Is Copper Safe for Retirement?

Retirement accounts are usually for boring, slow-growing assets. Copper is volatile, cyclical, and risky. So, do they mix? Yes, but in moderation.

The Inflation Problem

Traditional 60/40 portfolios (Stocks/Bonds) get crushed by stagflation. Bonds lose value as yields rise, and stocks falter. Commodities, specifically copper, are real assets. They tend to appreciate when fiat currencies lose purchasing power.

Suggested Allocation

For a 20+ year horizon:

• 5-10% Allocation: Enough to make a difference, not enough to wreck the portfolio if prices crash.
• Vehicle: Use ETFs (like COPX) inside tax-advantaged accounts (IKE/IKZE in Poland, IRA in USA).
  • Why? Dividends from miners are tax-free/deferred.
  • Why not physical? You can’t easily hold physical bars in these accounts without complex “Self-Directed” setups.

The “Set and Forget” Strategy

Don’t trade the swings. The green energy transition is a secular trend until 2050. Just rebalance once a year: if copper doubled and is now 15% of your portfolio, sell 5% and buy more generic S&P 500.