The global technology industry is suddenly facing an unfamiliar dilemma.

Recently, news has emerged that, as the world's second-largest silver producer, China has begun tightening silver export controls from January 1st, requiring companies to obtain approval before exporting. As soon as the news broke, the market was shaken. Do you realize how critical silver is? Electric vehicle batteries, solar panels, aerospace components—products that drive human technological progress—cannot be made without silver.

Numbers speak for themselves. Silver prices have doubled this year. If the supply chain truly gets blocked, from electric vehicle companies like Tesla to space exploration firms, the global tech industry could face a "silver shortage" after 2026. This is not alarmist talk—it's a real supply chain risk.

But this raises a deeper question: when the flow of key resources becomes obscured, what can we rely on to make early predictions?

Traditional responses are already too cumbersome. Companies depend on export reports that are delayed by weeks or even months, inventory data can be manipulated, and price information comes from various centralized exchanges—each data source is like looking at the world through frosted glass. No one can see the truth clearly; everyone is guessing.

This is precisely the core problem that decentralized data networks aim to solve. Imagine a system that can: monitor real-time cargo movement certificates at major global ports, track customs data, and verify every batch of silver; fuse multiple data sources—factory capacity utilization, R&D progress on alternative materials, inventory changes—to provide credible early warnings before a supply crisis erupts; cross-verify price data from Shanghai and well-known exchanges with physical logistics information to generate a manipulated-resistant, more accurate synthetic price index.

This is not science fiction. It’s exactly what some emerging on-chain oracle projects are trying to build. Their essence is transforming real-world supply chain, capacity, and trade flow data into verifiable, traceable on-chain information.

Think about what this means. When the next "critical mineral" suddenly faces restrictions, the first to act won't be the most anxious but the earliest to see trustworthy data. A supply chain manager, an investor, or even a policymaker can make decisions based on real data rather than guesses. It’s not about guessing whether it will happen, but understanding how it is happening.

Silver is just one example, but the problem goes far beyond silver. Nickel, rare earth elements, semiconductor capacity—and countless other "key resources" are hidden in similar black boxes. Every geopolitical shift, every policy adjustment, could trigger chain reactions. What we need is a pair of eyes that can see through the fog.

What’s your view? In the next decade, which key materials most need this kind of "on-chain transparency"? Feel free to share your thoughts.