- BRICS members now conduct about 90% of trade settlements using their own national currencies.
- Russia leads efforts to create independent financial systems to bypass Western-controlled payment networks.
- BRICS is developing a digital Gold currency backed by 40% physical gold and national currencies.
- The expansion of BRICS membership to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the UAE strengthens the bloc’s economic influence.
- The New Development Bank and proposed BRICS investment platform support increasing capital investments within the group.
BRICS countries have significantly increased the use of their respective national currencies in trade settlements, with reports that approximately 90% of transactions are now conducted without the US dollar. This shift was highlighted by Russian President Vladimir Putin at recent forums and the 17th BRICS Summit as part of strategies to reduce dependence on the dollar and lower cross-border transaction costs.
Following Western sanctions imposed after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the bloc intensified economic collaboration, especially among members such as China, India, Brazil, South Africa, and recently added nations including Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates. This cooperation aims to create efficient, low-cost financial systems that operate independently of Western-controlled payment channels.
Putin outlined plans to establish an independent settlement platform on the BRICS framework designed to accelerate and secure trade transactions. The group has also been working on a digital gold currency concept issued by the International Registry of International Assets and Securities (IRIAS). This currency prototype consists of 100 units, each equal to one gram of gold, backed by 40% physical gold reserves and 60% fractionally composed of the Brazilian real, Chinese yuan, Indian rupee, Russian ruble, and South African rand.
Additionally, Russia has advanced its domestic trial of the digital ruble and has collaborated with Iran on alternative messaging systems to financial networks like SWIFT. The bloc prefers using multiple national currencies rather than pursuing a single common currency to ensure careful, deliberate progress toward financial independence.
The expanding membership enhances the bloc’s economic weight, strengthening the infrastructure for dollar alternatives. The New Development Bank supports this transition by promoting reciprocal capital investments. Russia has further proposed a dedicated BRICS investment platform to bolster intra-bloc financial cooperation and growth.
“The creation of an independent settlement system on the BRICS platform will make transactions faster, more efficient and safer,” Putin stated, emphasizing the need to broaden the use of national currencies in mutual trade. This development serves as a strategic response to dollar weaponization through sanctions, facilitating smoother and more secure economic collaboration among member states.
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