By Suzanne McGee

Jan 22 (Reuters) – As geopolitical tensions soar and government debt loads rise in many nations, digital assets investment ​firm Bitwise and Proficio Capital Partners, a division of ‌a Florida-based multi-family office, are rolling out an exchange-traded fund designed to invest in ‌alternatives to the dollar and other currencies, ranging from gold to bitcoin.

The Bitwise Proficio Currency Debasement ETF, launched on Thursday, will offer investors a blend of those alternatives, starting with a minimum of 25% of its assets ⁠in gold, which has ‌climbed to record highs this year. But the fund’s backers said the logic behind the fund is not ‍just about capturing a momentum trade in gold but about finding assets not tied to any individual currency or set of national monetary and fiscal ​policies.

“I believe you have to view these as representing their own ‌asset class,” one that is distinct from stocks or bonds denominated in dollars or other government-issued currencies, said Bob Haber, chief investment officer and a founder of Proficio. “And when you’re not really being compensated for the risk of owning government bonds or assets denominated in ⁠dollars, euro or whatever, it makes sense ​to look for alternatives.”

In addition to ​gold and bitcoin, the ETF will offer exposure to silver, platinum and palladium, as well as the mining companies ‍that produce these ⁠and other metals.

Even if gold and silver prices pause their rally, Haber said he expects a growing number of investors to ⁠demonstrate interest in owning what he refers to as “hard currencies.”

“This is a long-term secular ‌shift in the market,” he said.

(Suzanne McGee in Providence, ‌Rhode Island; Editing by Chris Reese)