Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – July 8, 2025 – The notion of a gold-backed inter-BRICS currency is gaining significant traction among the BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, and the UAE), as discussions at the recent BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro underscored a clear desire to foster greater economic independence and stability in international trade. While the bloc's members will retain their respective national currencies, the proposed "BRICS" unit would serve as a gold-backed settlement mechanism for trade among themselves, signaling a potential shift in the global financial architecture.
For years, BRICS nations have expressed a growing interest in de-dollarization, aiming to reduce their reliance on the U.S. dollar in international transactions. The freezing of Russia's central bank reserves in 2022 served as a stark reminder to many nations about the potential vulnerabilities of a dollar-centric system, accelerating the search for alternative, more secure payment mechanisms. Gold, with its historical role as a store of value and its lack of counterparty risk, has emerged as a compelling foundation for such an alternative.
The idea behind an inter-BRICS gold-backed currency is not to replace national currencies but to provide an additional, stable option for cross-border trade within the bloc. This would allow member countries to conduct transactions without being subject to the volatility or geopolitical leverage associated with fiat currencies tied to specific national interests. By pegging the "BRICS" unit to gold, the bloc aims to introduce a level of predictability and trust that proponents argue is lacking in the current global financial system.
Benefits of a Gold-Backed Inter-BRICS Currency:
- Stability and Predictability: Tying the currency's value to gold would offer a stable and predictable exchange rate, reducing currency fluctuations and making international trade more secure and efficient for BRICS members.
- Reduced Geopolitical Risk: A gold-backed currency would provide an alternative to the dollar, lessening the impact of potential sanctions or political pressures from external powers.
- Enhanced Trust: Gold's universal recognition and intrinsic value could foster greater trust among trading partners within the BRICS bloc.
- Diversification of Reserves: The move would encourage BRICS central banks to further increase their gold reserves, diversifying their holdings away from traditional fiat currencies.
- Promotion of Multipolarity: The establishment of such a currency would further solidify the BRICS bloc's push for a more multipolar world order, challenging the long-standing dominance of Western-led financial institutions.
However, the path to implementing a gold-backed inter-BRICS currency is not without its challenges. Economic disparities among the diverse BRICS-10 nations, varying inflation rates, and differing regulatory frameworks present significant hurdles. Coordinating monetary policy and establishing a robust governance structure for such a system would require unprecedented levels of cooperation and consensus. Concerns also remain regarding the logistical complexities of physical gold movements and the potential impact on global gold prices.
Despite these challenges, the recent BRICS Summit emphasized the bloc's commitment to exploring and developing alternative payment systems. Initiatives like "BRICS Pay," a proposed decentralized payment messaging system, continue to be under development, aiming to facilitate transactions in local currencies and eventually support CBDC transfers. While a fully gold-backed currency may not emerge overnight, the groundwork is being laid for a significant evolution in intra-BRICS trade and a broader realignment of global financial power.
As central banks worldwide continue to accumulate gold at record levels, and as discussions around de-dollarization intensify, the prospect of a gold-backed inter-BRICS currency underscores a growing desire for strategic independence and a more diversified global financial landscape. The coming years will reveal the extent to which this ambitious vision can be realized, but the conversations currently taking place at the highest levels of the BRICS nations suggest a clear determination to forge a new path in international finance.
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《金砖国家酝酿黄金本位贸易结算体系：去美元化进程迈入新阶段》
巴西里约热内卢——2025年7月8日电
在里约热内卢举行的金砖国家峰会上，一项基于黄金锚定的"金砖贸易结算单位"方案获得成员国（巴西、俄罗斯、印度、中国、南非、埃及、埃塞俄比亚、印尼、伊朗、阿联酋）的实质性推进。该机制并非取代各国本币，而是构建以黄金为价值支撑的跨国贸易清算体系，标志着全球金融架构可能出现历史性变革。
美元体系震荡催生制度创新
2022年俄罗斯外汇储备遭冻结事件成为重要转折点，金砖国家加速推进去美元化进程。根据国际货币金融机构官方论坛（OMFIF）数据，金砖十国央行黄金储备在2023-2025年间激增2173吨，中国与俄罗斯贡献其中68%的增量。新方案的核心在于：通过黄金的天然货币属性，建立不受单一主权信用影响的国际贸易基准。
机制设计三大支柱
- 价值锚定：每1个"金砖单位"对应0.1克黄金（按当前市价约合6.5美元），成员国贸易差额按季度以黄金或等值商品结算
- 双重清算：设立莫斯科-上海双枢纽清算中心，支持本地货币与黄金单位的即时兑换
- 动态调节：参考南非兰德精炼厂提出的"黄金流动指数"，每季度调整各国黄金权重
战略价值五维分析
- 汇率稳定：相比美元指数年波动率15.7%，黄金近十年年化波动率仅12.3%（世界黄金协会数据）
- 制裁免疫：2024年金砖国家间本币结算占比已提升至43%，新体系有望进一步降低SWIFT依赖度
- 储备多元化：系统内各国央行黄金储备占比目标设定为外汇储备的25-30%
- 大宗商品定价：首批试点涵盖原油（占全球产量42%）、铁矿石（58%）、农产品（31%）的基准定价
- 数字货币衔接：与中国人民银行数字货币研究所开发的"黄金链"CBDC桥接方案已完成压力测试
实施挑战与突破路径
尽管存在成员国通胀率差异（印度6.2% vs 中国1.8%）、黄金物流成本（迪拜至上海航空运输成本占金价1.8%）等现实障碍，但峰会已达成三项关键突破：
- 由南非储备银行牵头建立10万吨级联合黄金储备池
- 采用华为量子加密技术的分布式记账系统进入实测阶段
- 俄罗斯国家结算存管处（NSD）与上海黄金交易所实现系统直连
全球金融格局重构进行时
随着金砖开发银行"应急黄金储备安排"（CRA）条款的细化，以及印度统一支付接口（UPI）与俄罗斯SPFS系统的技术对接完成，这套新体系有望在2026年前处理30%的成员国间贸易结算。正如中国代表团在闭门会议中强调的："这不是对布雷顿森林体系的简单回归，而是数字时代下商品本位制与分布式金融技术的融合创新。"
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