Seeds of Wisdom RV and Economics Updates Tuesday Evening 8-18-26

Good Evening Dinar Recaps,

BRICS Moves From Talk to Infrastructure: The Next Phase of Global Finance

India is pushing a practical step toward a more multipolar financial system as BRICS members explore linking local-currency payment networks and central-bank digital currencies.

Overview

• BRICS countries are discussing a digital bridge between their domestic payment systems, potentially making cross-border transactions faster and cheaper.

• The proposal comes as BRICS finance officials separately discuss reform of the international monetary and financial system, signaling that financial infrastructure is becoming a central part of the group's agenda.

• This is not a new BRICS currency or an immediate replacement for the U.S. dollar. The more important development is the gradual construction of alternative payment channels that could reduce dependence on traditional dollar-based infrastructure.

Key Developments

1. India puts local-currency payment connectivity at the center of the BRICS agenda

India's proposal to create a digital bridge connecting the domestic currency payment networks of BRICS members is emerging as one of the key issues ahead of the 2026 BRICS summit.

The proposal would build on existing national systems rather than requiring members to create a single BRICS currency. The objective is to make it easier for participating countries to conduct transactions using their own currencies and payment networks.

India's Reserve Bank Governor Sanjay Malhotra said BRICS members are discussing potential connections between their fast-payment systems and central-bank digital currencies (CBDCs). Several approaches remain under consideration, meaning the project is still at the discussion stage rather than being an operational system.

2. BRICS finance officials are discussing the financial architecture itself

The development is taking place alongside a broader BRICS financial agenda.

At the August 12–13 meeting of BRICS finance ministers and central-bank governors in Jaipur, participants discussed global economic growth, reform of the international monetary and financial system, infrastructure investment, the New Development Bank, customs and taxation, and financial cooperation.

That combination is significant.

BRICS is not simply discussing currency values. It is discussing the infrastructure through which money moves, the institutions that finance development and the rules governing international financial relationships.

3. The shift is from a "replacement currency" narrative to financial interoperability

For years, much of the attention surrounding BRICS has focused on whether the group might create a common currency to challenge the dollar.

The current developments point toward something considerably more practical.

Rather than attempting to replace the dollar with one new currency, BRICS members are exploring whether multiple national currencies and payment systems can operate more efficiently with one another.

That distinction matters.

A Brazilian company could potentially settle with an Indian company using interconnected payment infrastructure. An Indian business could conduct transactions involving another BRICS economy without requiring every payment to follow the same traditional pathway through the global financial system.

The potential change is therefore not necessarily "one currency replaces another." It is "more pathways become available."

Why It Matters

The global financial system has historically benefited from the enormous network effects surrounding the U.S. dollar and existing international payment infrastructure.

Creating a competing system from scratch would be extremely difficult.

But interconnecting systems that already exist is a different strategy.

India already operates UPI, China has its own extensive payment infrastructure, and other BRICS members have developed domestic instant-payment and digital-currency initiatives.

If those systems can eventually become interoperable, the financial landscape could become more multi-rail—with international transactions able to move through several interconnected channels rather than relying overwhelmingly on one dominant route.

Reuters reported that BRICS officials are considering both fast-payment-system connections and CBDC interoperability, with reducing the cost of cross-border payments among the objectives.

There are still substantial obstacles, including regulatory differences, currency convertibility, exchange-rate management, cybersecurity, settlement arrangements and the question of how participating central banks would coordinate.

So this is an infrastructure project in development, not a finished alternative financial system.

Why This Matters to Foreign Currency Holders

For foreign currency holders, the most important point is that international use of a currency can matter independently of whether that currency becomes a global reserve currency.

If BRICS countries make it easier to settle trade directly in their national currencies, those currencies could gradually acquire greater utility in cross-border commerce.

That does not guarantee appreciation.

Currency values will still depend on inflation, interest rates, economic growth, trade balances, capital flows and monetary policy.

But greater international settlement capability could eventually create additional sources of demand and utility for participating currencies.

This is why the infrastructure discussion deserves attention.

Implications for the Global Financial Reset

• The reset may be developing through infrastructure rather than a single announcement

A major restructuring of global finance would not necessarily begin with the launch of a new reserve currency.

It could develop through payment interoperability, local-currency settlement, digital currencies, new lending institutions and alternative financial networks.

That is the direction BRICS appears to be exploring.

• The dollar does not have to disappear for the system to become more multipolar

The U.S. dollar can remain the world's dominant reserve currency while its relative share of international transactions gradually faces more competition.

A multipolar system does not necessarily mean the end of dollar dominance. It can mean that more countries have viable alternatives for particular types of trade and financial settlement.

That is a much more realistic—and potentially more durable—form of financial diversification.

What to Watch Next

The critical question is whether the BRICS discussions move from policy proposals to technical implementation.

Watch for:

• A formal agreement to connect BRICS payment systems

• Specific plans for CBDC interoperability

• Expansion of local-currency trade settlement

• Greater use of the New Development Bank for financing in national currencies

• Concrete announcements from India's 2026 BRICS summit

The distinction between discussion and implementation will be crucial.

Right now, the evidence supports the conclusion that BRICS is building the framework for greater financial connectivity outside traditional channels—not that a new BRICS monetary system has already replaced the existing one.

Bottom Line

The most important BRICS development may not be the creation of a new currency at all.

It may be the construction of the financial infrastructure that allows more currencies to function internationally.

Payment networks, CBDCs, local-currency settlement and development financing are separate pieces of a much larger puzzle. If BRICS succeeds in connecting enough of those pieces, the global financial system could become less centralized around a single payment and settlement architecture.

The next phase of the global financial reset may not be about replacing the dollar—it may be about building enough alternative pathways that the world no longer has to rely on one financial road.

Sources

• Reuters — BRICS nations discuss linking payment systems and CBDCs

• China Ministry of Finance — BRICS Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting

~~~~~~~~~~

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Thank you Dinar Recaps

Iraq Economic News and Points To Ponder Tuesday Evening 8-18-26

The Iraqi Dinar: Between Adjustment And Impact... Urgent Parliamentary Messages To The Prime Minister  

Baghdad Today - Baghdad    MP Saud Al-Saadi called on the government today (August 17, 2026) to clarify the legal and economic basis for the decision to remove zeros from the Iraqi dinar, according to an official document seen by Baghdad Today

In his parliamentary question, Al-Saadi stated that the government must provide the constitutional and legal basis for issuing such a decision, as well as clarify its economic feasibility and the potential effects on the national economy and citizens’ confidence in the local currency.

He also called for revealing whether the Cabinet had prepared a draft law on this matter, specifying the date for the implementation of the decision if it is approved, in addition to stating the reasons for not adopting other monetary and economic alternatives.

Al-Saadi stressed the need to answer these questions within the legal timeframe specified according to the internal regulations of the House of Representatives.

https://baghdadtoday.news/304841-.html

Republic of Iraq

Council of Representatives

Office of Representative

Saud Saadoun Al-Saadi

Killed Iraq

No, no

Secretary of the Parliament

Saud Saadoun Al-Saadi

Number: 2005  Date: 8/16/2026

To the Honorable Prime Minister

Parliamentary Question Regarding the Government's Decision to Remove Zeros from the Iraqi Dinar

Greetings...

Based on the oversight and representative role entrusted to us on behalf of the people according to the provisions of Articles (49) First and (61/Second) of the Constitution, and pursuant to the provisions of Articles (15) and (27) of the Law of the Council of Representatives and its Formations No. (13) of 2018, and pursuant to the provisions of Article (50) of the Internal Regulations of the Council of Representatives No. (1) of 2022

Please Answer The Following Parliamentary Questions:

The Minister of Communications previously appeared on a satellite channel and made a statement about the government issuing a decision to remove zeros from the Iraqi Dinar

1- What is the constitutional and legal basis for the government, represented by the Council of Ministers or the Prime Minister, to issue a decision regarding the removal of zeros from the Iraqi dinar?

- What is the economic feasibility of the decision to remove zeros from the national currency? What are the negative effects of this decision on the Iraqi economy and confidence in the national currency?

Has the Prime Minister or the Council of Ministers prepared a draft law to remove zeros from the Iraqi currency, especially since the Council of Ministers does not possess such authority according to the provisions of Article (80) of the Iraqi Constitution?

- To be continued - https://baghdadtoday.news/304841-.html

Economist: Removing Zeros Will Reduce Inflation And Withdraw Money From Corrupt Officials

Information/Baghdad...Economic researcher Haitham al-Khazali believes that removing zeros from the currency will reduce inflation in the financial markets and markets. He added that it will also draw cash held by citizens, merchants, and investors into banks, and compel corrupt individuals to surrender their illicit funds.

Al-Khazali told Al-Maalouma, “The government’s move to remove zeros from the currency would be a step in the right direction if it proceeds with such a transformation, as it would restore the Iraqi currency’s strength and reduce the inflation rate.”

He added, "Removing zeros opens the door to the reintroduction of smaller denominations, such as dirhams and fils, which were previously in circulation. Moreover, it will force those holding cash, including merchants and investors, to deposit it in banks."

He explained that "removing zeros will reveal the size of the cash held by citizens and will also recover funds acquired by corrupt individuals, ensuring their return to the state." End

https://almaalomah-me.translate.goog/news/141510/economy/اقتصادي:-حذف-الاصفار-يضمن-تخفيض-التضخم-ويسحب-الكتلة-النقدية?_x_tr_sl=ar&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc

Former US Official: Nechirvan Barzani Trusted In Washington And Tehran

2026-08-18 Shafaq News- Washington     Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani is trusted in both Washington and Tehran, a distinction very few people can credibly claim, former US State Department official Thomas Warrick told Shafaq News on Tuesday.

  Previous mediation efforts have failed to break the impasse, Warrick said. “Washington values President Barzani’s honesty and his understanding of the actors on the Iranian side,” he said, adding that “Tehran may well feel the same about his understanding of Washington.”

  Asked whether the Kurdistan Regional Government’s mediation efforts could succeed where earlier efforts by Qatar and Pakistan had stalled, Warrick said, “A fresh perspective is always useful, and President Barzani certainly brings one.”

However, the differences between Washington and Tehran are too deep to be bridged by any one person. “I am not optimistic that the conflict will end before the US election on November 3.”

  Earlier, Axios reported that Barzani helped establish a secret channel between the US administration and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Citing three sources with direct knowledge of the contacts, Axios reported that the White House turned to Barzani because of his longstanding ties with both Washington and Tehran and his contacts with senior Iranian officials.

For Shafaq News, Mostafa Hashem, Washington, D.C.

https://www.shafaq.com/en/Kurdistan/Former-US-official-Nechirvan-Barzani-trusted-in-Washington-and-Tehran

Reset Intelligence: Iraq to Remove the Three Zeros from the IQD

Reset Intelligence: Iraq to Remove the Three Zeros from the IQD

8-17-2026

Iraq to Remove the Three Zeros from the IQD

By Reset Intelligence | @EXIT_FIAT

On Saturday night, Iraq’s Minister of Communications, Mustafa Sanad, went on the iNews channel and told the country the decision has been issued: the currency is changing and the three zeros are coming off the dinar.

After 23 years of studies, proposals and denials, a sitting minister of the current government said it as a done thing. Not a study. Not a proposal. Issued.

Why this minister matters

Sanad is not a random mouth. He spent 5 years on parliament’s Finance Committee, the room that writes the budgets an exchange rate lives inside. And his current ministry runs Iraq’s electronic payment rails, the wires any modern note exchange has to cross.

In June his system covert 116 billion dinars heading for Dubai and froze the transfer before it cleared. When the man who runs the rails says the decision is issued, that is worth your attention.

What else moved this weekend

• The 2027 budget – first reading of the grants and borrowing law comes to parliament next week, and a Finance Committee member said on state media that this budget will determine the exchange rate.

• The Supreme Court – Iraqi press reports the Prime Minister has asked the Federal Supreme Court to define the Council of Ministers’ powers on currency reform. Governments do not ask courts to define powers they never intend to use.

• The corruption sweep – investigators pulled $20 million in cash, 60 kilograms of gold and seven vehicles out of one arrested official’s holdings on Saturday.

• The region – the Gaza track keeps compounding, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan signed a mutual-defense pact with Trump’s public endorsement, and Treasury has promised economic isolation measures against Iran without precedent, due this week.

The Central Bank has not made the formal announcement, and that is the piece to wait for. But the paperwork that must carry a new rate is moving toward parliament, the enforcement side is live, and the man who owns the rails says his part of the machine is built.

Our full briefing walks through what a note exchange actually does, why these operations are always denied right up until the morning they happen, and what Germany in 1948 and Iraq’s own 2003 exchange teach about this exact moment.

History rarely announces itself twice.

Read the full daily briefing free for 5 days. Sign up here: resetintelligence.com

Want it straight from the horse’s mouth? The CBI Rate Alert pings you the moment the Central Bank of Iraq moves the official rate. The number itself, not a rumour about it. It comes with our free resource library and the daily breakdown of what is actually moving in Iraq. Sign up free: resetintelligence.com/rate-alert

For the full 118-year design underneath this story: Head of the Snake. The reference library of guides and scenario reports is at resetintelligence.com/resources.

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https://dinarchronicles.com/2026/08/17/reset-intelligence-iraq-to-remove-the-three-zeros-from-the-iqd/

Iraq Economic News and Points To Ponder Tuesday Afternoon 8-18-26

Exclusive: SOMO Seeks Safe Hormuz Passage For Iraqi Oil Exports

2026-08-17   Shafaq News- Baghdad   Iraq’s State Organization for Marketing of Oil (SOMO) is negotiating with US and German shipping companies to secure passage for crude exports through the Strait of Hormuz using Iraqi-flagged tankers, a government source told Shafaq News on Monday.

The source said the US company rejected Baghdad’s requirement to fly the Iraqi flag on its tankers, leaving the two sides without an agreement. The German company, however, agreed to the flag requirement while transporting crude from Iraqi ports.

“Understandings with Iran would allow Iraqi oil shipments to pass through the strait without transit fees.”

Baghdad must also secure US authorization to complete the transit arrangements. The source expected Iraq to obtain approval soon, amid US sanctions targeting entities linked to Iranian shipping and insurance mechanisms in Hormuz.

Read more: SCOOP: Iraq in talks with US-Iran over Hormuz oil shipments

Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi’s deadline for the Oil Ministry to resolve the crude export crisis could be extended for another week, according to the source. Shipping companies are seeking higher freight rates and additional insurance guarantees to account for the risks associated with passage through the waterway.

https://www.shafaq.com/en/Economy/Exclusive-SOMO-seeks-safe-Hormuz-passage-for-Iraqi-oil-exports

Gold Retreats As Oil Climbs

2026-08-18 Shafaq News   Gold prices came under pressure on Tuesday from higher ‌Treasury yields and a spike in oil prices, while traders awaited minutes of the U.S. Federal Reserve's July policy meeting for clues on the outlook for interest rates.

Spot gold was down ​0.5% at $4,391.14 per ounce, as of 0423 GMT, while U.S. gold futures ​for December delivery dropped 0.6% to $4,446.70.

Yields on the benchmark 10-year U.S. ⁠Treasury note extended gains, raising the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding bullion.

Oil prices ​also edged higher after Iran said it would shift to a "fully offensive" military posture ​following a breakdown in efforts to negotiate a permanent end to the war with the United States, while Washington ruled out extending a temporary ceasefire agreement.

Oil prices will remain one of ​the key factors keeping gold under pressure as situation in the Middle East ​continues to look uncertain, ANZ analyst Soni Kumari said.

Traders' expectations around Fed policy rates are going ‌to ⁠be important for gold, with a focus on technical levels, Kumari added.

Elevated energy prices tend to raise inflationary fears and bolster expectations of higher interest rates by the Fed. While gold is typically seen as a hedge against inflation, higher interest ​rates tend to diminish ​bullion's appeal.

However, market ⁠pricing for a September quarter-point hike flipped to a nearly 65% chance of a "hold" after unexpected job losses in July, ​lower-than-expected consumer price inflation and weaker retail sales.

Investors are also ​awaiting minutes ⁠from the Fed's most recent policy meeting, with the release scheduled for Wednesday.

Spot gold may test a support at $4,381, a break below could open the way toward the $4,320 ⁠to $4,351 range, ​according to Reuters technical analyst Wang Tao.

Among other metals, ​spot silver slipped 1% to $65.11 per ounce, platinum lost 1.2% to $1,748.56, while palladium fell 1.2% to $1,317.01.  (REUTERS) https://www.shafaq.com/en/Economy/Gold-retreats-as-oil-climbs

Basrah Crude Gains On US-Iran Supply Concerns

2026-08-18 Shafaq News- Basrah   Iraq’s Basrah Heavy and Basrah Medium crude prices rose on Tuesday, tracking gains in global oil markets as concerns over Middle East supply intensified amid fading prospects for an agreement to end the US-Iran war.

Basrah Heavy gained $0.39, or 0.64%, to $61.77 per barrel, while Basrah Medium rose $0.39, or 0.60%, to $65.07.

Globally, Brent crude futures climbed 62 cents, or 0.7%, to $91.49 a barrel, after rising on Monday to their highest since July 30. US West Texas Intermediate crude futures were up 75 cents at $85.25 a barrel, after earlier rising more than 1% to $85.37, their highest since July 31.

https://www.shafaq.com/en/Economy/Basrah-crude-gains-on-US-Iran-supply-concerns

USD/IQD Exchange Rates Dip In Baghdad, Climb In Erbil

2026-08-18 Shafaq News- Baghdad/ Erbil   The US dollar hovered around 154,000 Iraqi dinars per $100 in Baghdad and Erbil on Tuesday morning, edging lower in the capital while rising in the Kurdistan Region.

In Baghdad, the dollar fell to 153,850 dinars per $100 at the Al-Kifah and Al-Harithiya central exchanges, according to Shafaq News market survey, down from 154,000 on Monday.

Exchange shops in the capital sold the dollar at 154,250 dinars and bought it at 153,250 per $100.

In Erbil, the dollar rose, with exchange shops selling at 154,250 dinars per $100 and buying at 154,150 dinars per $100.

https://www.shafaq.com/en/Economy/USD-IQD-exchange-rates-dip-in-Baghdad-climb-in-Erbil-9

2026 Hormuz Closure Tops Historic Oil Supply Disruptions

2026-08-18 Shafaq News- Vancouver    The closure of the Strait of Hormuz in March 2026 triggered the largest oil supply shock on record, cutting global supplies by about 10.1 million barrels per day (bpd) and far surpassing disruptions from major wars and oil crises over the past five decades, according to a ranking published by Visual Capitalist.

The Hormuz disruption was about 80% larger than the estimated 5.6 million-bpd supply loss during the Iranian Revolution between November 1978 and April 1979, which ranked second.

The Arab oil embargo and Iraq’s 1990 invasion of Kuwait ranked third and fourth, respectively, with each disruption reducing global oil supplies by about 4.3 million bpd.

Iran-Iraq war followed in fifth place, with losses of 4.1 million bpd between October 1980 and January 1981.

The 2003 Iraq war ranked sixth, reducing supplies by about 2.3 million bpd between March and December. Libya’s civil war in 2011 came seventh, with a loss of roughly 1.5 million bpd.

Hormuz, through which roughly 20% of the world’s oil passes, has remained largely closed under Iranian restrictions since Feb. 28, following the start of the US-Israeli war and disrupting regional energy flows.

The corridor briefly reopened after a US-Iran memorandum of understanding (MoU) took effect on June 18, but closed again amid renewed military escalation, with Tehran maintaining that the waterway remains under Iranian control.

Read more: Cargo transit through Hormuz plunges near total halt

https://www.shafaq.com/en/Economy/2026-Hormuz-closure-tops-historic-oil-supply-disruptions

How Medicare Became a Slush Fund

 How Medicare Became a Slush Fund

Notes From the Field By James Hickman (Simon Black / Sovereign Man)  August 18, 2026

Four years ago this month, Washington passed a law and named it, with a straight face, the Inflation Reduction Act.  Bizarrely, their plan to ‘reduce inflation’, which had been caused by excessive government spending, was for the government to spend even more money. It’s genius!

Among its various provisions, part of the legislation authorized the government to negotiate prescription drug prices. Seems like a nice idea in principle... but in practice it’s been a disaster.

The Congressional Budget Office released the results late last month: the Medicare drug provisions that were supposed to generate $129 billion in savings will now add $700 billion to the deficit.

Sometimes it seems like this is the whole idea; given the rampant Medicare fraud that gets uncovered on a daily basis, it’s clear that politicians have an incentive to steer MORE money into the program.

Healthcare is the easiest spending in Washington to justify. Every dollar comes with the same argument: if we don't spend on healthcare, people will die!

It ends up being so much money— a giant, dark pool of corruption— and a lot of it gets funneled straight back into the political process as campaign contributions. And it’s been going on for ages.

Back in 2002, for example, America’s biggest health-care workers union spent about $800,000 electing Rod Blagojevich governor of Illinois. He later thanked them "for electing me governor."

Weeks after he took office, Blagojevich signed multiple executive orders that fattened the union’s pockets, like forcing more healthcare workers to join... and automatically deducting union dues from their paychecks. Bad for the unionized workers, but great for the union bosses.

In New York, the Greater New York Hospital Association wrote two checks totaling more than $1 million to the state Democratic Party in August 2018, at then-Governor Andrew Cuomo's campaign's request.

Three months later the state ordered its first across-the-board Medicaid rate increase since 2008, worth about $140 million a year. Great news for the hospital association.

The cycle never ends— the unions and associations scratch the politicians’ backs, and in turn get their backs scratched. No one can rationally expect those parties to walk away from their mutual benefit.

And this is just the ‘honest’ graft and corruption... it doesn’t take into account the outright fraud.

During COVID, Medicare paid for eight test kits per month, per person, in America. Yet an inspector general later found it paid up to $454 million for nearly 39 million kits over that limit.

In June, the Justice Department found over $6.5 billion in fake health-care claims. Yet agents recovered only $182 million in cash and assets, less than three cents per dollar of fraud.

In one instance, a pair of adult day care operators fraudulently billed Medicare and Medicaid $120 million over a decade. One of their centers claimed 1,041 attendees in a single day while the building's occupancy limit was 81.

Then Nick Shirley walked into the neighborhood's facilities with a camera this summer and turned up $190 million more in suspicious billing.

And yet very little of the fraud gets stopped... in large part because a portion of what they steal from the government is funneled back to the politicians (mostly on the Left) who vote for more Medicare spending.

These same politicians install activist judges at the state and federal level, ensuring that anyone who tries to stop the fraud will be sued... and blocked by the courts.

As an example, last year Congress voted to cut off Planned Parenthood from Medicaid for one year.

Planned Parenthood sued. Judge Indira Talwani, an Obama appointee in Boston, dutifully blocked the cut within weeks, and the appeals court had to overrule her twice before the law could take effect.

Feeding Our Future, the Minnesota child-meal Somali fraud network, had the audacity to sue the state for racial discrimination when the fraudulent money train slowed down.

It’s extraordinary; there are so many checks-and-balances in place to keep the graft  going.

The politicians vote to keep the money moving. The judges defend it to the last Somali. And the activists and the media scream that anyone asking questions is racist; Governor Tim Walz called the fraud talk "vile, racist lies."

The teachers' unions march the kids out of school for union causes and No Kings rallies, as if the kids had any idea what they were marching for. And the universities continue the socialist indoctrination.

Media, education, courts: the whole institutional layer exists to keep the money flowing.

So of course they want more of it.

Senator Bernie Sanders reintroduced Medicare for All last year, and the movement that just made Zohran Mamdani mayor of New York wants to make this slush fund the entire health-care system.

Even the most conservative estimate puts the price at $32.6 trillion over the first decade; that’s an astonishing amount of potential fraud.

The US could get its fiscal house in order if it shut this slush fund down. But the graft is deeply entrenched... so it’s likely that US deficit spending will continue in order to pay for it all.

Foreign governments have reached the same conclusion: The US has to go deeper into debt in order to finance hundreds of billions of dollars in fraud.

That's a major reason why foreign governments and central banks are diversifying away from the dollar. And with no obvious global currency to park their financial reserves into, they buy gold.

We have been making this argument for the past few years, since gold was below $1800. This sort of news makes the case even more strongly: the story hasn’t changed... and gold remains a great hedge for the fiscal uncertainty to come.

To your freedom,   James Hickman    Co-Founder, Schiff Sovereign LLC 

PS: In this month’s Schiff Sovereign Premium, we made the case for a gold producer built for exactly this outlook: a debt-free, dividend-paying, highly successful gold company which just had the most profitable first-half in its company history. But it only trades at 2x cash flow.

If the fraud and deficits continue, gold should do very well... and successful producers can do even better.

https://www.schiffsovereign.com/trends/how-medicare-became-a-slush-fund-155635/?inf_contact_key=45b23aa345ce3789b19a50db4e04df60121216c3a82d754a88f6751e8a28a7b5

Bolivar and Zim Thoughts From Ariel 8-18-2026

Ariel: The Parallel Emerging Market, the Venezuela Bolívar

8-18-2026

The Venezuela Bolívar: The Parallel Emerging Market (Why You Should Stack)

Venezuelan Bolívar Soberano (VES) — Imminent FX Integration Post-Iraq RV; Bilateral Normalization Trajectory

Why Venezuela & Why Now?

Most people looking at currency resets have tunnel vision on Iraq. Iraq is the door. Venezuela is the room right behind it. Here’s what nobody is connecting.

When a nation emerges from political upheaval with new leadership that the international community recognizes, the pattern is consistent the new government honors the domestic currency rather than wiping it out.

This happened with Kuwait in 1991 after Saddam was pushed out. The Kuwaiti dinar crashed to near-zero during occupation, then the restored government honored every note. People who held physical Kuwaiti dinar during the occupation made generational wealth.

Same playbook ran in Iraq itself in 2003 the Bremer transition replaced the Saddam dinar but honored the Swiss dinar notes at a revalued rate.

Germany 1948, the currency reform that birthed the Deutsche Mark old Reichsmark notes were converted, not nullified. Political settlements override legal extinguishment every time the monetary system undergoes regime change.

The Chain Nobody Is Connecting

Here’s what gives this thesis weight beyond just “new government, new currency.”

The Petrodollar Unraveling Creates the Vacuum. Saudi Arabia’s extension of multi-currency oil contracts and the BRICS+ settlement infrastructure going live means the U.S. needs Western Hemisphere energy producers locked into dollar frameworks more than ever.

Venezuela sits on the largest proven oil reserves on the planet 303 billion barrels. The U.S. cannot afford those barrels flowing east through yuan-settled channels. Normalizing Venezuela is strategic energy security, and currency revaluation is the financial mechanism that locks Caracas into the Western system.

Iraq Goes First Venezuela Follows. The Iraqi dinar revaluation has been positioned as the first domino in what currency researchers call the Global Currency Reset sequence. Once Iraq deletes three zeros and re-enters FX markets at a restored rate, the template is set.

International bodies, sovereign wealth funds, and institutional liquidity providers will have the legal infrastructure to process revalued currencies from formerly sanctioned nations. Venezuela’s bolívar revaluation would ride the same rails same legal framework, same FX integration process, same precedent of political settlement overriding prior demonetization arguments.

Read Full Article:
https://www.patreon.com/Prolotario1/posts/venezuela-market-166957678

https://dinarchronicles.com/2026/08/18/prolotario-the-parallel-emerging-market-the-venezuela-bolivar/

Ariel: Everything Written Publicly about the ZIM is Wrong

8-18-2026

Something That Nobody Has Told You All:

Everything written publicly about ZIM is wrong by design. The 2008-2009 series AA and AB notes were never “worthless.”

Zimbabwe’s agricultural and mineral reserve backing specifically the platinum group metals and the Chiadzwa diamond fields were seized as collateral security by a consortium operating through the London Bullion Market Association under a 2009 stabilization agreement.

The notes weren’t demonetized. They were sequestered pulled from circulation and held in reserve against a future settlement window.

The exchange is NOT a flat currency-to-currency conversion. It operates on a bond-backed derivative structure where each note’s face value is multiplied against a mineral reserve ratio and then converted through a sovereign bond mechanism.

The reason every financial “expert” on television and every SEC-adjacent publication calls ZIM a “scam” is because the payout numbers, if they become reality, would represent the largest single transfer of wealth to private individuals in recorded history.

That transfer was designed intentionally not as charity, but as a liquidity mechanism. The sovereign bond structure requires millions of small holders to receive and SPEND large sums into the real economy to absorb the transition from fiat to asset-backed currency. The holders ARE the stimulus.

~ Just Thought I Throw That Out There

Source(s):
• https://x.com/Prolotario1/status/2089477041854849116

https://dinarchronicles.com/2026/08/18/prolotario-everything-written-publicly-about-the-zim-is-wrong/

News, Rumors and Opinions Tuesday 8-18-2026

Rob Cunningham: All in or No Level Playing Field

8-17-2026

ALL IN or NO Level Playing Field

Q: Could a globally interoperable DLT (distributed ledger technology)  monetary system meeting ISO20022 and GENUIS ACT standards function as designed with fiat issued currencies lacking verifiable, sound, 1:1 collateral and be fair to all parties involved?

A: No.

A globally interoperable DLT monetary system cannot be fair to all parties if fiat lacking verified collateral is exchanged through atomic settlement.

Atomic settlement can guarantee that both sides exchange simultaneously. It cannot guarantee that the assets exchanged are honestly represented, equivalently sound, or fairly valued.

Unverified collateral breaks the fairness condition.

For the system to be fair, the value backing each monetary instrument must be transparent and verifiable so every participant knows what they are receiving and can freely price and accept – or reject – the exchange.

Atomic settlement guarantees execution.
Verified collateral enables truthful valuation.
Both are required for a fair monetary system.

Source(s):
• https://x.com/KuwlShow/status/2089151868446421317

https://dinarchronicles.com/2026/08/17/rob-cunningham-all-in-or-no-level-playing-field/

************

Courtesy of Dinar Guru:  https://www.dinarguru.com/

Militia Man   They're talking about strengthening  the position of the Iraqi dinar.  If you're going to remove zeros, you're not strengthening anything - it's a redenomination.  It's like a reverse split in stock.  But when you add a Real Effective Exchange Rate to it, now we're talking about strengthening the position of the Iraqi dinar.

Reset Intelligence   Saturday night in Baghdad, Iraq's Minister of Communications, Mustafa Sanad, went on the iNews channel and told the country that the decision has been issued. The currency is changing, and the zeros are coming off...Iraqi ministers do not freelance monetary policy on live television and keep their jobs.  A statement like that only survives if the thing behind it is real, and nobody in Baghdad has walked it back. The economists on Iraqi airwaves spent Sunday arguing about how and when to do it, not about whether it exists. The formal announcement, when it comes, belongs to the Central Bank, and that is the piece we wait for...

Omar The decision has been made. The currency will change and the zeros removed...The new currency began arriving in Baghdad 10 days ago after it had been contracted for printing long ago.  The surprise isn't in the removal of the zeros, but in the speed, suddenness and mechanism of the switch so that no time is left to convert trillions of hoarded dinar into real estate, gold or smuggling them out of our banking system...When they come to our banks we are trained to ask them where did you get this 3 zero notes from?  And to prove to us the source of those 3-zero notes, then we will turn them into colored papers.

Washington Quietly Puts Gold Back on Table , its Secret Plan

Daniela Cambone:  8-17-2026

“Gold is back in the conversation in ways it hasn’t been for decades.” With Washington openly talking about gold again, could a gold-backed currency be on the table?

Graham Summers breaks down the signals, and what they could mean for your money.

Chapters:

00:00 Wall Street becomes wary of gold

04:32 Link currency with gold?

06:29 Why hesitate to say gold is critical mineral

08:03 Can we catch up to China?

11:34 Why AI is critical

13:57 Thoughts on gold / silver movement

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zd3CMexY3Uo

THE MEASURE: Rob Cunningham

THE MEASURE : Rob Cunningham

8-18-2026

What if the biggest breakthrough of 2026 isn’t AI, quantum computing, blockchain or digital currency? What if those are just tools?

What if the breakthrough is an idea humanity understood thousands of years ago:

HONEST MEASURES.

What does a waitress earning $200 in tips have in common with a Wall Street executive moving $20 million? We all need the same thing: A measure of value we can trust.

Imagine combining that ancient principle with AI, quantum computing, digital assets and transparent global ledgers.

What happens when true value move as easily as information?

When technology removes friction instead of adding fees?

When machines handle complexity while humans retain agency?

When billions of people can create, exchange and collaborate far more freely?

And humanity discovers our greatest untapped resource isn’t gold, oil, money or even AI? What if it’s 7+ billion human imaginations? Builders. Dreamers. Inventors. Artists. Parents. Farmers. Entrepreneurs. Problem-solvers.

What happens when our financial technology becomes better at unleashing their creativity instead of constraining it? Maybe the future of money… isn’t really about money.

Maybe it’s about creating better ways to measure and exchange human value.

The principle is ancient.

The technology is extraordinary.

The possibilities are breathtaking.

I made THE MEASURE for the waitress and the Wall Street CEO and everyone between them. Watch with one question in mind:

What becomes possible when the measure finally tells the truth?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgKZjnQ78Ls

Seeds of Wisdom RV and Economics Updates Tuesday Morning 8-18-26

Good Morning Dinar Recaps,

Oil Shock Meets the Global Financial System: Bonds, Currencies and Central Banks Reprice Risk

August 18, 2026

The Iran conflict is no longer only an energy story. Rising oil prices are now colliding with elevated government debt, higher long-term bond yields and changing expectations for central-bank policy—creating a new test for the global financial architecture.

Brent crude has moved above $90 a barrel, while the U.S. 30-year Treasury yield has climbed above 5.3%, its highest level since 2007. At the same time, investors have reduced expectations for additional Federal Reserve rate increases. The unusual combination is forcing markets to reconsider how inflation, debt and geopolitical risk interact.

Overview

• Oil is rising as uncertainty surrounding the Iran conflict and the Strait of Hormuz persists, increasing the risk that an energy shock could keep inflation elevated.

• Long-term government bond yields are surging internationally, with U.S., Japanese and European borrowing costs reaching multi-year or multi-decade highs.

• Central banks face an increasingly difficult policy environment: weaker economic signals argue against aggressive tightening, while higher oil prices and rising long-term yields argue for caution.

Key Developments

1. Oil has become a financial-market problem

Brent crude moved above $90 a barrel as hopes for a near-term resolution involving Iran and the Strait of Hormuz weakened.

The significance goes beyond the price of gasoline.

Oil is an input into transportation, manufacturing, agriculture and virtually every major supply chain. A prolonged increase therefore has the potential to push inflation higher at precisely the moment central banks are trying to determine whether monetary policy can become less restrictive.

The energy market is once again becoming a transmission mechanism for global inflation.

2. The bond market is responding with higher long-term yields

The U.S. 30-year Treasury yield reached approximately 5.327% on August 18, its highest level since 2007.

This is particularly significant because we covered the Treasury's 5.216% 30-year auction yield yesterday.

The move above 5.3% means the bond market has continued repricing even after that auction.

Investors are demanding greater compensation for the combination of inflation risk, fiscal deficits, heavy government borrowing and geopolitical uncertainty.

This is no longer simply a Federal Reserve story. It is a sovereign-debt story.

3. The repricing is spreading around the world

The U.S. is not alone.

Long-term borrowing costs have been rising in Japan, Germany, Britain and other major markets, with several reaching levels not seen in years or even decades.

Japan's bond market is particularly significant because the country spent decades operating in an extremely low-rate environment.

The simultaneous movement across major sovereign markets suggests that investors are reassessing the cost of long-term government financing on a global rather than purely American basis.

4. Central banks face a difficult contradiction

The most important question may be what happens next with monetary policy.

Normally, weaker economic data can increase expectations for lower interest rates. But an oil shock creates the opposite problem because higher energy prices can reignite inflation.

That leaves central banks caught between two competing forces:

• Slower economic growth → pressure to ease

• Higher oil prices → pressure to remain restrictive

• Higher long-term bond yields → tighter financial conditions regardless of short-term policy

• This means a central bank could eventually lower its policy rate while households, businesses and governments still face relatively high long-term borrowing costs.

That is a very different environment from the post-2008 era of ultra-cheap money.

5. The dollar is showing that higher Treasury yields do not automatically mean a stronger dollar

Another important development is the behavior of the U.S. dollar.

The dollar remained near multi-month lows on Tuesday even as Treasury yields rose, while traders reduced expectations for additional Fed tightening.

That is worth watching.

It demonstrates that currency markets are responding to more than interest-rate differentials. Fiscal concerns, geopolitical risk, expectations for monetary policy and confidence in future economic conditions can all influence capital flows.

For foreign-currency holders, this is an important distinction.

Why It Matters

The emerging story is not simply "oil is going up."

It is the interaction between several markets:

• Oil → inflation

• Inflation → central-bank policy

• Central-bank policy → bond yields

• Bond yields → government financing costs

• Debt costs → fiscal pressure

• Fiscal pressure → currencies and capital flows

That creates a feedback system in which a geopolitical event in the Middle East can eventually influence borrowing costs, currencies and investment decisions around the world.

Why It Matters to Foreign Currency Holders

Foreign-currency markets are particularly sensitive to changes in interest-rate expectations and international capital flows.

If U.S. yields remain elevated, dollar assets can continue attracting global capital. But if investors simultaneously become concerned about U.S. fiscal sustainability or expect the Fed to ease, the dollar can behave differently from what a simple yield comparison would suggest.

Today's weaker dollar despite elevated Treasury yields is therefore an important signal.

Currency values are increasingly being shaped by the interaction of debt, monetary policy, energy and geopolitical risk—not by interest rates alone.

Implications for the Global Financial Reset

1. Debt

Higher long-term yields increase the cost of financing government debt. The longer yields remain elevated, the greater the pressure on governments to manage deficits and future borrowing requirements.

2. Central Banks

Central banks may have less freedom to respond to economic weakness if an energy shock keeps inflation elevated.

3. Currencies

Currency markets are being forced to price the competing effects of higher yields, geopolitical uncertainty, inflation and changing expectations for central-bank policy.

4. Trade Architecture

A prolonged disruption around the Strait of Hormuz demonstrates how physical trade routes and financial markets are interconnected. Energy security is becoming an increasingly important component of economic and monetary security.

5. Global Finance

The financial system is being tested by a combination of high sovereign debt, elevated borrowing costs and geopolitical fragmentation. The resulting repricing could influence where global capital flows and how countries manage reserves, currencies and trade.

What to Watch

• Brent crude and whether oil remains above $90.

• The U.S. 30-year Treasury yield and whether it remains above 5.3%.

• Developments involving the Strait of Hormuz and U.S.-Iran negotiations.

• Federal Reserve communications and changing expectations for September policy.

• The U.S. dollar's response to rising Treasury yields.

• Japanese and European sovereign bond yields for evidence that the repricing remains global.

• Whether higher energy prices begin appearing more clearly in inflation expectations.

Bottom Line

The significance of today's market action is not that oil has risen or that Treasury yields have reached another high.

It is the collision between the two.

The world is confronting an energy shock at a time when governments are already carrying historically large debt loads and investors are demanding higher returns to finance them.

That creates a difficult environment for central banks.

They may want to support economic growth, but higher oil prices can keep inflation elevated. They may want to reduce interest rates, but the bond market can independently push long-term borrowing costs higher.

And governments cannot simply ignore those higher borrowing costs when they must continually refinance and issue new debt.

Why This Could Be a Global Financial Reset Signal

A financial reset does not necessarily begin with the introduction of a new currency or the collapse of an existing system.

It can begin with a repricing of risk.

The world is moving away from the assumption that governments can borrow indefinitely at exceptionally low rates while central banks can easily stabilize every shock.

At the same time, geopolitical fragmentation is encouraging countries to reconsider energy security, reserve diversification, trade settlement and dependence on any single financial system.

The result is not yet a replacement for the existing global financial architecture.

It is something more subtle: the underlying economics that support that architecture are changing.

Closing Perspective

The next major phase of the global financial reset may not come from a new currency—it may emerge from the collision between energy, sovereign debt and the limits of central-bank policy.

Seeds of Wisdom Team
Newshounds News™ Exclusive

Sources

• Reuters — U.S. 30-year yields hit highest level since 2007 as war, oil worries fester

• Reuters — Selling grips bond markets from U.S. to Japan as inflation, fiscal worries take hold

~~~~~~~~~~

🌱 A Message to Our Currency Holders🌱

If you’ve been holding foreign currency for many years, you were not foolish.
You were not wrong to believe the global financial system would change.

What failed was not your patience — it was the information you were given.

For years, dates, rumors, and personalities replaced facts, structure, and proof. “This week” predictions created cycles of hope and disappointment that were never based on how currencies actually change.

That is not your failure.

Our mission here is different:   • No dates • No rates • No hype • No gurus

Instead, we focus on:
• Verifiable developments • Institutional evidence
• Global financial structure • Where countries actually sit in the process

Currency value changes only come after sovereignty, trade, banking, settlement systems, and fiscal coordination are in place. History and institutions confirm this sequence.

You will see silence. You will see denials. That is not delay — that is discipline.

Protect your identity. Organize your documents.    Verify everything.
Never hand your discernment to anyone who cannot show proof.

You deserve truth — not timelines.

Seeds of Wisdom Team
Newshounds News

~~~~~~~~~~

Seeds of Wisdom Team RV Currency Facts Youtube and Rumble

Newshound's News Telegram Room Link

RV Facts with Proof Links Link

RV Updates Proof links - Facts Link

Start Here room with Most Asked Questions Link

Follow the Gold/Silver Rate COMEX

Follow Fast Facts

Seeds of Wisdom Team™Website

Thank you Dinar Recaps

Iraq Economic News and Points To Ponder Late Monday Evening 8-17-26

Telecom Minister Claims Dinar Redenomination Finalized, Drawing Criticism

Iraq   Jawad Al-Samarraie    August 16, 2026   Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) — Minister of Communications Mustafa Sanad stated in a televised broadcast that the government decision to redenominate the Iraqi Dinar and delete three zeros from the national currency is officially finalized.

Sanad asserted that replacing the current banknotes will force hoarded cash back into formal banking channels while eliminating an estimated 8 trillion IQD ($6.1 billion) in unexchanged currency tied to illicit gains, corruption, and lost funds.

However, the minister’s pronouncements have triggered backlash from economic monitors over fiscal messaging and central bank authority.

Key Statements & Fiscal Arguments

• Finalized Redenomination: Sanad stated the decision to remove zeros and issue a restructured currency is fully resolved.

• Tackling Hoarded & Illicit Liquidity: Replacing existing currency will compel citizens to deposit hoarded cash into formal banking institutions, bringing idle liquidity back into the national economic cycle.

• Projected 8T IQD Money Supply Contraction: An estimated 8 trillion IQD in physical banknotes may never be submitted for exchange due to illicit origins, criminal gains, or deceased/unclaimed holdings.

• State Balance Sheet Relief: Sanad argued that unexchanged legacy banknotes will permanently exit circulation, meaning the state will not be required to issue equivalent replacement notes, reducing the overall money supply.

Sanad’s declarations prompted criticism from economic monitoring group Eco Iraq Observatory, which rebuked cabinet ministers for announcing sensitive monetary policies outside official central banking channels.

The observatory warned that broadcasting national currency reforms through ad-hoc political interviews rather than institutional communiqués undermines market confidence, fuels currency speculation, and signals fragmented inter-agency coordination. Eco Iraq formally urged the Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) and the Ministry of Finance to issue an official clarification detailing the veracity, operational mechanics, and statutory timeline of any currency restructuring plan.

https://www.iraqinews.com/iraq/sanad-dinar-redenomination-delete-zeros-eco-iraq-reaction-2026/

Iraq Has Finalized Its Decision To Redenominate The Iraqi Dinar By Removing Three Zeros From The National Currency.

raqi News @IraqiNews_com    The move is meant to force hoarded cash back into formal banking channels while eliminating an estimated 8 trillion IQD, about $6.1 billion, in unexchanged currency tied to illicit gains, corruption, and lost funds.

Since old banknotes that are never exchanged will permanently exit circulation, the state won't need to issue equivalent replacement notes, effectively shrinking the overall money supply.  

The announcement has drawn criticism from economic monitoring group Eco Iraq Observatory, which warned that announcing sensitive currency reforms through ad hoc interviews rather than official channels risks undermining market confidence and fueling speculation.  

The group has called on the Central Bank of Iraq and Ministry of Finance to issue an official clarification on the plan's details and timeline.  https://iraqinews.com/iraq/sanad-din

https://x.com/IraqiNews_com/status/2089232903687540927

The Parliamentary Finance Committee Responds To Statements About Removing Zeros And Sets A Condition For Raising The Value Of The Dinar.

Baghdad Today - Baghdad   Member of Parliament’s Finance Committee, Bassem Al-Gharabi, commented on the statements and news circulating regarding the project to change the currency and remove zeros, stressing the need to deal very cautiously with this issue because of its direct repercussions on economic stability and capital.

Al-Gharabi said in a post followed by Baghdad that “changing the currency is not ordinary news that can be released without considering its repercussions. It is a highly sensitive monetary issue that can affect citizens’ expectations, the movement of money, and the dollar and gold markets,” stressing that he is waiting for an official and clear position from the Central Bank of Iraq and the competent authorities that clarifies the reality of the project, its legal basis, its economic feasibility, and the timing of its implementation.

The member of the Finance Committee added that removing zeros in itself does not raise the value of the dinar or increase purchasing power, but rather shortens the numbers and facilitates some transactions, noting that real economic reform begins with stabilizing public finances, reforming the banking sector, controlling revenues, and strengthening confidence in the national currency.

Al-Gharabi raised a fundamental legal question about the powers of implementation, saying: Can the Central Bank implement the project within its current powers, or do the implications for contracts, debts, fines, court rulings, taxes and fees require special legislation from the House of Representatives? He called for official and accurate answers to be provided before any final decisions are issued in order to preserve market stability and the rights of citizens.

https://baghdadtoday.news/304832-.html

The Central Bank Remains Silent On The Removal Of Zeros Amid Market Confusion.

August 17, 2026Last updated: August 17, 2026  Independent/Report/ - The silence of the Central Bank of Iraq regarding the escalating news about changing the currency and removing three zeros from the dinar has left an information gap in one of the most sensitive monetary files, at a time when conflicting statements continue to come from officials, deputies and experts regarding a decision that the body authorized to issue the currency has not yet announced whether it has actually been taken, or is still under study, or what its implementation mechanisms are.

The silence surrounding the issue has become even more sensitive after Communications Minister Mustafa Sand stated in a televised interview that the decision to change the currency and remove zeros had been "issued," just days after a member of the parliamentary finance committee spoke of a discussion regarding the proposal to remove zeros during a meeting that included the prime minister, the finance minister, and the central bank governor. The government spokesperson had denied on June 22 the existence of any official decision or proposal in this regard.

Despite the Central Bank continuing to publish its usual news and announcements, including announcements of financial auctions on Sunday, August 16, no clarification regarding the currency change or the removal of zeros appeared in its official data list until Monday morning.

Three economic experts, who spoke to Al-Mustaqila and asked not to be named, said that the absence of a clear statement from the bank left markets and citizens with questions that the monetary authority is supposed to answer before any decision of this magnitude is made.

The first expert said that the problem is no longer about agreeing or disagreeing about the feasibility of removing zeros, but rather about the “irresponsible statements” that preceded any official announcement, considering that they confused the market and left basic questions unanswered, including whether the designs of the new currency were completed, the size of the amounts that can be exchanged, whether the exchange will be in cash or through bank accounts, and how large sums of money will be dealt with.

He added that the uncertainty may push some savers to increase their demand for dollars, especially in a country where large amounts of money are still outside the banking system, and where a segment of the public does not trust banks to the degree that would allow them to suddenly transfer their cash savings to them.

The second expert said that the currency restructuring project is not new, and that it went through study phases within the Central Bank years ago, but he added that moving from study to implementation requires extensive arrangements that include designing the new denominations, contracting with international printing houses, preparing sites to receive, sort and destroy the old currency, preparing banks to open accounts and deal with exchange operations, as well as setting rules for funds that require disclosure of their source.

This is supported by what the Central Bank officially announced in 2022, when it said that restructuring the currency and removing zeros requires a law to be enacted by the House of Representatives, and that a draft law had been prepared years ago and needed amendments.

The Central Bank Law also stipulates that the bank alone has the right to issue currency, determine its denominations, standards, and designs, and make arrangements for its issuance, which makes the absence of its direct position more important than statements issued by other government entities.

The third expert said that dealing with funds of unknown origin does not necessarily require removing zeros, and suggested instead subjecting large cash blocks when they are introduced into the banking system to source verification procedures, and linking the purchase or transfer of ownership of large assets, such as real estate and cars, to anti-money laundering controls when transactions raise suspicious indicators.

The three experts, despite their disagreement on the feasibility of changing the currency, believe that the issue cannot tolerate fragmented media management, because removing zeros does not automatically increase the purchasing power of the dinar, but rather it is a renaming of the monetary unit that requires changing prices, salaries, debts and contracts in the same proportion if it is implemented properly.

The question that needs answering from the central bank remains simpler than the ongoing debate: **Was the decision to remove zeros actually made?**

If a change has been made, the market expects the entity responsible for the currency, not ministers, members of parliament, or social media platforms, to announce its timing, the mechanism of the exchange, its limits, the fate of funds outside banks, and the guarantees that prevent market disruption or harm to citizens' savings.

https://mustaqila.com/البنك-المركزي-يلتزم-الصمت-حول-حذف-الأص/

Tuesday Iraq News Posted by Tishwash at TNT 8-18-2026

TNT:

Tishwash:  Prime Minister's Advisor: Digital Dinar a promising project to enhance the efficiency of monetary policy

 The Prime Minister's advisor, Mazhar Muhammad Salih, confirmed on Monday that the digital dinar is a promising strategic project and not an independent solution to the liquidity crisis. While he pointed out that paying salaries digitally enhances the speed of payments and reduces cash transactions, he indicated that the success of the digital dinar depends on expanding banking services and infrastructure.

Saleh told the Iraqi News Agency (INA): “The proposal to launch the digital Iraqi dinar is one of the ideas that deserves to be studied within the framework of Iraq’s move towards digital transformation and the development of the financial system.

If the digital dinar is meant to be a digital currency issued by the Central Bank of Iraq and enjoys the same legal force as the paper dinar, then it could represent a modern tool to enhance the efficiency of monetary policy, improve liquidity management, and develop the government payments system, which is what most central banks in the world are working on today.”

He added that “a sovereign digital currency does not mean creating a new currency, but rather issuing a digital form of the Iraqi dinar, so that it becomes available for electronic trading through digital wallets and bank accounts, while its value remains equal to the paper dinar,” explaining that “the importance of the digital currency lies in reducing reliance on cash, lowering printing, transportation and protection costs, speeding up payment processes, enhancing financial inclusion, as well as reducing the unregulated cash economy and its associated tax evasion, money laundering and corruption.”

Saleh pointed out that “the digital dinar should not be blamed for addressing the cash liquidity crisis, as the crisis, if it exists, is primarily linked to structural economic and financial factors, including the structure of the general budget, the level of government spending, citizens’ confidence in the banking sector, the size of deposits, and monetary policy,” stressing that “the digital dinar is a means to improve the efficiency of cash management, and not an independent cure for macroeconomic imbalances.”

He continued: “The Central Bank of Iraq has made significant progress in the digital transformation process by expanding electronic payment systems, digital wallets, point-of-sale devices, and linking banks to modern settlement systems.” He pointed out that “these measures represent the foundation upon which future decisions can be made to issue a sovereign digital currency, but this requires completing the legal and legislative frameworks, strengthening cybersecurity, and providing a technological infrastructure capable of accommodating this transformation.”

He explained that “disbursing salaries to employees and retirees in digital form is technically possible, especially since a large segment of salaries are currently disbursed via bank cards linked to the localization of government salaries and pensions,” noting that “in the future, the possibility of depositing salaries directly into digital wallets or accounts linked to the digital dinar can be studied, which reduces the need for cash transactions, enhances the speed of payment execution, and limits the risks of transferring and handling money in cash.”

Saleh explained that "the success of this transformation depends on several requirements, most notably expanding the spread of banking services in all governorates, increasing the number of electronic payment devices and ATMs, improving the quality of communications and internet services, and raising the level of digital financial literacy among citizens, in order to ensure that society accepts these modern methods and uses them with confidence and security."

The Prime Minister’s advisor pointed out that “the launch of the digital Iraqi dinar represents a promising strategic project, but it is not a substitute for economic and financial reforms, rather it is part of them. Its success requires a more diversified economy, a more efficient banking sector, and disciplined financial policies, in addition to an integrated legal and technical framework. When these elements are available, the digital dinar can contribute to enhancing financial stability, improving liquidity management, and supporting the transition towards a more efficient and transparent digital economy, in line with modern global trends in managing monetary systems link

************

Tishwash:  Iraq to Drop Zeros From Its Currency as Dinar Redenomination Returns?

Iraq's Communications Minister Mustafa Sanad says Iraq has decided to remove zeros from the dinar and reprint the currency, but the Central Bank remains the country's monetary authority and has not publicly confirmed a timetable.

Is Iraq preparing to remove zeros from its currency after years of discussion over a possible dinar redenomination?

The question returned to the forefront Sunday after Communications Minister Mustafa Sanad said the decision had been made and that Iraq's currency would soon undergo changes and be reprinted.

"The decision to remove the zeros from the Iraqi currency has been made; the Iraqi currency will soon undergo changes and be reprinted," Sanad said in an interview with INews Iraq.

The statement would represent a major development in a monetary reform proposal discussed in Iraq for more than a decade.

But it also raises questions over timing and implementation because the Central Bank of Iraq (CBI), rather than the Communications Ministry, is the country's monetary authority.

The CBI has not, in the material reviewed for this report, announced a specific timetable for removing zeros. In June, the bank stressed its commitment to supporting the dinar and maintaining monetary and economic stability, while warning against inaccurate reporting about currency-related measures.

What Would Removing Zeros Mean?

Removing zeros, commonly referred to as redenomination, would change the numerical denominations of Iraq's banknotes without necessarily changing the currency's real purchasing power.

For example, under a hypothetical three-zero adjustment, 1,000 old dinars could become one new dinar, with prices, wages, bank balances, contracts and other financial values adjusted proportionally.

The policy would therefore be fundamentally different from a devaluation or revaluation of the dinar.

Earlier discussions by the Central Bank have presented deleting zeros as a technical and administrative reform intended to simplify accounting, reduce the volume of cash in circulation and make financial transactions more efficient.

The CBI's broader reform agenda has also focused on strengthening the banking sector and expanding international banking relationships.

In July, Prime Minister Ali Falih al-Zaidi said seven Iraqi banks had been prepared to return to international correspondent-banking channels after meeting compliance and governance requirements.

Why Is the Idea Returning Now?

The proposal comes as Iraq attempts to modernize a heavily cash-dependent economy while managing significant fiscal and monetary pressures.

The country remains highly dependent on oil revenues, leaving government finances sensitive to fluctuations in crude prices and production.

At the same time, the amount of currency circulating in the economy has grown substantially, making the physical handling of large-denomination dinar payments increasingly cumbersome.

A redenomination could make everyday accounting and financial reporting more straightforward.

It could also complement efforts to move transactions into the formal banking system, particularly if the replacement of banknotes encourages citizens and businesses to deposit large cash holdings rather than keeping them outside financial institutions.

Not a Shortcut to a Stronger Dinar

A critical distinction is that removing zeros would not automatically make the dinar more valuable.

If the conversion were purely proportional, an item costing 50,000 old dinars could simply be priced at 50 new dinars after three zeros were removed.

Salaries and bank deposits would undergo the same mathematical adjustment.

The reform would therefore simplify the currency rather than instantly increase Iraqis' purchasing power.

The CBI has previously emphasized the importance of monetary stability, and in June it rejected misleading claims surrounding currency and state financing operations.

The bank said its strategy remained focused on supporting the dinar and maintaining financial and economic stability.

A Reform With Political and Practical Risks

Any decision to redenominate the currency would require extensive preparation.

The government and central bank would need to coordinate the printing of new notes, establish a conversion period, adjust accounting and payment systems, update contracts and financial records, and conduct a large public information campaign.

Businesses, banks and government institutions would also need sufficient time to adapt.

The transition could be particularly sensitive in Iraq because of the size of the informal cash economy.

Authorities would need to ensure that counterfeit notes, unregistered wealth and illicit funds do not enter the financial system during the exchange process.

At the same time, political agreement would be needed across Baghdad's fragmented political landscape, including coordination between the Central Bank, Finance Ministry, Parliament and other state institutions.

Banking Reform Moves in Parallel

The currency debate comes as Iraq's financial sector is already undergoing a broader reform process.

The CBI said in February that Iraqi commercial and Islamic banks and branches of foreign banks had completed a major stage of a comprehensive reform program, with institutions choosing among paths including remaining independent, merging or exiting the market.

The bank said further work would focus on addressing identified deficiencies and achieving full compliance.

The bank has also been working to expand the ability of compliant Iraqi banks to conduct international transactions in currencies including the euro, UAE dirham, Chinese yuan and Jordanian dinar.

Those reforms are relevant to a potential redenomination because changing the physical currency without strengthening the banking infrastructure would address only part of the problem.

What Happens Next?

Sanad's statement has revived a proposal that has circulated through Iraqi economic policy debates for years.

But the key question now is whether the statement represents a finalized government decision ready for implementation or a political announcement ahead of formal action by the country's monetary authorities.

The Central Bank will ultimately be central to determining how, and whether, the reform proceeds.

For Iraqis, the practical significance will depend less on the number of zeros printed on a banknote than on what accompanies the change: monetary stability, functioning banks, transparent conversion rules and confidence that the new currency will retain its purchasing power.

Until those elements are established, the prospect remains best framed as a major policy signal rather than an immediate change in the value of the Iraqi dinar.  link

Tishwash:  New changes in financial and development institutions... Al-Zaydi appoints new leaders

 Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi made new changes today, Tuesday, to a number of leadership positions within financial and development institutions, in a move that the government said comes within its directions to enhance efficiency and support the path of administrative and economic reform.

The changes included appointing Ali Abdul-Ridha Alwan as Chairman of the Trade Bank of Iraq (TBI), while Bilal Al-Hamdani was appointed Executive Director of the Iraq Development Fund, in a decision that places two new figures in front of important responsibilities in one of the most sensitive sectors of the Iraqi economy.

The importance of this step stems from the nature of the institutions that were included in the changes. The Iraqi Trade Bank is one of the most prominent government banking arms, while the Iraq Development Fund is linked to investment files, programs and development projects, which makes management efficiency a key factor in achieving the desired results.

According to official explanations, the aim of the changes is to raise the level of institutional performance and accelerate the implementation of development programs and plans, in addition to supporting administrative and economic reform.

But the success of this step will not be measured by simply changing names and positions, but rather by the tangible results that the new administrations will deliver, especially in light of the challenges facing the Iraqi economy and the banking sector, and the need for more efficient, transparent institutions capable of keeping pace with financial and digital transformations.

The new management of the Iraqi Trade Bank faces important issues, including developing banking services, strengthening governance, improving performance, and supporting confidence in the Iraqi banking system. Meanwhile, the Iraq Development Fund will have a greater responsibility to transform plans and allocations into real development projects that contribute to creating job opportunities and stimulating the economy.

In conclusion, the recent changes appear to be part of a governmental trend to restructure financial and development institutions, and the real test remains during the next phase: Will the new leadership succeed in transforming administrative change decisions into economic and developmental results that are felt by the citizen and the Iraqi economy? link

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Tishwash:  Exclusive: Iraq nears agreement with German company to transport its oil through the Strait of Hormuz with Iranian approval

An Iraqi government source revealed on Monday that the State Oil Marketing Company (SOMO) is conducting intensive negotiations with American and German oil transport companies in an attempt to secure the passage of Iraqi crude through the Strait of Hormuz, taking advantage of Iranian approval for the passage of tankers flying the Iraqi flag amid the disruptions to shipping in the waterway.

The source told Shafaq News Agency that "Iraq is seeking to capitalize on Iran's approval for Iraqi-flagged oil tankers to cross the border to deliver crude oil to global markets," indicating that "SOMO has held talks with two companies specializing in global oil transport, one American and the other German."

He explained that "the American company refused to raise the Iraqi flag on its tankers, which is a basic condition set by Baghdad to ensure the safe passage of oil through the strait, and therefore no agreement has been reached with it so far."

According to the source, "the German company has agreed to raise the Iraqi flag on its tankers while transporting crude oil from Iraqi ports and passing through Hormuz to global markets," noting that "Iraqi oil will not be subject, according to understandings with the Iranian side, to any financial fees for passage."

However, the source pointed to another obstacle related to the American side, saying that Baghdad “needs American approval or authorization to complete the transit arrangements,” predicting that it would be obtained soon, in light of the American sanctions imposed on parties linked to Iranian navigation and insurance mechanisms in the Strait of Hormuz.

The United States imposed sanctions on July 29 on companies and tankers linked to Iran, including entities that Washington said were using insurance and shipping services to collect revenue from ships crossing the strait, further complicating insurance and financial transactions related to transit.

The government source pointed out that the deadline set by Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi for the Ministry of Oil to find solutions to the crude oil export crisis "may be extended for a second week," explaining that reaching final arrangements with shipping companies "is not easy," as the companies are demanding higher transportation fees and additional insurance guarantees commensurate with the level of risks in the strait.

On Monday, Al-Zaidi gave the Ministry of Oil a week to show tangible results in addressing the export crisis, and directed it to contract with international companies to market and sell oil, and to develop alternative export outlets, in light of the decline in exports due to the Hormuz crisis.

The new negotiations come after an official Iraqi move towards Washington and Tehran to obtain arrangements that would ensure the continuous passage of oil tankers, while Iraq's exports in July amounted to about 49 million barrels, more than 30 million barrels of which passed through the Strait of Hormuz, according to data from the Ministry of Oil.

Security risks and high insurance costs remain major obstacles to restoring Iraqi exports to normal levels. Shipping companies have refrained from sending tankers to Basra ports despite the significant discounts offered by SOMO to buyers. Ship tracking data from earlier in August showed a sharp decline in shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, as ship owners remained hesitant to enter the region due to the risk of being targeted.

In a sign of the difficult situation, Totsa, the trading arm of Total Energies, recently offered Basra crude for loading from locations outside the Strait of Hormuz, as buyers continue to be reluctant to send tankers to Iraq’s southern ports because of security risks.  link