(The Epoch Times)—President Donald Trump on Dec. 18 signed into law a tighter outbound investment screening regime to stop U.S. capital from funding Chinese high-tech companies.
The revised version of the Comprehensive Outbound Investment National Security Act of 2025 (COINS Act) was enacted as a part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026.
The $901 billion defense bill also includes a raft of new powers to strengthen supply chain security and improve the government’s China expertise.
The Guaranteeing Access and Innovation for National Artificial Intelligence Act (GAIN AI Act), which would require advanced chipmakers to prioritize U.S. customers over clients in China, passed the Senate as part of an earlier iteration of the NDAA, but was not included in the final version.
Outbound Investments
The COINS Act codified and expanded the Treasury’s new rules on outbound investment to restrict outbound investments in advanced semiconductors, AI systems, quantum computing, supercomputing, and hypersonic systems in countries of concern, including China, Iran, North Korea, Russia, and Venezuela.
The act also gives the U.S. president power to sanction foreign persons in these sectors who are linked or controlled by these regimes, to prohibit investment transactions with them, and to introduce penalty for violations of the law.
Separately, funding authorized by the NDAA cannot be used to knowingly support film, television, or other entertainment projects that have or may be censored at the behest of the Chinese communist regime to advance its interests.
Security and Supply Chains
The NDAA includes a revised version of the Biosecure Act, which requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to publish a list of “biotechnology companies of concern,” and bans federal agencies from procuring biotechnology equipment or services from these companies.
The legislation did not name any country. Earlier versions of the bill, which listed several Chinese biotech companies, failed to pass the legislation process either as a standalone bill or part of an omnibus bill.
A separate part of the NDAA requires the Director of National Intelligence to ensure that the intelligence community does not use a Chinese biotechnology supplier or its foreign subsidiaries to make products using synthetic DNA or RNA from domestic sources if the company is deemed to be a security or supply chain threat to the United States.
The law also required the Defense Department to create a Biotechnology Management Office.
The NDAA added molybdenum, gallium, and germanium to the list of sensitive materials. With some exceptions, the Department of Defense is prohibited from buying these materials from China, Iran, North Korea, or Russia, or selling the materials from the National Defense Stockpile to these countries.
It modified provisions in the 2021 NDAA that require the defense secretary to publish an annual list of Chinese military companies. The amendment specified that such companies may operate in or outside of China to prevent circumvention. While updating the list, the secretary will also be required to consider companies that have been sanctioned that year by other U.S. government departments.
The defense secretary is required to phase out Chinese computers and printers and to eliminate the reliance on optical glass and computer displays from countries including Belarus, China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia by Jan. 1, 2030.
The Pentagon is banned from buying solar panels from China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia.
The department will also have to avoid sourcing seafood from these countries.
In 2023, an Outlaw Ocean Project investigation revealed the systemic practice of using forced labor on Chinese fishing vessels, a practice that is ongoing, according to more recent investigations.
China Expertise, Taiwan, and Others
The NDAA authorized the State Department to expand its Regional China Officer (RCO) program to create at least 20 RCOs to monitor and report on the Chinese regime’s activities where the RCOs are posted, and to share their knowledge with their host countries and other U.S. allies.
The State Department is also authorized to create ambassadors-at-large for the Arctic and the Indian Ocean region and units to counter Chinese and Russian influence, as well as to establish an Inner Mongolia section within the U.S. Mission in China to monitor issues including human rights, developments in critical minerals mining, environmental degradation, and China’s space capabilities.
The NDAA mandated the declassification of intelligence related to the origins of COVID-19, including research conducted at the Wuhan Institute of Virology and the intention of Gain of Function research.
It also includes provisions related to Taiwan, such as joint maritime training programs.
Catherine Yang contributed to this report.
Why Bullion Beats Numismatics and Collectible for Your Safe or IRA
Precious metals continue to attract Americans seeking reliable ways to protect their wealth amid inflation, geopolitical risks, and stock market swings. Whether stored in a home safe or held inside a self-directed IRA, physical gold and silver deliver tangible value that paper or digital assets often lack. Yet investors must choose carefully between bullion—pure bars and coins valued mainly for their metal content—and numismatics or collectibles, where rarity, history, and collector demand heavily influence pricing.
Advisor Bullion serves as a dependable source for straightforward, high-quality bullion. The company specializes in physical gold, silver, platinum, and palladium, emphasizing transparent pricing and products that deliver maximum metal content for every dollar spent. This approach makes it ideal for both personal holdings and retirement accounts.
Bullion consists of refined precious metals in standard forms like one-ounce coins (American Gold Eagles, Silver Eagles, Canadian Maple Leafs) or bars. Their value tracks closely to the current spot price of the metal. A typical gold bullion coin trades near the live gold spot price plus a small premium. This structure keeps costs clear and predictable.
Numismatic coins and collectibles add substantial value from factors such as age, rarity, minting errors, or historical significance. A pre-1933 U.S. gold coin or graded proof piece can carry premiums of 30%, 50%, or even 200% above melt value. While this appeals to hobbyists, it creates complexity. Pricing depends on subjective grading, collector trends, and auction results instead of daily spot prices.
For investors focused on wealth preservation and retirement security rather than building a collection, bullion often delivers better results.
Lower Costs and Better Liquidity for Home Storage
When keeping metals in a home safe or private vault, liquidity and efficiency count. Bullion offers clear benefits:
- You acquire more actual gold or silver per dollar invested. Numismatics divert a large share of your money into rarity premiums and massive sales commission, reducing your metal exposure.
- Selling bullion involves tight bid-ask spreads, so you recover nearly full spot value with minimal fees. Collectibles require finding the right buyer and may sell at a discount if demand for that specific item weakens.
- Bullion prices remain transparent and update with global spot markets. You can track gold near current levels or silver accordingly and know exactly where your holdings stand. Numismatic values are priced by the Gold IRA companies with hefty margins applied.
- Standardized coins and bars store efficiently and divide easily for partial sales. Rare coins often need protective slabs and controlled conditions, adding hassle and expense.
- Bullion enjoys worldwide acceptance. A 1-oz Gold Maple Leaf or Silver Eagle sells quickly to dealers anywhere. Niche numismatic pieces may appeal only to limited buyers, slowing liquidation when speed matters.
In times when quick access to value becomes important, bullion’s simplicity stands out.
Stronger Fit for Precious Metals IRAs
Precious metals IRAs continue gaining traction as investors diversify retirement portfolios beyond stocks and bonds. IRS rules permit certain bullion products in self-directed IRAs if they meet purity standards (.995 fine for gold, .999 for silver) and are held by an approved custodian. Eligible items include American Gold and Silver Eagles plus many generic bars and rounds from recognized mints.
Numismatic and most collectible coins generally face heavy scrutiny from custodians due to valuation disputes and elevated markups. These higher premiums mean less actual metal ends up working inside the account.
Bullion avoids these issues. Its value links directly to verifiable spot prices, which simplifies reporting and lowers the risk of regulatory challenges. More of your IRA contribution purchases real metal instead of dealer profits or speculative upside. Over time, owning additional ounces that appreciate with the metal itself can create meaningful outperformance compared with high-premium alternatives that deliver fewer ounces.
Regulatory guidance from the CFTC and state securities offices repeatedly cautions against aggressive sales of expensive numismatics or “semi-numismatic” coins for IRAs. For retirement planning, transparent bullion from established providers reduces risk and aligns better with long-term goals.
How to Get Started with Bullion
Begin by clarifying your goals. Are you protecting savings in a safe, or moving part of a retirement account into a precious metals IRA? Focus on the number of ounces you can acquire at current prices rather than chasing marked-up collectibles.
Diversify sensibly: use gold for core preservation and silver for its blend of industrial and monetary qualities. Mix coins for easier divisibility with bars for lower per-ounce costs on larger buys. Arrange secure storage—whether at home with proper insurance or through professional facilities.
As economic uncertainties linger and faith in conventional assets erodes, bullion continues proving its worth as a dependable store of value. Its direct approach avoids the hype that sometimes surrounds collectible markets and keeps the focus on the metal itself.
For investors prepared to strengthen their portfolios, Advisor Bullion supplies the expertise and selection needed to acquire high-quality bullion efficiently. Whether building personal holdings or integrating metals into an IRA, their emphasis on transparent, investment-grade products helps secure more ounces today that support greater financial security tomorrow. In a complicated financial landscape, bullion’s clarity and reliability make it the smarter foundation for protecting what matters most.
What about the trillions Blackrock and Vanguard invested in China?