into the US. The first is growth. Investors want exposure to America’s technology and artificial intelligence boom. He points to companies like Nvidia as examples of how those who invested early are now reaping significant gains.
The second motivation is the yield. Even with global uncertainty, US financial markets continue to offer higher and more reliable returns than many other regions. For investors seeking income as well as safety, that combination is hard to beat.
For wealthy individuals in emerging economies, Dr. Kwapong believes that no investment is risk-free, but global capital still views the US as the deepest, most liquid, and most trusted market in the world.
“We can see that during the turbulence of Liberation Day, foreigners clearly sold US assets in April 2025. But since then, we’ve experienced a significant growth in appetite among foreigners for US Treasury bonds, equities, and more. Why is this? Simply put, foreigners come to the US for two main reasons: 1) to invest in the AI story. If you’re in Accra and have invested in Nvidia after DDEP, you’re happy now. 2) for yield, because they get a higher level of yield in the US than they get elsewhere,” he emphasized.
