How BRICS May Deliver Structural Shock To US Dollar System

Source: ZeroHedge | Original Published At: 2026-01-15 04:20:00 UTC

Key Points

• BRICS is developing alternative payment systems (BRICS Pay, The Unit, mBridge) to bypass SWIFT and US dollar dependency for international trade.
• The New Development Bank (NDB) aims to become a financial infrastructure hub but remains tied to US dollar mechanisms temporarily.
• The Unit proposes a blockchain-based trade token pegged to commodity baskets as a neutral settlement mechanism similar to IMF SDRs.
• Venezuela and Iran's oil trade outside US dollar system demonstrates BRICS' potential to disrupt petrodollar hegemony.
• China's CIPS payment system and yuan internationalization are positioned as viable alternatives to Western financial infrastructure.