How Would a New BRICS Currency Affect the US Dollar?

The BRICS nations are interested in creating a new currency to compete with the US dollar, and recently announced plans for a blockchain-based payment system. Learn about the developments thus far and how investors can prepare for the possibility.

The BRICS nations, originally composed of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, have had many discussions about establishing a new reserve currency backed by a basket of their respective currencies.

A BRICS currency was a topic at the 2024 BRICS Summit that took place October 22 to 24 in Kazan, Russia. At the summit, the BRICS nations continued their discussions of creating a potentially gold-backed currency, known as the “Unit,” as an alternative to the US dollar. The potential BRICS currency would allow these nations to assert their economic independence while competing with the existing international financial system. The current system is dominated by the US dollar, which accounts for about 90 percent of all currency trading. Until recently, nearly 100 percent of oil trading was conducted in US dollars; however, in 2023, one-fifth of oil trades were reportedly made using non-US dollar currencies.

Central to this ongoing situation is the US trade war with China, as well as US sanctions on China and Russia. Should the BRICS nations establish a new reserve currency, it would likely significantly impact the US dollar, potentially leading to a decline in demand, or what’s known as de-dollarization. In turn, this would have implications for the United States and global economies.