Hyperinflation

An extreme and rapid increase in the general price level, typically defined as inflation exceeding 50% per month. Historical episodes include Germany's Weimar Republic in 1923, Zimbabwe in 2008, and Venezuela in the late 2010s, where currency became virtually worthless. Hyperinflation destroys savings, paralyzes commerce, and often drives citizens toward alternative stores of value like gold, foreign currencies, or -- more recently -- Bitcoin.