The International Monetary Fund published a podcast in which UC Berkeley professor Barry Eichengreen and IMF economist Chima Simpson-Bell discuss the changing landscape of reserve currencies, drawing on a recent NBER paper with Serkan Arslanalp that examines how global volatility tends to boost demand for the US dollar, sanctions can push countries toward gold, and alternative reserve currencies are beginning to emerge.
International Monetary Fund2026-05-22
International Monetary Fund releases podcast on shifting reserve currency dynamics and emerging alternatives
The International Monetary Fund released a podcast in which Barry Eichengreen and Chima Simpson-Bell discuss shifts in the global reserve currency landscape, drawing on a recent National Bureau of Economic Research paper. They note that global volatility tends to increase demand for the US dollar, sanctions can redirect reserves toward gold, and alternative reserve currencies are starting to emerge.