Several external forces are actively trying to undermine the US dollar (USD) as the worldwide trade currency. These efforts are driven by a combination of economic, geopolitical, and strategic motivations.

Motivations Behind Undermining the USD

• Sanctions and Geopolitical Strategy: Countries facing US sanctions seek to reduce their vulnerability by decreasing their reliance on the USD.
• Enhancing Global Influence: Promoting alternative currencies can enhance a country’s or region’s influence in the global economic system.
• Economic Independence: Reducing dependency on the USD allows countries to have greater control over their monetary and fiscal policies.
• Diversification and Risk Management: Diversifying away from the USD can help mitigate risks associated with fluctuations in the value of the USD and US economic policies.

Key players and their reasons include:

1. China

• Economic Independence: China seeks to reduce its reliance on the USD to gain more control over its monetary policy and financial system. Promoting the use of the Chinese yuan (renminbi) in international trade and finance is part of this strategy.
• Geopolitical Influence: By diminishing the dominance of the USD, China aims to increase its own geopolitical influence and reduce the power of the United States in global affairs.
• Belt and Road Initiative: Through its Belt and Road Initiative, China is encouraging partner countries to use the yuan for trade and investment, thereby reducing the role of the USD.

2. Russia

• Sanctions Evasion: Faced with economic sanctions imposed by the United States and its allies, Russia is actively seeking alternatives to the USD to mitigate the impact of these sanctions.
• Geopolitical Strategy: Reducing reliance on the USD aligns with Russia’s broader strategy to counter US influence and build stronger economic ties with other countries, particularly China and other BRICS nations.

3. BRICS Nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, and others)

• New Development Bank (NDB): The NDB, established by the BRICS nations, aims to provide an alternative source of funding to existing institutions like the IMF and World Bank, reducing the dependency on the USD.
• Potential BRICS Currency: Discussions about creating a common BRICS currency could further reduce the need for USD in trade and finance among these countries.

4. European Union

• Euro as an Alternative: The European Union promotes the euro as an alternative to the USD in international trade and finance. Strengthening the euro’s role can enhance the EU’s economic sovereignty and reduce its vulnerability to US economic policies.
• Diversification: The EU aims to diversify its foreign exchange reserves and reduce the dominance of the USD in global finance.

5. Other Emerging Markets and Developing Countries

• Economic Sovereignty: Many emerging markets and developing countries seek to reduce their reliance on the USD to gain more control over their economic policies and reduce exposure to US monetary policy fluctuations.
• Regional Cooperation: Regional blocs, such as the African Union and ASEAN, are exploring ways to use local currencies for intra-regional trade, reducing the dependency on the USD.

6. Cryptocurrencies and Digital Currencies

• Decentralization: Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum offer decentralized alternatives to traditional currencies, including the USD, for international transactions.
• Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs): Several countries are developing their own CBDCs to facilitate cross-border payments and reduce reliance on the USD in international trade.

These efforts collectively pose a challenge to the dominance of the USD as the worldwide trade currency, potentially leading to a more multipolar currency system in the future.