BRICS

As the global geopolitical balance weakens, Rio will host a tense BRICS summit on July 6 and 7, 2025. Designed as a counterweight to the G7, the bloc struggles to embody the unity of the global South. Internal disagreements, Xi Jinping's absence, and Donald Trump's offensive comeback: the 17th edition illustrates less of a rise in power than a questioning of the strategic coherence among its members. In an era of multipolar ambitions, the BRICS are facing a crisis of legitimacy as much as a test of international credibility.

Rio is set to host a high-stakes BRICS summit, marked by two historic absences: Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin. The Chinese president is withdrawing for the first time since 2013, while his Russian counterpart remains in the Kremlin, targeted by an arrest warrant from the ICC. At a time when the bloc wants to assert itself against the dollar and strengthen its influence, these withdrawals weaken the group's unity and raise doubts about its geopolitical trajectory.

Can the dollar lose its global supremacy? What was once speculation is now taking a concrete diplomatic turn. As the BRICS summit approaches in Rio, major emerging economies are placing local currency transactions at the heart of their strategy. This shift occurs within a context of growing geopolitical tensions and demands from the Global South for a more balanced financial system. Behind this dynamic lies a possible redefinition of the rules of global trade.

The economic center of gravity is shifting towards the South, and both Beijing and Moscow want to dictate the pace. Ahead of the BRICS summit in Rio, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping are unveiling an unprecedented initiative: a joint investment platform dedicated to global South countries. Designed as a lever of influence and emancipation from circuits dominated by the West, this announcement marks a key step in the construction of an alternative financial order led by emerging powers.

While Trump buries the digital dollar, Beijing is setting up its own on all continents. One click, one yuan, and finance trembles. The United States watches... gritting its teeth.

While Israeli strikes target sensitive Iranian sites and Tehran responds with missiles on Tel Aviv, the military escalation is redefining balances in the Middle East. However, a strategic absence intrigues: that of the BRICS. A newcomer to the bloc, Iran was counting on solid support against its sworn enemy. Yet neither Moscow, nor Beijing, nor New Delhi are committing. This silence exposes the limits of an alliance that Tehran saw as a counterweight to Western hegemony.

In the turmoil of global commercial reconfigurations, Beijing is advancing its pawns. China announces the complete removal of tariffs on exports from 53 African countries, expanding preferential access to its market. Behind this gesture lies a targeted diplomatic offensive as Washington, under the leadership of Donald Trump, reactivates protectionist levers against the continent. Africa, long peripheral in geo-economic arbitration, is becoming the epicenter of a clash of influences where industrial ambitions, strategic alliances, and narratives of sovereignty intersect.

A discreet yet massive shift is redefining the global monetary balances. Indeed, over 90 countries, led by the BRICS, are abandoning the dollar in their international exchanges. In its place, the yuan, the ruble, or the rupee are gradually taking over. This strategic realignment, far from being a mere technical adjustment, challenges the financial order built around the United States since the post-war period. A stated desire for economic sovereignty and a direct challenge to American hegemony over global flows are at the root of this movement.

On June 8, 2025, a tanker under American and European sanctions discreetly docked in Japan, delivering Russian crude to a local refinery. This act, far from negligible, reveals a silent fracture in the Western consensus on energy. While the G7 has been trying for two years to isolate Moscow, Tokyo prioritizes its energy security. This episode, both symbolic and strategic, could subtly reshape the lines of a transforming global energy order.

As the BRICS summit in Rio approaches, Ron Paul sounds the alarm: a monetary shift is underway. The parliamentarian mentions a "Rio Reset," a coordinated offensive by emerging economies to marginalize the dollar in global trade. Behind this statement lies a broader dynamic: the emergence of a multipolar financial order. As monetary tensions intensify, the initiative backed by the BRICS could accelerate a paradigm shift with global consequences.

And what if one of the largest capital transfers in modern history was already underway, away from the spotlight? In the face of rising geopolitical tensions and the fatigue of the dollar-dependent model, Asian nations, led by the BRICS, are initiating a withdrawal of about 7.5 trillion dollars in American assets. This reorientation, based on strategic choices and concrete data, challenges the foundations of Western finance and signals a silent yet decisive restructuring of the global monetary order.

The BRICS Trade Ministers approved this week the "Declaration on WTO Reform and Strengthening the Multilateral Trading System." This is a document in which the group reinforces its commitment to strengthening the multilateral trading system. Additionally, the proposal includes reform of the World Trade Organization (WTO). This declaration also addresses issues such as data governance, sustainability, and strategies through 2030. Meanwhile, the President of the United States, Donald Trump, has once again threatened the European Union (EU) with a 50% tariff starting June 1.

While the major emerging powers are making calls to reduce their dependence on the US dollar, a key player has just slammed the door on any desire for a break: India. In a tense international context, where Western sanctions are pushing some countries to explore alternatives to the dollar-dominated monetary system, New Delhi chooses to play the stability card. By stating that it has "absolutely no interest" in engaging in a de-dollarization dynamic, India sends a strong signal to its partners within the BRICS and the Global South.

For a long time perceived as followers, the BRICS are now at the forefront of global growth. According to the latest forecasts from the IMF, these emerging powers will show an economic momentum in 2025 that is significantly higher than that of the United States. This quantitative shift is becoming strategic: the rise of the BRICS is no longer a trend; it is a fact. Their collective performance is redefining the balance of power and necessitating a re-examination of geo-economic equilibria.

While economic sanctions aimed to suffocate Moscow, Russia recorded a growth of 4.1% in 2023. This figure, confirmed by Russian authorities, shakes the certainties of Washington and its allies. In a climate of war in Ukraine and a reshaping of monetary alliances, the resurgence of the Russian economy reveals an effective circumvention strategy, supported by the BRICS. This data raises questions about the effectiveness of Western sanctions and reshuffles the cards in the geoeconomic game.

Between Washington and the BRICS, India is performing a balancing act. Officially tethered to the dollar, it nonetheless allows favorable signals towards monetary alternatives to leak through. In a context of geopolitical reconfiguration where the American currency crystallizes tensions, New Delhi's ambivalent stance intrigues as much as it worries. Between overt loyalty and discreet strategies, India asserts itself as a key player in the global monetary showdown.

As geopolitical tensions reshape global balances, the BRICS are accelerating the establishment of their own payment network. Led by Russia, this infrastructure aims to free itself from SWIFT and open a financial pathway outside of Western control. The announcement of its accessibility to non-member countries marks a strategic rupture. Beyond being a regional tool, BRICS Pay becomes a lever of global influence and a strong signal in favor of a multipolar monetary order.

In a geopolitical context undergoing a major reshuffle, two significant initiatives are shaking the hegemony of the dollar. Brazil and China are making a strategic shift by favoring their national currencies for bilateral exchanges. For their part, Russia and Iran are announcing the launch of a new common currency to circumvent Western sanctions. These distinct yet converging movements illustrate a shared desire among influential BRICS members: to build a financial system that is less dependent on the greenback and to assert monetary sovereignty in the face of external pressures.

The dominance of the US dollar in international trade and global reserves has never been so challenged. Indeed, Deutsche Bank is sounding the alarm on a growing phenomenon: dedollarization among the allies of the United States. In the face of geopolitical tensions and financial sanctions, several nations are seeking to reduce their dependence on the greenback. If this trend accelerates, the impact could be considerable, drastically altering the global monetary balance and redefining the power dynamics within the international financial system.

The United Arab Emirates, now members of the BRICS, will invest 1.4 trillion dollars in the United States over ten years. Announced after a meeting with Donald Trump, this maneuver reshapes global balances. Between technological ambition, diplomatic calculation, and projection of influence, Abu Dhabi is shaking up the lines of a world now structured by variable geometry economic alliances.

In his recent intervention, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar sought to dispel any ambiguity about India's position regarding the dollar: "there is no policy on our part aimed at replacing the dollar. At the end of the day, the dollar as a reserve currency is a source of international economic stability."

The USA-Ukraine summit was recently held in Riyadh and resulted in more ambitious ceasefire proposals than expected. "The ball is now in Russia's court" has become the American talking point on this issue. Meanwhile, Europe appears to be accelerating its military reassertion in an increasingly tense geopolitical context.

For decades, the US dollar has dominated international trade and has established itself as an essential global reserve. However, this absolute reign is now challenged by the BRICS bloc. As a result, geopolitical tensions and the rise of cryptocurrencies are pushing several countries to seek alternatives to the greenback. Bitcoin and stablecoins are emerging as instruments capable of circumventing the supremacy of the dollar, but paradoxically, they could also reinforce its influence.

In the shadow of the economic restrictions imposed by the West, Moscow is charting a new path for its energy trade. In the face of exclusion from the international financial system, Russia has found an alternative solution: the use of Bitcoin (BTC) and Tether (USDt) to bypass sanctions and ensure the continuity of its oil exports.

The economic confrontation between the United States and China is taking on a new dimension. Indeed, far from being limited to traditional exchanges, this trade war is now affecting the crypto market. Thus, between Donald Trump's announcement regarding the creation of a national strategic reserve of cryptocurrencies and the Chinese response to American economic sanctions, investors are witnessing market movements of rare intensity. The question now arises: is this instability temporary or should we expect a lasting impact?

The foreign policy of the United States could undergo a major shift. As diplomatic tensions between Washington and Moscow have intensified in recent years, Donald Trump appears ready to rewrite the rules of the game. The American president, a favorite in the race for the White House, is considering an economic rapprochement with Vladimir Putin's Russia, aiming to break with the sanctions strategy imposed under Joe Biden. Is this a maneuver intended to undermine the BRICS alliance?

The global geopolitical balance is undergoing significant changes. Russia, which was once a member of the G8 before its exclusion in 2014, is now adopting a radically different stance. In the face of what it perceives as a decline in the influence of Western powers, Moscow now favors the BRICS and the G20, at the expense of a G7 deemed obsolete. This strategic reconfiguration goes beyond a mere diplomatic adjustment; it illustrates a broader shift in power dynamics, where emerging economies are gaining ground against Western-dominated institutions. Through the statements of its ambassador to Canada, Russia confirms its definitive disengagement from the G7 and outlines the contours of a new international order.

In a constantly changing world, where every political decision redraws the contours of power, a major phenomenon is emerging: the rise of the BRICS. This acronym, once seen as a symbolic grouping of major emerging economies, now asserts itself as a driving force of geopolitical balance. With the recent expansion of this bloc to new influential members, the global landscape is enriched with unprecedented dynamics, challenging the hegemony of Western institutions. While Donald Trump embarks on a second term in the United States, focused on a protectionist and isolationist policy, the rise of the BRICS represents a strategic challenge with profound implications.