Rob Cunningham: The Pattern of History
Rob Cunningham: The Pattern of History
6-19-2026
The Pattern of History
For thousands of years, reserve currencies have been controlled by empires.
Roman Empire → Roman coinage
British Empire → Pound Sterling
American Empire → U.S. Dollar
The reserve currency and geopolitical power have traditionally been inseparable
The issuer gains:
cheaper borrowing
global influence
sanctions power
trade advantages
military leverage
David Schwartz has observed something profound:
The world may no longer want to exchange one empire for another
Not:
Dollar → Yuan
Not:
Dollar → Euro
Not:
Dollar → Ruble
But potentially:
National reserve currencies coexisting
Neutral settlement assets between them
A KUWL View
My framework repeatedly argues:
The core issue is not who controls the system
The core issue is whether the system itself is trustworthy
That distinction matters
Most political discussions focus on:
Who wins?
Who governs?
Which nation dominates?
@JoelKatz has spoken in depth about a different question:
What if the protocol itself becomes the trusted intermediary?
That is very similar to:
• TCP/IP for information
• GPS for location
• Standardized weights and measures for commerce
Nobody asks: “Who owns the inch?”
Nobody asks: “Who owns gravity?”
Nobody asks: “Who owns the meter?”
The protocol itself becomes trusted.
Honest Weights & Measures
This is where my favorite theme becomes relevant.
Historically:
Dishonest weights and measures appear when:
• records can be altered
• supply can be manipulated
• rules can change arbitrarily
• transparency disappears
Trust collapses.
Conflict rises.
Economic friction rises.
The larger the system becomes, the more expensive distrust becomes.
Schwartz’s vision is essentially:
What if the world’s settlement layer operated according to transparent rules that no single nation could unilaterally manipulate?
That does not eliminate politics
It does not eliminate governments.
It does not eliminate currencies.
It simply creates a neutral layer underneath them.
Very similar to how the internet allows nations to communicate without one nation owning the protocol.
Why Smaller Nations Might Like This
This is another major point David makes
The world’s largest powers naturally want influence
Smaller nations generally want fairness
If you are:
Vietnam
Kenya
Peru
Jordan
Chile
Singapore
you likely do not want:
• China controlling settlement
• Russia controlling settlement
• America controlling settlement
• Europe controlling settlement
You want:
predictability
neutrality
equal access
That is exactly the banking analogy David Schwartz has used
The smaller banks did not want systems controlled by their biggest competitors
The same logic can apply to nations
Where XRP Fits
Schwartz is not saying XRP becomes the world’s reserve currency
People often misinterpret him
What he is describing is closer to:
National currencies remain
A neutral bridge asset facilitates movement between them
Think:
Dollars remain
Euros remain
Yen remain
Dirhams remain
Dinars remain
But settlement occurs through a neutral intermediary
That is fundamentally different than replacing sovereign currencies.
It is about connecting them.
Alignment With My Broader Geopolitical Thesis
Where my KUWL thesis and Schwartz’s thesis overlap:
Multipolar World
Both recognize: A single unchallenged reserve currency is unlikely to persist forever.
Reduced Friction
Both envision: Lower cost movement of value.
Transparency
Both emphasize: Trust increases when verification becomes easier.
Neutral Infrastructure
Both prefer: Rules over rulers.
Protocols over arbitrary discretion.
Economic Cooperation
Both suggest: Mutually trusted infrastructure can reduce conflict.
Humanity may discover that lasting peace, prosperity & cooperation emerge not when one nation controls the world’s money, but when all nations can transact through transparent, neutral & verifiable systems no single rival can dominate.
Source(s):
• https://x.com/KuwlShow/status/2067707004194353281
https://dinarchronicles.com/2026/06/19/rob-cunningham-the-pattern-of-history/