Retail gold purchases have surged, tripling over the past six months, according to the Bank for International Settlements (BIS). Retail investors have acquired approximately $70 billion in gold ETFs since the second quarter of 2025, more than doubling their activity in recent months. In contrast, institutional selling has accelerated since mid-November, particularly after a market correction in January. The BIS report highlights that retail inflows into ETFs and leveraged positions have driven up precious metals prices, but daily rebalancing and margin-triggered liquidations have increased volatility, especially in the silver market. Gold prices have declined by 9% from their peak at the end of January, while silver has dropped 34%. The BIS notes that these declines coincide with shifts in market expectations about US monetary policy and the dollar's performance, though these are not aligned with fundamental changes. Meanwhile, the cryptocurrency market's total capitalization has decreased by about 43% from its October high.