Currencies

In a significant shift for global financial markets, the trend of de-dollarization is gaining momentum across Asia, influencing stock markets and reshaping economic strategies. As countries in the region increasingly move away from reliance on the U.S. dollar for trade and financial transactions, the implications for investors and policymakers are profound. This movement, driven by geopolitical uncertainties and monetary policy shifts, has come into sharp focus in recent days, with fresh reports highlighting its growing impact on Asian economies and equity markets.Understanding de-dollarization in Asia Copy link to section De-dollarization...

This paper examines the accelerating global momentum behind central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), exploring how central banks are responding to the twin pressures of financial digitalization and geopolitical competition. It provides a comprehensive analysis of the motivations driving CBDC development from enhancing payment system efficiency and financial inclusion to preserving monetary sovereignty in the face of private digital currencies. Through a comparative lens, the paper analyzes divergent CBDC models — retail, wholesale and hybrid — adopted across advanced and emerging economies, with particular attention to design features, operational challenges and...

The U.S. dollar dropped to its lowest level since April 2022, driven by rising tensions in the Middle East and fragile trade relations between Washington and Beijing. As investors flocked to safe-haven assets, the global stock rally decelerated, with the MSCI All-Country World Index stagnating just below its record high.Oil prices briefly surged by 4% before retreating, influenced by the U.S.'s relocation of personnel from the Middle East due to increased security risks. The ongoing volatility in economic policies prompted concerns, as President Trump's tariffs and fluctuating trade relations...

MUMBAI: The Indian rupee weakened slightly on Thursday, pressured by corporate dollar demand and likely portfolio outflows even as broad-based dollar weakness boosted its regional peers. The rupee closed at 85.60 against the U.S. dollar, down 0.1% from its close at 85.51 in the previous session. Asian currencies rose with the Taiwanese dollar leading gains with a 1.6% rise while the offshore Chinese yuan rose 0.2%. The dollar index, meanwhile, fell 0.4% to 98, its lowest level in over a month. The rupee was unable to benefit from a broadly...

Dar es Salaam. The Tanzanian shilling has rallied to become one of the top performing currencies in the world, due mainly to record high gold prices and a surge in inflows of U.S. dollars from agriculture, tourism, and transport sectors. The central bank quoted the shilling trading at 2,578/2,604 levels today, up from 2,586/2,612 at the start of March. The 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝗧𝗮𝗻𝘇𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗮 (𝗕𝗼𝗧), 𝗘𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗲𝗹 𝗔𝗸𝗮𝗿𝗼 (pictured), said the outlook for the Tanzanian shilling is positive throughout the year, bucking the historical trend of depreciation...

KATHMANDU, JUNE 12The Revenue Investigation Office, Butwal, has seized illegal currency worth Rs 34.655 million so far in the current fiscal year. The confiscated amount includes various foreign currencies, including Nepalese rupees. According to office, Rs 19.1 million was in Nepali currency and Rs 15.5 million in Indian currency. The rest included US dollars and UAE dirhams.Most of the illegal cash was recovered from areas near the Nepal-India border, with Indian nationals often found carrying such undeclared money. The seizures were made through joint operations by the Revenue Investigation Team...

In line with its mission to transform global financial access for Africans and businesses at home and in the diaspora, Leatherback, a leading cross-border payment platform, has announced the appointment of four key executives to its leadership team.This development ushers in a new era of stability and growth for the company as it strengthens its approach to simplify and scale cross-border payments on the continent and across the world.Founded in 2019, Leatherback set out to unify the world’s 180 currencies through an array of customer-centric product offerings that offer users...

Asian currencies rose on Thursday, driven by a weaker U.S. dollar after President Donald Trump adopted a softer tone on trade and affirmed progress with China. The South Korean won and Japanese yen led gains as investor sentiment improved slightly amid easing tensions. The U.S. Dollar Index slipped 0.3% in Asian trading, hitting its lowest in over six weeks, while futures also fell 0.3%. The decline followed lower-than-expected U.S. consumer inflation data, fueling expectations of potential Federal Reserve interest rate cuts later this year. Trump stated on Wednesday that a...

Cryptocurrencies, Casinos, and Cachet: Once A Concept, Now A Common Currency, It’s A Digital Payment Future Thursday, June 12th 2025 - 05:35 UTC Full article Photo: Pixabay It may seem like a long time ago, but it was really only back in 2009 that the world was first made aware of the concept of cryptocurrencies. At that time, there was but one - the one that is still perhaps the best-known and most widely used. I am, of course, referring to Bitcoin. Today, however, there...