BIS mulls ending mBridge pilot touted by Putin as dollar alternative: report

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As a seasoned researcher with a keen interest in global finance and geopolitics, I find myself intrigued by the developments surrounding the mBridge cross-border payments project. The potential implications of this initiative are far-reaching, especially considering its role as a potential tool to challenge the U.S. dollar’s dominance and circumvent Western sanctions.

As a researcher, I’m sharing an interesting development: The Bank for International Settlements (BIS) is contemplating the discontinuation of a cross-border payment system, which has been mentioned by the Russian President as a potential means to circumvent U.S. sanctions.

According to reports from Bloomberg, based on information from sources involved, the Bank for International Settlements is apparently considering the future of its mBridge cross-border payment system following concerns raised by Russian President Vladimir Putin about its potential use as a means to bypass Western sanctions and undermine the U.S. dollar‘s global influence.

Last week, debates on whether to halt the project were held during the IMF and World Bank’s yearly gatherings in Washington, as suggested by various sources.

The mBridge initiative, a scheme for facilitating instant digital transactions among central banks without needing American financial entities, was crafted within the Bank of International Settlements’ (BIS) Innovation Center, with active collaboration from central banks in China, Thailand, Hong Kong, and the United Arab Emirates.

The Bank for International Settlements (BIS) presented this initiative as a method for simplifying international transactions, possibly avoiding the existing global financial system that heavily relies on the U.S. dollar.

BRICS members hesitant on dollar alternatives

During a gathering at the Group of 30 in Washington on October 26th, BIS General Manager Agustín Carstens emphasized that it’s not feasible for us to back any initiative involving BRICS nations due to our inability to work with countries under sanctions – I’d like to make this point crystal clear.

Although the U.S. dollar remains a crucial player in international commerce, Putin has suggested exploring alternative trade systems. At the latest BRICS summit in Kazan, he proposed establishing a “BRICS Bridge” network, modeled after mBridge, to foster intra-bloc trade without relying on the dollar. However, reactions from BRICS members have been varied, with some nations such as India and South Africa expressing hesitation towards upending the current global financial system. Bloomberg reported this development, noting these reservations.

It’s been proposed that if the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) were to leave mBridge, some central banks involved might choose to carry on with the project on their own. However, Western policymakers are cautious about China’s significant impact on the project’s creation and its possible ability to sidestep traditional financial systems.

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2024-10-29 10:56