Iraq Economic News and Points To Ponder Saturday Afternoon 8-22-26

Iraq Secures Alternative Oil Export Routes Amid Hormuz Disruptions

2026-08-21 Shafaq News- Baghdad   Iraq has secured alternative routes for oil exports and activated border crossings to sustain trade as disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz strain the country’s economy, Prime Minister Ali Faleh Al-Zaidi announced on Friday.

Speaking at the eighth Baghdad International Dialogue Conference, Al-Zaidi said the government has “more than one solution” to manage the regional crisis. He acknowledged “difficult and challenging circumstances,” calling restrictions in Hormuz a major economic obstacle and noting that the waterway “did not close even during the harshest days of the sanctions.”

Iraq, OPEC’s second-largest producer, relies on crude for about 90% of federal revenue, making the Strait —normally a conduit for roughly one-fifth of global oil supplies— critical to the country’s finances. Oil Minister Basim Al-Abadi recently put July exports at about 49 million barrels, while shipments have averaged around two million barrels per day since early August, their highest level since the crisis began. Al-Zaidi this week ordered oil companies to operate around the clock to boost output.

Read more: Iraq pushes new oil routes beyond Hormuz

Over the next six years, Al-Zaidi said the government aims to raise Iraq’s OPEC production quota to between eight and 10 million barrels per day.

He added that the draft budget for next year would soon be submitted, with electricity and solar power among its priorities, and assured public employees and retirees that government payments remain secure. Al-Zaidi projected that changes to domestic fuel consumption under a new economic model would save 17.8 trillion Iraqi dinars ($13.53B) annually.

On weapons outside state authority, the premier indicated that political forces had agreed on the principle of bringing them under government control and were working out a mechanism for handing them over, ruling out armed confrontation with factions. He also maintained that the government’s anti-corruption campaign retains broad political backing.

Read more: Corruption arrests in Iraq pass 210 under PM al-Zaidi

Organized by the Iraqi Dialogue Institute, the eighth Baghdad International Dialogue runs through Aug. 22, bringing together government, political, diplomatic, and academic figures to examine developments in Iraq and the region.

https://www.shafaq.com/en/Economy/Iraq-secures-alternative-oil-export-routes-amid-Hormuz-disruptions

Basrah Crude Gains Over 28% On Week

2026-08-22 Shafaq News- Basrah   Basrah Heavy and Basrah Medium crude each gained $18.51 a barrel over the week, rising 30.16% and 28.62%, respectively.Both grades also rose in the final trading session, tracking gains in global oil prices.

Basrah Heavy gained $1.53 a barrel, or 1.95%, in the final session to settle at $79.89. Basrah Medium also rose $1.53 a barrel, or 1.87%, to close at $83.19.

Global oil prices moved higher. West Texas Intermediate gained $0.01, or 0.01%, to $86.84 a barrel, while Brent climbed $0.27, or 0.29%, to $94.05. https://www.shafaq.com/en/Economy/Basrah-crude-gains-over-28-on-week

Iran Allows Iraqi Oil Tankers Through Hormuz

 2026-08-22 Shafaq News- Tehran  Iran has allowed a number of Iraqi oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz following repeated requests from Baghdad, state-run Iranian media reported on Saturday.

The outlets did not specify how many tankers received permission, when they would cross or how much crude they were carrying.

Iraqi Parliament Speaker Haibet Al-Halbousi had urged Tehran to give Iraqi oil exports “special consideration” through Hormuz during talks in Baghdad with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who pledged to “raise the issue” after returning to Iran.

Iraq has also been seeking arrangements with Iran and the United States to secure crude shipments through the waterway. A government source told Shafaq News earlier this week that the State Organization for Marketing of Oil (SOMO) was negotiating with US and German shipping companies over Iraqi-flagged tankers.

Kpler data showed only seven commodity vessels crossed the strait on Thursday, down from 14 a day earlier, with no very large crude carriers or liquefied natural gas tankers among them.

The disruption has sharply reduced Iraq’s southern crude exports. Shipments averaged about 1.4 million barrels per day in July, up from roughly 500,000 bpd in June and 100,000 bpd in May, but still well below pre-disruption Basrah exports of more than 3.3 million bpd.

Baghdad is also pursuing alternative export routes through Turkiye, Syria, and Jordan to reduce its dependence on Hormuz. A proposed pipeline to Syria’s Baniyas port could take about four years to build and cost at least $15 billion.

Read more: No exit but Hormuz: Iraq's economic vulnerability exposed

https://www.shafaq.com/en/Economy/Iran-allows-Iraqi-oil-tankers-through-Hormuz

US Dollar Rises Against Dinar In Baghdad And Erbil

 2026-08-22 Shafaq News- Baghdad/ Erbil   The US dollar edged higher against the Iraqi dinar on Saturday, hovering around 154,000 dinars per $100 in Baghdad and Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region.

At the Al-Kifah and Al-Harithiya exchanges in Baghdad, the dollar traded at 154,300 dinars per $100, up from 154,150 dinars on Thursday, according to a Shafaq News market survey.

In Baghdad's local exchange shops, the selling price reached 154,750 dinars per $100, while the buying price stood at 153,750 dinars.

Rates rose in Erbil as well, where the dollar sold at 154,050 dinars per $100 and was bought at 154,000 dinars.

https://www.shafaq.com/en/Economy/US-Dollar-rises-against-dinar-in-Baghdad-and-Erbil

Gold climbs past 1M IQD in Baghdad and Erbil

2026-08-22 Shafaq News- Baghdad/ Erbil   On Saturday, gold prices hovered around one million IQD per mithqal in Baghdad and Erbil markets, according to a Shafaq News market survey.

Gold prices on Baghdad’s Al-Nahr Street recorded a selling price of 1,006,000 IQD per mithqal (equivalent to five grams) for 21-carat gold, including Gulf, Turkish, and European varieties, with a buying price of 1,002,000 IQD. The same gold sold for 980,000 IQD on Thursday.

The selling price for 21-carat Iraqi gold stood at 976,000 IQD, while the buying price reached 972,000 IQD.

In jewelry stores, the selling price per mithqal of 21-carat Gulf gold ranged between 1,005,000 and 1,015,000 IQD, while Iraqi gold sold for between 975,000 and 985,000 IQD.

https://www.shafaq.com/en/Economy/Gold-climbs-past-1M-IQD-in-Baghdad-and-Erbil

Iraqi Trucks Join TIR Transit Routes For First Time

 2026-08-22 Shafaq News- Baghdad   Iraqi trucks have begun operating under the international TIR transit system for the first time, joining cross-border routes that had previously been handled exclusively by foreign carriers inside Iraq, the General Company for Land Transportation announced on Saturday.

Company Director Murtadha Al-Shahmani put the number of TIR journeys across Iraqi territory since the system became operational at more than 5,000. Administered by the International Road Transport Union (IRU), the network connects more than 79 countries, including Iraq.

Al-Shahmani said Iraqi trucks had begun transporting cargo from Saudi Arabia through the Arar border crossing toward Central Asia, which he called “an opportunity to generate revenue from Iraq’s position as a regional transit corridor.”

https://www.shafaq.com/en/Economy/Iraqi-trucks-join-TIR-transit-routes-for-first-time

Kirkuk Targets 1M Bpd Oil Exports Through Turkiye

 026-08-22 Shafaq News- Kirkuk   Iraq aims to raise crude exports through Turkiye to one million barrels per day (bpd) as Kirkuk expands production capacity, Governor Mohammed Samaan Agha told Shafaq News on Saturday.

Agha said a Turkish deputy energy minister is expected to visit Kirkuk soon for talks on oilfield development, energy infrastructure and bilateral cooperation, particularly crude exports.

He linked the export target to Iraq’s agreement with BP to redevelop major Kirkuk fields, including the Baba and Avanah domes and the Bai Hassan, Jambur and Khabbaz fields.

The fields contain more than 3 billion barrels of oil equivalent in initial gross recoverable resources. ConocoPhillips agreed in July to acquire a 42% stake in BP Energy Company of Kirkuk Limited, while Turkiye’s state-owned TPAO agreed to acquire 15%.

On August 1, Iraq and Turkiye signed a one-year agreement to continue transporting crude through the Iraq-Turkiye Pipeline to Ceyhan, covering about 750,000 bpd of capacity while negotiations continue over a broader framework.

Actual northern exports remain well below that level. Shafaq News reported on August 13 that flows through the route had fallen to around 130,000 bpd because of production suspensions in the Kurdistan Region and the halt of some Basrah crude shipments routed north.

Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi previously said Iraq aims to raise national oil output to between 8 million and 10 million bpd within six years while expanding export routes through Turkiye, Syria, and Jordan.

https://www.shafaq.com/en/Economy/Kirkuk-targets-1M-bpd-oil-exports-through-Turkiye

Iraq’s State Banks Scale Back Lending Without Credit Plans

2026-08-22 Shafaq News- Baghdad  Most of Iraq’s state-owned banks have halted or sharply curtailed lending and several are operating without clear credit plans for 2026, an informed source told Shafaq News on Saturday.

The source said the lack of credit plans has restricted financing across a range of services, including construction and renovation loans, funding for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), investment and housing projects, and electronic personal advances.

The source said the slowdown was weakening the role of state banks in financing Iraq’s economy, particularly for SMEs and investors seeking funds to launch or expand projects.

The source called on the government, parliament and its Finance Committee to examine the banks’ lending activity and question bank management over the decline in lending and advances, the absence of credit plans and limited investment financing.

Restoring lending programs is essential to supporting investment and stimulating economic activity, the source said, noting that the government program calls for investment support through loans and banking initiatives.

The source also urged state banks to adopt clear credit plans with measurable targets to direct financing toward productive sectors and investment projects and strengthen the banking system’s role in economic development.

In February, major state-owned banks, including Rafidain and Rasheed, had halted loans and advances amid liquidity shortages and a lack of clear credit planning.

Earlier this month, the government began considering leadership changes at several state banks, with managers expected to be evaluated partly on their ability to expand access to loans, salary advances and other banking services.

Read more: Iraq’s private banks: Capital Growth and the structural credit gap

https://www.shafaq.com/en/Economy/Iraq-s-state-banks-scale-back-lending-without-credit-plans

Parliament To Hear Finance Minister On Iraq’s Financial Crisis

 2026-08-22 Shafaq News- Baghdad  Iraqi Finance Minister Faleh Al-Sari has requested to appear before parliament to explain the country’s financial crisis and proposed solutions, First Deputy Speaker told Shafaq News on Saturday.

Adnan Fayhan said the request would be placed on the agenda of an upcoming parliamentary session, with a date expected to be set within days. He added that a borrowing bill would also be listed for a first reading.

Earlier this week, Al-Sari said a financial shortfall had disrupted payments to public employees, pensioners, and social welfare recipients, with monthly salary obligations reaching about 7.8 trillion Iraqi dinars (about $5.95 billion).

Read more: Iraq turns to bank borrowing to cover August salaries amid oil-revenue collapse

https://www.shafaq.com/en/Economy/Parliament-to-hear-finance-minister-on-Iraq-s-financial-crisis

Saturday Iraq News Posted by Tishwash at TNT 8-22-2026

TNT:

Tishwash:  The governor of Kirkuk clarifies the implications of his statements regarding Article 140 and affirms: The relationship between Kurds and Turkmen is historical.

Kirkuk Governor Mohammed Samaan clarified the implications of his recent statements regarding Article 140 of the Iraqi Constitution, stressing that his remarks did not target any specific group, but rather highlighted the legal obstacles surrounding land ownership in the province, most of which is owned by Kurdish and Turkmen citizens.

Samaan explained that the ongoing legal disputes over the ownership of those lands are hindering the governorate's efforts to distribute residential plots to employees, noting that Article 140 has not yet succeeded in finding radical solutions to this issue.

At the same time, he emphasized the depth of the historical relations between the Kurds and the Turkmen, noting that Article 140 represents a constitutional text that is respected and agreed upon by all parties.

In another matter related to the financial file, the governor of Kirkuk revealed that there are outstanding financial obligations owed to contractors by the governorate, estimated at about 250 billion dinars, explaining that he took over his duties in light of accumulated financial debts and previous debts.

He confirmed that communication and efforts are continuing with the federal government in Baghdad to secure a portion of these entitlements and disburse them to those who are entitled. link

Tishwash:  Government spokesperson: We are preparing to complete the sovereignty process on September 30th.

Government spokesman Haider al-Aboudi confirmed on Friday that the first 100 days of Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi’s government represent a launch towards a clearer path to consolidate state sovereignty, noting that the government has been working since gaining the confidence of the House of Representatives on May 14, 2026, to translate its sovereign priorities through executive plans. 

Al-Aboudi said in statements followed by Kalima News, “The government held 15 cabinet sessions during the past 100 days, and the standard of its performance was based on taking responsibility for the decision, strengthening sovereignty, protecting national independence, and building foreign relations based on common interests.”

He added that "the government is moving forward towards a state that protects its citizens, addresses emerging and inherited challenges, and continues institutional and economic reform to ensure a decent living and prevent risks that threaten public revenues."

He pointed out that "September 30th represents a crucial milestone for completing the path to sovereignty, so that Iraq will be 'fully sovereign' in its decisions, security, and land, free from any external dictates, and without the presence of any force outside the authority of the state."

He explained that "this path is based on constitutional and legal powers, and adheres to the government's program to restrict weapons to the authorized military and security institutions, stressing that the choice is sovereign and constitutional to complete the building of a state of law capable of protecting its territory and national decision."

Al-Aboudi stressed that “Iraq’s sovereignty is not ‘divisible,’ but that does not prevent Iraq from opening up to its regional and international environment based on mutual respect and common interests, from the position of an independent state.”

He concluded by saying: "The first hundred days are the beginning of a clearer path, in which the state advances with its institutions, and Iraq advances with its confidence and ability to protect its security, interests, and national decision."  link

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

Tishwash:  A crisis of confidence and a cash economy: Around 97 trillion Iraqi dinars are outside the banking system.

Cash held outside the banking system constitutes one of the most prominent challenges facing the Iraqi economy, given the continued reliance of a large segment of citizens and merchants on cash transactions and keeping part of their money outside banks.

While money outside the banking system does not necessarily mean that it is entirely hoarded, its sheer size raises questions about the weakness of banking transactions and the ability of banks to attract savings and convert them into loans and financing for projects and investments.

This reality reopens the file on the relationship between citizens and banks, the reasons for the continued preference for cash, and the repercussions of a cash economy on the movement of money and economic activity, especially with the presence of dozens of banks operating in the country.

Money outside banks

The Prime Minister's financial advisor, Mazhar Muhammad Saleh, told Shafaq News Agency that "the fact that some cash remains outside the banking system represents one of the challenges facing the Iraqi economy, given the limited benefit the banking sector derives from these funds in deposit and credit operations, and in financing projects and investments."

Saleh explains that “money hoarded in cash, whether by households or companies, remains outside the scope of financial intermediation, which limits the ability of banks to employ savings in financing economic activity, and increases reliance on cash and the informal economy, in addition to the high cost of cash transactions and weak financial transparency.”

He emphasizes that "the problem does not lie in the use of cash itself, but rather in its transformation into a means of hoarding savings instead of directing them through financial channels towards investment and production."

He points out that “returning these funds to the economic cycle requires building trust in banks and providing real incentives for saving, through developing savings products, offering competitive returns on deposits, enhancing depositor protection, improving banking services, reducing the cost and procedures for opening accounts and transfers, and expanding electronic payments, digital wallets, and points of sale.”

Saleh concludes that "the process should not stop at the transfer of money from homes to banks, but should move from deposits to credit, from credit to investment, and ultimately to production and job creation."

The amount of money outside banks 

In contrast, financial expert and former Director General of the Central Bank, Mahmoud Dagher, offers a different interpretation of the nature of funds outside banks, stressing that they do not all represent hoarded funds.

Dagher told Shafaq News Agency that "the amount of cash issued is about 105 trillion dinars, of which about 8 trillion dinars are inside the banking system, while about 97 trillion dinars are outside it."

He explains that “about two-thirds of the money outside the banking system is used to settle cash payments between merchants, real estate sales and purchases, and pay salaries and wages, while hoarding may represent about a quarter of the money outside banks.”

Dagher links the continued reliance on cash to “insufficient trust in banks, along with prevailing customs in Iraqi society and the slow transition to electronic payment,” noting that “the transition to a broad electronic payment system requires a long period of time, with the continued development of banks and payment tools.”

The figures for monetary issuance highlight the importance of the discussion regarding the amount of money circulating outside banks. However, monetary issuance does not necessarily mean that the entire amount represents money hoarded by citizens, nor does its increase automatically mean the printing of new money.

According to Dagher's reading, the majority of money outside banks enters the market and settles cash payments, which makes distinguishing between circulating cash and hoarded money essential when assessing the size of the problem.

Cash presence 

Despite the presence of a large number of banks, cash transactions still occupy a large part of economic activity in Iraq.

The number of operating banks reached 72, including 7 government banks and 65 private banks. However, the large number of banks does not necessarily mean a high level of banking transactions, as the main challenge remains the extent to which citizens and companies use banks for saving, payment and financing.

The Central Bank is working to promote financial inclusion and expand the customer base of the banking system, in addition to expanding electronic payment methods and spreading financial literacy.

First choice for Iraqis

Economic expert and professor of political science at Dhi Qar University, Najm Abdul Tarish, told Shafaq News Agency that "the continuation of the cash economy is linked to a set of overlapping factors, including weak confidence in banks, deeply rooted habits of dealing in cash, the expansion of the informal economy, as well as the limited use of electronic payment in some activities."

He adds that "the problem does not lie in the existence of cash within the economy, as it is a natural part of any financial system, but rather in cash becoming the primary means of settling transactions and holding savings, which reduces the money that passes through banks and limits their ability to create credit and finance economic activity."

Available data indicates that the number of payment cards in Iraq has exceeded 20 million, but their actual use is still less than their widespread use, while a number of cardholders primarily use the accounts to withdraw salaries rather than use them for daily purchases and payments.

Possible solutions

Addressing the problem does not stop at returning the funds to the banks, as the ultimate goal is to bring them back into the economic cycle more efficiently.

When money is converted into deposits, it can give banks greater ability to provide credit, and when credit is converted into investment and productive projects, this can be reflected in growth, job creation, and increased economic activity.

Therefore, the challenge facing Iraq is not only the amount of money outside the banks, but also building a banking system that makes the citizen and the merchant find in the bank a safer, more useful and easier way than keeping money and dealing with it in cash.

Ultimately, the large amount of cash outside the banking system reveals the continued dependence of the Iraqi economy on cash transactions, at a time when the banking sector is seeking to increase its role in savings, credit, and financing the economy.

While Mazhar Muhammad Saleh believes that returning funds to the banking system requires restoring confidence and stimulating savings, Mahmoud Dagher points out that the largest portion of funds outside banks actually moves in the market and does not represent complete hoarding, while Najm Abdul Tarish links the continuation of the cash economy to weak confidence, prevailing habits, and the limited use of electronic payment.

The transition from a cash-based economy to one more reliant on banks and electronic payments remains linked to the banking sector’s ability to restore confidence, provide more efficient services, and transform funds from mere cash transactions into deposits, credit, investment, and production. link

Tishwash: Al-Aboudi: September 30th is a milestone for consolidating state authority and limiting power.

 Government spokesman Haider al-Aboudi affirmed that the first 100 days of Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi’s government represent the beginning of a clearer path to consolidate state sovereignty, noting that the government has been working since gaining the confidence of the House of Representatives on May 14, 2026, to address national issues according to “state logic.”

Al-Aboudi said, in a statement followed by (Al-Mada), that the government, after one hundred days and holding 15 cabinet sessions, has been keen since its first day to ensure that the standard of its performance is “bearing responsibility in decision-making, consolidating state sovereignty, and protecting national decisions from dictates,” in addition to strengthening Iraq’s foreign relations on the basis of mutual interests.

He added that the government is moving towards building a state that protects its citizens and addresses inherited and emerging challenges, in parallel with continuing institutional and economic reform in a way that ensures a decent life and reduces the risks that threaten public treasury revenues.

Al-Aboudi pointed out that the government views September 30 as a pivotal moment in completing the path of national sovereignty, until Iraq is fully sovereign in its decisions, security, and land, and no will is imposed on it from outside its institutions, nor do the instruments of power remain outside the authority of the state.

He explained that implementing this path is based on the constitutional and legal powers of the government and its program to consolidate state authority and confine the instruments of power to the legally authorized military and security institutions, stressing that the issue represents a “state choice and constitutional commitment,” and is not a separate procedure from the project of building state institutions.

The government spokesman stressed that all instruments of power should be under the command of the state, and that sovereign decisions should be issued exclusively by its constitutional institutions, in order to ensure the rule of law and the protection of Iraqi lands and national decision-making.

He added that “Iraq’s sovereignty is not subject to division,” while stressing that Baghdad continues to be open to its regional and international surroundings and to establish its foreign relations on the basis of mutual respect and common interests, starting from the position of an independent state capable of making its own decisions.

Al-Aboudi concluded that the first hundred days are just the beginning of a path through which the government seeks to strengthen the authority of state institutions and their ability to protect security, interests and national decision-making, considering that the next stage will witness greater clarity in the implementation of these directions.  link

News, Rumors and Opinions Saturday 8-22-2026

Ariel:  Iraq’s Digital Currency Transition

8-21-2026

Convergence Events: Iran Militia Abandonment, Digital Currency Pivot, Midterm Contingency Protocol

Why Iran Walked Away:

The U.S. Treasury campaign Operation RIAL COLLAPSE (I made that up) ran for approximately 18 months. It was not a sanctions regime. Sanctions are public-facing and performative.

What Treasury executed was a systemic financial strangulation protocol. Working through Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, the Financial Crisis Enforcement Network, and a cooperative liaison with the Iraqi Central Bank’s newly digitized clearinghouse, the U.S. systematically identified and froze every secondary and tertiary financial channel Iran used to move currency.

Iraq’s Digital Currency Transition:

Iraq’s announcement that it is going digital is not separate from the U.S. Treasury campaign. It is the second phase of it.

The dinar has been manipulated for years through black-market currency auction operations run through the Central Bank of Iraq. The weekly currency auctions which were nominally managed to stabilize the dinar were in fact a mechanism through which billions of dollars were siphoned to militia networks, Iranian intermediaries, and corrupt Iraqi political figures. The auctions were a Cabal revenue pipeline.

Digitization kills this pipeline. A fully digital currency system with transparent ledger tracking makes the currency auction manipulation functionally impossible. Every transaction is traceable. Every intermediary is identifiable. Every siphon point is exposed.

This is what the user’s original analysis regarding the deletion of three zeros from the dinar connects to. The redenomination is not merely a cosmetic currency reform.

It is the replacement of the old manipulated dinar with a new digital instrument that carries no legacy baggage. The old dinar was the currency of corruption. The new digital dinar is the currency of accountability.

Read Full Article:
https://www.patreon.com/Prolotario1/posts/convergence-iran-167240113

https://dinarchronicles.com/2026/08/21/prolotario-iraqs-digital-currency-transition/

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

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

Militia Man 1310 is not a REER.  1310 is the current official exchange rate the Central Bank of Iraq uses for formal transactions.  It is an administered rate, not a market determined one.  A REER (Real Effective Exchange Rate) is different.  It's a managed move that looks at the dinar's real value against a basket of currencies adjusted for inflation... The Iraqi dinar is not freely commercially traded on major global markets the way currencies like the euro, yen or pound are...1310 is not a Real Effective Exchange Rate...

Stephen  For everyone wanting to poo-poo on the dinar investor and say, 'Look, they're telling us they're redenominating their currency.  It's going to be a neutral event.'  This is exactly what I always expected.  If there was going to be a revaluation or reinstatement of Iraq's dinar to its former value or increase it to a dollar...it would be accompanied by talk of a redenomination...

Jeff They'll probably have 90 days to turn in large notes to get small ones.  That's in-country.  The 90-day expiration of the large notes will apply to everybody.  When the rate changes we're all going to have 90-days to run them in.  In Iraq they're going to get smaller notes.  Outside of Iraq you're going to do a currency swap and get your country's native  currency.  In our case we'll be turning in large note to the dollar.

Are World's Elites About To DUMP Everything? | Michael Pento

Liberty and Finance:  8-20-2026

Michael Pento warns that multiple historic financial bubbles are now converging, with equities, real estate, credit, and leverage all reaching extreme levels simultaneously.

He argues that AI investment is increasingly fueled by debt and circular financing rather than organic cash flow, potentially creating another major vulnerability in the credit markets.

Pento predicts the next market crash could be extraordinarily severe, with stocks potentially falling 50% and home prices declining 25–30%, while banks and municipalities face mounting losses.

He also warns that the government and Federal Reserve may lack the balance-sheet capacity to respond as they have in previous crises, potentially producing rising long-term interest rates and prolonged stagflation.

 Pento says investors should closely monitor credit spreads, real interest rates, financial conditions, and the Fed's balance sheet—and argues that gold and liquidity could become increasingly important.

INTERVIEW TIMELINE:

0:00 Intro

1:30 Circular financing

6:55 Real estate bubble

13:50 Bank failures

18:00 Housing fraud or inflation fraud?

21:00 Hedging against crisis

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2VDHRaIyuE

Iraq Economic News and Points To Ponder Late Friday Evening 8-21-26

Iraq Faces A Difficult Period... Al-Zaydi: We Have More Than One Solution To The Economic Crisis, And The Budget Will Soon Be Before Parliament - 8/21/2026

Latest News Friday,August 21, 2026 Baghdad - One News - 8/21/2026   Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi affirmed that Iraq is going through a “critical” phase, given the escalating tensions in the region and the repercussions of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz on trade and the economy, stressing that the government has a range of alternatives and solutions to deal with the economic pressures and maintain the country’s stability.  

Al-Zaydi said, during his participation in the proceedings of the “Eighth Baghdad Dialogue” conference, that regional developments have placed Iraq before major economic and trade challenges, especially with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which represents a major passage for energy and trade in the region.  

He pointed out that the Strait of Hormuz did not witness a closure even during the years of the embargo on Iraq, considering that the current circumstances require the government to move quickly to secure alternative routes and reduce the repercussions of the regional crisis on the Iraqi interior.  

The Prime Minister explained that the government has begun activating border crossings and enhancing their capacity to accommodate the movement of goods and trade, as part of a plan aimed at diversifying import and export routes and reducing reliance on a single crossing in light of the turmoil in the region.  

In the financial file, Al-Zaydi announced that the government is preparing to send the draft budget to the House of Representatives soon, stressing that "the next stage" will witness reform measures to address the economic and financial challenges and enhance the state’s ability to cope with current pressures.  

He stressed that the government is not dealing with the crisis through a single option, emphasizing that it has “more than one solution” to the economic problems, and that work is underway on several parallel tracks to ensure the continuation of economic activity and to secure the country’s needs.(Possible monetary value increase)

The Prime Minister's remarks come at a time when Iraq is facing the direct repercussions of regional tensions and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, amid challenges related to trade, energy, and public revenues. This has prompted the government to intensify its efforts to activate land border crossings and seek alternatives that mitigate the crisis's impact on Iraqi markets and the economy.     https://1news-iq.net/العراق-أمام-فترة-عصيبة-الزيدي-لدينا-أ/

Al-Fayyad Criticizes The Factions: The “Resistance” Phase Cannot Continue As A Permanent Occupation, And Disarmament By Force Will Bring Chaos - 8/21/2026

Baghdad - One News - 8/21/2026 The head of the Popular Mobilization Forces, Faleh al-Fayyad, stated that the “resistance” phase cannot continue as a permanent occupation, calling for the transfer of responsibilities to state institutions upon reaching the stage of stability.

Al-Fayyad said regarding the bombing of the Popular Mobilization Forces headquarters, that the statements, indications, and accounts that were conveyed from the American and Saudi sides before the bombing of Iraq indicate that the targeting was in Basra, while most of the martyrs fell in Mosul. So where is Basra in relation to Mosul? We did not record any sacrifices or martyrs in Basra.  

He stressed that no one but the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces could remove him from his position, while warning against dealing with the issue of disarming the factions by force.https://1news-iq.net/الفياض-يلمز-الفصائل-مرحلة-المقاومة-ل/

Qasim Al-Araji, Supporting Al-Zaydi's Proposal: Confining Weapons Is A Sovereign Decision, And Dialogue Is The Way To Achieve It

Latest News Friday,August 21, 2026 Baghdad - One News - 8/21/2026   The security advisor to the Prime Minister, Qasim al-Araji, confirmed on Friday that what Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi presented during the eighth Baghdad Dialogue Conference confirms the state’s steadfastness in its national choices, foremost among them being the restriction of weapons to state institutions and the consolidation of the rule of law.

  Al-Araji said in a post published on his account on the “X” platform that restricting weapons represents a sovereign Iraqi decision that is accomplished through dialogue and national understanding, in a way that preserves stability and puts the interest of Iraq and its people above all considerations.

He added that consolidating security, the rule of law, and preserving national decision-making are fundamental pillars for building a strong state, a stable economy, and an attractive investment environment.  

Al-Araji pointed out that Iraq is proceeding with a balanced national vision that enhances its position and protects its interests, explaining that its foreign relations are based on mutual respect and a balance of interests, which consolidates its presence as an active partner in promoting the security, stability and prosperity of the region.  

Al-Araji's statements come in support of what the Prime Minister put forward during the Baghdad Dialogue Conference regarding the issue of restricting weapons, and the emphasis on achieving it through dialogue and national understanding, within a path aimed at strengthening the authority of the state and preserving national decision-making.  

https://1news-iq.net/قاسم-الأعرجي-مؤيداً-طرح-الزيدي-حصر-الس/

Trump Unveils 'Unprecedented' Financial Siege Against Tehran - 8/20/2026

2026-08-20 / 03:43  Shafaq News- Washington   US President Donald Trump on Thursday launched a new push to isolate Iran economically, threatening countries and companies that maintain financial or commercial ties with Tehran with “severe economic consequences.”

In a post on Truth Social, Trump accused Iran of failing to seize an opportunity for a deal with Washington, declaring the “MOST CRUSHING ECONOMIC OPERATION EVER TAKEN AGAINST ANY COUNTRY.”  

“This will be Economic Warfare and Isolation on an unprecedented scale,” he wrote, portraying Iran as severely weakened after months of conflict, with its navy disappearing, its air force destroyed and its military factories reduced to rubble.  

  Donald J. Trump     TRUTH@realDonaldTrump

No one has given the Islamic Republic of Iran a greater opportunity to make a Deal than me. TRAGICALLY, for them, they have failed to take it. Therefore, today, I am announcing the MOST CRUSHING ECONOMIC OPERATION EVER TAKEN AGAINST ANY COUNTRY!

This will be Economic Warfare and Isolation on an unprecedented scale. Their navy is gone, their air force is destroyed, their military factories are now rubble, their currency is worthless, and their country is hanging by a thread.

Today, I am also announcing that ANY country that allows its financial institutions, businesses, airports, or government entities to provide any type of lifeline to Iran will itself face TREMENDOUS Economic Consequences.

 Oil smuggling, swap lines, cash transfers, exchange houses, ship registries, front companies — It all needs to stop NOW. You know who you are.

This will be an ECONOMIC D-DAY, and we need all of our Allies to stand with the United States of America to isolate, and defeat, the Iran threat. These maniacs are on the ropes, and these HISTORIC MEASURES will cripple them and their ability to project terror worldwide.

IRAN WILL NEVER HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER.President DONALD J. TRUMP

  He also described Iran’s currency as worthless and “hanging by a thread,” warning that countries allowing their banks, companies, airports or government agencies to support Iran could face massive punitive measures.

Axios, citing US officials, previously reported that Washington was preparing new economic measures against Iran as it seeks to increase pressure on Tehran and bring it back to the negotiating table.  

The two countries signed an interim memorandum on June 17 aimed at ending nearly six months of war and paving the way for a broader agreement. The 60-day negotiating period set by the United States expired on Monday without a permanent settlement, while Trump indicated that no talks with Iran were underway or scheduled. 

https://www.shafaq.com/en/World/Trump-unveils-unprecedented-financial-siege-against-Tehran

Reuters: Trump Threatens Economic Consequences Against Any Country Providing A "Lifeline" To Iran, And The UAE Preempted This

latest newsThursday, August 20, 2026 Washington - One News - 8/20/2026   Reuters reported that US President Donald Trump warned of economic consequences against any country that provides “any kind of lifeline to Iran,” at a time when the United States is seeking to end a war it started alongside Israel about six months ago.  

The agency noted that Trump’s threats and announcements on social media do not always translate into detailed policies or actions implemented in the manner described in his posts.  

She added that Trump did not specify what steps the United States would take against any country that provides support to Iran, which could apparently include US allies who helped broker peace talks, nor did he name any country.  

She added that the United Arab Emirates, which hosts a major US military base, announced the suspension of all commercial activities, trade exchanges and financial transactions with Iran until further notice.  

https://1news-iq.net/رويترز-ترمب-يهدد-بعواقب-اقتصادية-ضد-أي/

Seeds of Wisdom RV and Economics Updates Saturday Morning 8-22-26

Good Morning Dinar Recaps,

When U.S. Debt Becomes a Currency Problem: The Dollar-Bond Relationship Enters a New Phase

The United States has crossed the $40 trillion debt threshold just as long-term Treasury yields remain elevated and the dollar weakens—raising a larger question about whether investors are beginning to view high U.S. yields as compensation for fiscal risk rather than simply an attractive return.

Overview

• U.S. federal debt has surpassed $40 trillion, while long-term Treasury yields have risen to levels not seen since 2007.

• Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has expanded long-term bond buybacks in an effort to support the Treasury market, but the relief has so far been limited.

• Meanwhile, the dollar has fallen toward a three-month low, creating an unusual combination of higher U.S. borrowing costs and a weaker currency.

Key Developments

1. The $40 trillion debt milestone changes the conversation

The United States has now crossed a symbolic but significant threshold: total federal debt has exceeded $40 trillion.

The milestone comes after U.S. debt more than doubled since 2017, reflecting years of deficits in which government spending has consistently exceeded revenue. Rising interest costs are adding another layer of pressure to the federal budget.

The important issue isn't the $40 trillion number by itself.

It is what happens when a government must continually issue new debt while the interest rate demanded by investors is rising.

That creates a potentially difficult feedback loop:

More debt → more interest expense → greater financing needs → more Treasury issuance → greater pressure on yields.

That cycle is now becoming an increasingly important part of the global financial story.

2. Treasury is intervening—but the market is still testing the long end

The Treasury has taken an unusually active approach to the bond market.

The department announced that it would at least double certain long-term Treasury buybacks, and Bessent has indicated that additional purchases could follow.

The immediate objective is to improve liquidity and help bring down longer-term borrowing costs.

But the market has not simply accepted the intervention.

Long-term yields rose sharply earlier this week, with the 30-year Treasury yield reaching its highest level since 2007. Reuters reports that investors have been citing the fiscal outlook, heavy Treasury issuance, Iran-related geopolitical risks and uncertainty over Federal Reserve policy as reasons for demanding higher yields.

That is the critical distinction:

Treasury can influence market liquidity. It cannot simply eliminate the underlying demand for compensation for fiscal and inflation risk.

3. The dollar is sending an unusual signal

This is where the story becomes much bigger than the bond market.

Normally, higher U.S. Treasury yields can attract international capital because investors can earn more by holding dollar-denominated assets.

But the dollar has recently moved in the opposite direction.

Reuters reports that the dollar fell to a three-month low against the euro as investors questioned whether Treasury's buyback strategy would address the deeper fiscal problems confronting the United States.

That creates an unusual combination:

Higher long-term Treasury yields + weaker dollar.

The implication isn't necessarily that investors have lost confidence in the United States.

Rather, markets may increasingly be distinguishing between the yield being offered and the risk associated with holding the underlying asset.

Why This Matters

For decades, the dollar's position benefited from a powerful reinforcing mechanism:

U.S. Treasuries were viewed as the world's premier safe asset → global investors bought Treasuries → demand supported the dollar → the dollar's reserve status reinforced demand for Treasuries.

That relationship remains extraordinarily powerful.

But it is not immune to stress.

When Treasury yields rise because investors want additional compensation for inflation, fiscal deficits or uncertainty, higher yields don't necessarily produce a proportionally stronger dollar.

That is the potential change taking place now.

The yield itself may be becoming part of the risk signal.

The Treasury Market Is Becoming a Global Financial Transmission Mechanism

U.S. Treasury securities aren't simply another investment.

They serve as a benchmark for borrowing costs throughout the global economy.

When long-term Treasury yields rise, the consequences can spread into:

• Mortgage rates

• Corporate borrowing

• Government financing

• Equity valuations

• Emerging-market currencies

• Global capital flows

• Commodity pricing

Reuters recently noted that the pressure is not isolated to the United States. Major economies across the G7 are also confronting rising financing needs associated with aging populations, defense spending, climate-related costs and higher energy prices.

That means the Treasury market is increasingly part of a broader sovereign-debt repricing.

The Iran Conflict Adds Another Layer

The current environment is also being complicated by the war with Iran.

Higher energy prices can reinforce inflation at exactly the time that governments are trying to control borrowing costs.

Reuters has identified geopolitical risk from the Iran war as one of the factors investors are considering when pricing long-term Treasury debt.

That creates another difficult policy equation:

War → oil risk → inflation pressure → higher yields → higher government interest costs.

The longer elevated energy prices persist, the more difficult that equation becomes for central banks and governments alike.

Why It Matters to Foreign Currency Holders

This development is particularly important for foreign-currency holders because currency values are ultimately connected to confidence in the financial system behind the currency.

The dollar remains the world's dominant reserve currency, and nothing in the current data suggests that position is about to disappear.

But foreign investors are constantly comparing:

Return + risk + purchasing power + fiscal stability.

If U.S. yields remain high while the dollar weakens, that suggests investors are increasingly incorporating fiscal and inflation concerns into the dollar equation.

For foreign-currency holders, this is why watching only exchange rates can be misleading.

The larger question is:

What is happening underneath the currencies?

Implications for the Global Financial Reset

• Sovereign debt is becoming a central issue in the next phase of global finance.

The $40 trillion U.S. debt milestone is occurring alongside similar fiscal pressures across other major economies. The question of who finances government debt and at what price is becoming increasingly important.

• The dollar-Treasury relationship is being tested.

The dollar's traditional benefit from higher U.S. yields becomes less straightforward when yields are rising because investors are demanding compensation for fiscal and inflation risks.

• Central banks have less room to operate independently of bond markets.

Governments need manageable borrowing costs. Central banks need to maintain price stability. Investors want adequate compensation for risk.

Those objectives can come into conflict.

• The financial reset may be emerging through repricing rather than replacement.

This is an important distinction to understand.

There is no evidence that a single event is about to replace the dollar or overturn the existing monetary system.

Instead, we are seeing the gradual repricing of debt, currencies, commodities and risk.

That may ultimately prove more consequential than a dramatic overnight "reset."

What to Watch Next

1. Whether the 30-year Treasury yield remains above 5%.

2. Whether the Treasury expands its long-term bond buybacks again.

3. Whether the dollar continues weakening despite elevated U.S. yields.

4. Whether investors continue demanding higher compensation for long-term Treasury debt.

5. What Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh signals at Jackson Hole next week.

6. Whether oil prices remain elevated as the Iran conflict continues.

7. Whether other major economies experience similar sovereign-debt pressures.

Treasury Secretary Bessent is also scheduled to hold a press conference Monday, potentially providing additional clues about the administration's approach to debt markets and financial policy.

Bottom Line

The most important development isn't simply that U.S. debt has crossed $40 trillion.

It is that this milestone has arrived at the same time that the Treasury market is demanding higher long-term yields and the dollar is weakening rather than strengthening.

The Treasury is attempting to stabilize the long end of the bond market through increased buybacks, but investors continue to focus on the deeper questions surrounding deficits, debt issuance, inflation and future interest costs.

That is why today's story represents a potentially important new phase for the global financial system.

The next stage of the global financial reset may not be defined by the dollar suddenly losing its reserve status. It may be defined by investors gradually changing the price they demand to finance the world's largest debtor—and by how that repricing flows through the dollar, Treasury market, commodities and central banks.

The question is no longer simply how high Treasury yields can go. It is whether higher yields can continue to support the dollar when those yields increasingly reflect the cost of carrying a $40 trillion debt burden.

Sources

• Reuters — U.S. debt crosses $40 trillion threshold after doubling under Trump and Biden

• Reuters — Dollar falls to three-month low on Treasury buyback worries

~~~~~~~~~~

🌱 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

Rob Cunningham: Treasury Secretary Bessent is the Smartest Banker on Earth

Rob Cunningham: Treasury Secretary Bessent is the Smartest Banker on Earth

8-21-2026

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is the smartest banker on earth.

Stablecoins destroy the Central Banker’s scarcity deception when sound currencies and tokenized real-world assets prove – in real time – the vastness of real-world value that actually exist in abundance.

The deeper inversion is this:

Scarcity moves from declared fiat currency → to verifiably real money.

A central bank can print additional monetary units. It cannot print energy, gold, land, oil, food, productive capacity, human labor, or technological output into existence.

In a system built around verifiable reserves, transparent tokenization, auditable collateral, and freely negotiated exchange, the question changes from:

“How much money exists?”
to:
“What verifiable value does this money represent?”

That distinction is transformative. Money becomes less capable of manufacturing the appearance of abundance through monetary expansion while the genuinely scarce resources underneath it remain unchanged.

Or reduced to this:

You can print money.
You cannot print value.
Tokenize the truth, and the difference becomes impossible to hide.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent:Crypto is not a threat to the dollar. In fact, stablecoins can reinforce dollar supremacy. Digital assets are one of the most important phenomena in the world right now, yet they have been ignored by national governments for far too long. This administration is committed to establishing the United States as a hub for digital asset innovation, and the GENIUS Act moves us one step closer to that goal.

Watch on X:  https://twitter.com/i/status/1935404649718157691

Source(s):
• https://x.com/KuwlShow/status/2090575784935068125

https://dinarchronicles.com/2026/08/21/rob-cunningham-treasury-secretary-bessent-is-the-smartest-banker-on-earth/

The Clarity Act and the RV Explained | Global Financial Reset

The Clarity Act and the RV Explained | Global Financial Reset

End the Fed by Dr. Scott:  8-21-2026

John Michael Chambers assembles an expert panel—Will Barney, Captain Rob Cunningham, and first-time guest Doctor Scott Young—for a deep dive into the global financial reset, the Clarity Act, the RV, and the path from tyranny to sovereignty.

Will Barney opens with a critical point: we cannot have sound money without first reclaiming our sovereign elections and government.

 Captain Rob breaks down the Clarity Act, Russia's passage of crypto legislation, and why the Democrats are damned if they do and damned if they don't.

Doctor Scott Young shares his analysis of the Q posts, the EBS, and the military operation unfolding behind the scenes.

The panel weighs in on President Trump's recent clips—Chevron's record profits, the manufacturing boom, and the $19 trillion in investment coming back to America. They discuss the energy reset, the decoupling of oil from monetary policy, and why gas prices are about to drop through the floor.

An exclusive excerpt from a three-hour interview with 107 clarifies the RV and the GESARA—why the dinar and the Zim bond are based on somebody else's rules, and why everyone becoming a millionaire overnight is not realistic.

The panel also breaks down Guardian Daniel R.'s clarification on the birth certificate issue—why you will not receive wealth repatriation from the straw man accounts, but you will receive stolen tax money back.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-U03Tx5ybI

Seeds of Wisdom RV and Economics Updates Friday Afternoon 8-21-26

Good Afternoon Dinar Recaps,

India Pushes the Rupee Further Into International Trade as Dollar Dependence Gradually Diversifies

New trade rules make it easier for Indian exporters to invoice and receive payment in rupees, adding another piece to the gradual diversification of the global payments system.

Overview

• India has amended its Foreign Trade Policy to put eligible rupee export receipts on a more equal footing with foreign-currency earnings.

• The change allows exporters dealing with most countries outside the Asian Clearing Union to denominate contracts and invoices in rupees and receive payment in rupees, removing a regulatory obstacle to wider rupee-based trade.

• The development is significant for the global financial-reset story because it represents practical diversification of trade settlement, rather than simply political discussion about reducing dollar dependence.

Key Developments

1. India removes a barrier to rupee-based international trade

India's Directorate General of Foreign Trade amended the Foreign Trade Policy 2023, allowing export contracts and invoices with non-Asian Clearing Union countries to be denominated in either Indian rupees or foreign currencies.

Exporters can also receive their proceeds in rupees or foreign currency, while eligible rupee receipts can qualify for the same trade-policy benefits as foreign-currency earnings.

That distinction is important.

India is not merely encouraging companies to consider using the rupee. It is changing the regulatory framework so that using the rupee becomes easier within the existing export system.

2. The move could reduce reliance on the dollar for some transactions

For decades, much of international trade has ultimately been settled through the dollar, even when neither the buyer nor seller is American.

India's new rules create another option.

A foreign buyer that can obtain rupees through its banking system can potentially purchase Indian goods, settle the transaction in INR, and avoid converting into dollars for that particular trade.

This does not mean the dollar is being displaced.

Rather, it adds another currency to the international settlement network.

That distinction is important when evaluating claims about "de-dollarization."

The global financial system can diversify without the dollar suddenly losing its dominant position.

3. India's rupee strategy is developing while the currency itself faces pressure

There is an interesting contrast in today's story.

The rupee has been under pressure from higher oil prices, importer demand and geopolitical uncertainty. Reuters reported that the Reserve Bank of India has been actively intervening in foreign-exchange markets to limit the currency's decline.

At the same time, India's foreign-exchange reserves have risen to approximately $716.9 billion, a six-month high, supported by substantial capital inflows and increases in both foreign-currency assets and gold holdings.

That gives India a stronger financial cushion while it works to expand the international role of its currency.

Why This Matters

The important development isn't that India is trying to replace the U.S. dollar.

It is that India is building additional infrastructure around the rupee at a time when countries increasingly want alternatives for international settlement.

The new rules could be particularly useful for trading partners that experience dollar shortages, sanctions-related restrictions or high costs associated with dollar-based transactions.

For Indian exporters, rupee settlement can also reduce some of the need for currency hedging when the transaction itself does not require exposure to the dollar.

However, there is an important limitation:

A currency cannot become truly international simply because a government permits its use.

Foreign companies and banks must actually want to hold, exchange and deploy that currency.

That means India's next challenge is developing the financial infrastructure and international liquidity necessary to make the rupee convenient outside India's borders.

A Larger Shift in the Global Trade Architecture

India's move fits into a much broader development.

Countries are increasingly experimenting with local-currency settlement, bilateral payment arrangements and alternative cross-border financial channels.

The motivation differs from country to country.

For some, it is reducing exposure to dollar volatility. For others, it is lowering transaction costs. Some want protection from sanctions, while others simply want greater monetary independence.

India's approach is particularly significant because of the size of its economy and its growing role in global trade.

The more countries that develop functioning alternatives, the more diversified the international monetary system can become—even if the dollar remains dominant.

Why It Matters to Foreign Currency Holders

For foreign-currency holders watching the global financial reset, this is a development worth following because it concerns how currencies are actually used, rather than simply what governments say about them.

A currency's international importance ultimately depends on whether it can be:

• Used to settle international trade

• Held by foreign banks and businesses

• Exchanged efficiently

• Used to purchase goods and services

• Supported by liquid financial markets

• Trusted as a store of value

India is working on several of those pieces.

The rupee does not need to replace the dollar for its international role to become more important.

Even a gradual increase in rupee-based trade would contribute to a more diversified currency system.

Implications for the Global Financial Reset

• Trade settlement is becoming more diversified.

India's decision adds another practical pathway for international commerce outside traditional dollar settlement.

• The BRICS story is becoming more about infrastructure than headlines.

The most consequential developments may not be the creation of a single BRICS currency.

They may instead be local-currency settlement, payment systems, banking arrangements and mechanisms that allow countries to conduct more trade without first converting everything into dollars.

• The dollar remains dominant—but the architecture around it is changing.

This is the key point.

There is no evidence from today's announcement that the dollar is being replaced.

Instead, the global financial system is gradually acquiring more settlement options.

That could eventually make the international monetary system less dependent on any single currency, even while the dollar remains the largest reserve and settlement currency.

What to Watch Next

The most important indicators will be:

1. Whether foreign trading partners actually begin accepting more rupee-denominated contracts.

2. Whether international banks expand their ability to hold and transact in rupees.

3. Whether India's existing rupee-settlement mechanisms grow in volume.

4. Whether India expands bilateral arrangements with major trading partners.

5. Whether other BRICS and emerging-market economies introduce similar measures.

6. Whether the rupee becomes increasingly useful as a settlement currency even when the underlying trade does not involve India directly.

Bottom Line

India's latest move is not a dollar collapse story.

It is something more gradual—and potentially more important over the long term.

India is removing regulatory barriers that have made rupee-based international trade more difficult and is giving exporters greater flexibility to invoice and receive payment in their own currency.

At the same time, India's central bank is building financial buffers and actively managing currency volatility while the country's foreign-exchange reserves approach record levels.

The global financial reset may not arrive as a single dramatic replacement of the dollar. It may emerge through thousands of smaller changes in how countries trade, settle payments, hold reserves and manage currency risk.

Seeds of Wisdom Team

Newshounds News™ Exclusive

Sources

• Reuters — India eases rules for rupee export payments, seeks to widen trade settlement

• The Week — New FTP amendment: Will exporters be happy about trading in Rupee?

~~~~~~~~~~

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

News, Rumors and Opinions Friday 8-21-2026

Note: All intel should be considered as "Rumors" until we receive official announcements ...and “Rates and Dates” could change anytime until we get to the banks/redemption centers.

RV Excerpts from the Restored Republic via a GCR Update as of Fri. 21 Aug. 2026

Compiled Fri. 21 Aug. 2026 12:01 am EST by Judy Byington

On Mon. 24 Aug. 2026 the ISO 20022 messaging (that defines how banks transmit payment information), completes its transition across all major banking rails. For the first time in history SWIFT, Federal Reserve, European Central Bank, Bank of England, BRICS, IMF and all high value cross-border payment systems will speak the same transaction language. …Tier4b ISO20022 on Telegram Tues. 18 Aug. 2026

EXCLUSIVE: US National Debt Explodes Past $40 Trillion — Faster Than Anyone Predicted …Mr. Pool on Telegram Thurs. 20 Aug. 2026

In a stunning fiscal milestone that has sent shockwaves through Washington, the US national debt officially crossed the $40 trillion threshold this week, reaching $40.047 trillion according to the latest Treasury Department figures. The jump from $39 trillion took less than five months — an acceleration driven by soaring interest payments, war-related spending, and revenue shortfalls after courts invalidated key tariffs.

Economists warn this is no longer abstract accounting. Interest costs alone now consume a massive share of the federal budget, crowding out other priorities and raising the risk of a “doom loop” where higher debt forces higher rates, which force even more borrowing.

Maya MacGuineas of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget called it “unsustainable,” noting the debt has roughly doubled in a decade.

Lawmakers remain gridlocked on solutions ahead of the midterms, with both parties pointing fingers while the bond market shows volatility.

For ordinary Americans, this translates into pressure on mortgages, credit, and the long-term strength of the dollar.

Exclusive sources inside Treasury say internal briefings have grown increasingly urgent, with some officials privately describing the trajectory as “alarming.” The $40 trillion mark is more than just a number — it is a flashing red light over the entire US political and economic system.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thurs. 20  Aug. 2026  Bruce, The Big CallThe Big Call Universe (ibize.com)  667-770-1866

• A higher up said they were handling bonds in Miami, Geneva and Reno

• The Military was now giving out the Intel.

• A Military Intel person said that as of 6 pm EST on Wed. 19 2026 there was a five day window where Tier4b would receive notification to set exchange/redemption appointments and be able to start appointments. That would take it to Mon. 24 Aug. 2026.

• Redemption Center leaders received an email on Thurs. 20 Aug. 2026 that they should go in to work on Fri. 21 Aug. 2026 at 8:45 am.

• 50 billion dollars of US Treasury Bonds have been bought back from Venezuela to make their currency stronger.

Read full Post here:  https://dinarchronicles.com/2026/08/21/restored-republic-via-a-gcr-update-as-of-august-21-2026/

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

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

Militia Man  The last 48 hours has been pretty intense.  I think it's pretty good...I wouldn't be surprised if we see some big information in the next few days...These guys are putting pressure on them to get clarity and that's what we're looking for.

Jeff   There's a sequence of steps that have to happen in phases for them to be fully sovereign and fully international...The two next steps is going to be the cabinet getting approved and the rate change.  After that all the other dominoes will start to fall...When all the secondary steps happen after the government approval and the rate change, they'll be fully sovereign...

Reset Intelligence   Someone in your life has told you nothing is happening. Maybe it was a family member.  Perhaps a forum. Or the voice in your own head at 2am, staring at a stack of dinar and wondering if any  of this is real....The people who say nothing is happening are not lying to you. They are looking at the wrong layer, waiting for an announcement, and  announcements come last. The evidence never arrives as a headline with the word revaluation in it. It arrives as a customs database, a correspondent account, an arrest warrant, a pipeline signature, an audit, a budget calendar. It arrives, in other words, exactly the way the last 90 days arrived...

Nomi Prins: Why the Fed Has to Act as U.S. Debt Hits $40 Trillion

Pinnacle Digest:  8-21-2026

Nomi Prins believes the United States is approaching a financial crossroads as government debt surges past $40 trillion, long-term Treasury yields remain elevated, and confidence in the country’s ability to manage its debt comes under increasing pressure.

The former Goldman Sachs managing director explains why the real danger may no longer be what the Federal Reserve does with short-term interest rates, but what happens at the long end of the bond market as the cost of servicing America’s debt continues to climb.

 Prins argued that the Fed and Treasury could ultimately be forced toward some form of renewed quantitative easing or intervention in longer-term government debt. And the day following the interview, that is exactly what they did.

But unlike previous crises, she believes policymakers are increasingly constrained by inflation, enormous borrowing requirements, and a broader crisis of confidence. That leads directly to the assets central banks cannot print.

Prins maintains her call for gold to move toward $6,000 in 2026 and potentially higher, pointing to continued central-bank accumulation, physical demand, and gold’s increasingly important role as a reserve asset.

The conversation also explores why the artificial intelligence boom ultimately leads back to physical commodities. Data centers require enormous amounts of copper, silver, aluminum, steel, energy and other materials, creating demand that cannot simply be solved by creating more money.

 She also discusses mining jurisdictions including Morocco, Argentina and Mexico, growing resource nationalism, cobalt and the Democratic Republic of Congo, and why she believes the world is entering what she describes as a new commodities “mega cycle.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRf8oHPhe3k

Iraq Economic News and Points To Ponder Late Thursday Evening 8-20-26

Independent Sources Reveal: Iraq's 2027 Budget Is Set At 200 Trillion Dinars, With The Exchange Rate Fixed At 1320.

August 20, 2026Last updated: August 20, 2026  Al-Mustaqilla - According to informed sources speaking to Al-Mustaqilla on Thursday, the Iraqi government is moving towards adopting a dollar exchange rate of 1320 Iraqi dinars within the 2027 budget project, with no current intention to change the adopted exchange rate.

According to the sources, the new budget project is being prepared based on the current exchange rate, in a move that reflects the government’s commitment to the policy of stabilizing the dinar’s exchange rate and not introducing sudden changes to the market during the next stage.

Information indicates that the size of Iraq’s budget for 2027 may reach about 200 trillion Iraqi dinars, which, if adopted at this size, would be one of the largest budgets in Iraq’s history since 2003, in light of the high volume of government spending and the increasing financial obligations of the state.

According to sources, the government is working on finalizing the draft budget, in preparation for completing it and sending it to the House of Representatives in the coming period, after which the process of discussion, amendments and voting on it will begin.

The Iraqi public is awaiting the 2027 budget proposal, especially regarding the exchange rate, spending volume, salaries, investment projects, and the mechanism for financing the deficit, at a time when public finances are facing challenges related to oil prices and non-oil revenues.

If the exchange rate remains stable at 1320 dinars to the dollar, this means that the government will continue to base its financial estimates on the current official rate, and will not adopt a change in the value of the dinar within next year’s budget, according to the data reported by the sources.

This information remains linked to the draft budget before its final approval, as the figures and details may undergo modifications during the government review   and discussion phases within the House of Representatives

https://mustaqila.com/المستقلة-تكشف-موازنة-العراق-2027-عند-200-تري/ a

Removing Zeros: A Currency Restructuring Or A Step To Boost Confidence In The Dinar?

Baghdad: Anwar Ayed     The issue of removing zeros from the Iraqi currency has resurfaced, amid economic debate about the feasibility of this step and its implications for the value of the dinar and the purchasing power of the citizen, as well as the readiness of the banking and financial sectors to implement it.

Economic experts believe that removing zeros, if implemented within a comprehensive study and a clear plan, could contribute to restructuring the currency and simplifying financial and banking transactions, while emphasizing that the measure itself does not mean an increase or decrease in the purchasing power of the dinar, as long as prices, salaries and savings are transformed at the same rate.  

Strengthening The Value Of The Dinar

Economic expert Haider Al-Sheikh told Al-Sabah newspaper: “Changing the Iraqi currency and removing zeros will enhance the value of the Iraqi dinar against foreign currencies,” explaining that “changing the currency will contribute to reviving the economy and providing cash liquidity to the government.”

The sheikh explained that the currency change process, according to the study, requires several months to print specific denominations in batches, in preparation for replacing them with the current currency. He pointed out that this process could contribute to strengthening the balances of government and private banks in Iraqi dinars and providing liquidity. 

The Necessary Cash.

He added that another benefit of the process is “knowing the amount of currency held by the government and banks, as well as knowing the volume of currency circulating in the market.”

The sheikh pointed out that Iraq, after 2003, printed more than 100 trillion dinars, indicating that about 70 percent of the printed cash is outside the government's control and stored in homes. 

And it is traded on the market.  

Renaming The Monetary Unit

For his part, economist Mustafa Faraj said that "removing zeros from the Iraqi currency, if implemented according to a comprehensive study and plan, represents a positive step towards restructuring the currency and simplifying financial and banking transactions," stressing that "the process itself does not necessarily mean an increase or decrease in value." 

The Purchasing Power Of The Dinar.

Faraj explained that removing three zeros, for example, means changing prices, salaries, and balances by the same percentage, and therefore the citizen's purchasing power does not change as a result of the removal alone.

He added that the main economic benefit is “reducing the volume of circulating figures, facilitating accounting and banking operations, supporting electronic payment systems, and making dealing in dinars more efficient and transparent,” stressing that the success of the step is linked to monetary stability, price control, and broad public awareness.

He explained that removing zeros could be part of a “broader monetary and banking reform package that enhances confidence in the dinar and supports economic stability.” 

It is not a single, formal procedure.

Risks Of The Conversion Phase

In contrast, economic researcher Ahmed Eid warned that the most prominent risks that may accompany the removal of zeros are not related to the accounting removal process itself, but rather to the conversion phase and what may accompany it in terms of confusion in the markets and exploitation by some traders, especially in rounding prices upwards.

He explained that goods with small prices may be more likely to increase when converted to the new monetary unit, which, if this is repeated on a large scale, may lead to citizens feeling an actual increase in the cost of living, even though the process of removing zeros is theoretically supposed not to change purchasing power.

Eid pointed to other risks, including the weak financial literacy of some citizens, particularly with regard to converting cash savings, pricing goods and services, contracts and debts, as well as the possibility of speculation and rumors spreading about the value of the dinar.

He stressed that these risks become greater if the operation is carried out during an economic period suffering from financial pressures and problems related to liquidity and confidence.  

Dual Pricing And Oversight

To protect the purchasing power of citizens, Eid called for the adoption of a sufficient transitional period preceding and accompanying the change process, during which dual pricing in the old and new dinars would be adopted, and precise rules would be put in place to prevent arbitrary rounding of prices, in addition to tightening control over markets and implementing a broad awareness campaign.  

He stressed the need for the central bank to ensure that all bank accounts, savings, debts, salaries and contracts are converted in the same proportion, with the new currency being made available in an organized manner, and a period of simultaneous circulation of the two currencies being maintained.

He stressed that “the most important thing is that the removal of zeros should be preceded by real financial and monetary stability,” explaining that protecting purchasing power is not achieved by changing the form of the currency, but rather by controlling inflation, stabilizing the exchange rate and addressing financial and economic imbalances.

Removing zeros: A currency restructuring or a step to boost confidence in the dinar?

https://iqdnews.substack.com/p/removing-zeros-a-currency-restructuring

  Iraq Wants To Delete Zeros From The Dinar But Will This Help Its Economy?

The National News   Iraq is again considering a long-standing and controversial plan to delete zeros from the dinar as the country struggles with a deepening budget squeeze. The latest discussions revive an issue debated in Iraq for more than two decades.

The proposal was first floated during the tenure of former US civil administrator Paul Bremer in 2003 and has repeatedly resurfaced without being implemented. This time, the debate comes as Baghdad's budget squeeze is worsened by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting Iraq’s main oil export route.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=en8uMoy6SYs

Finance Minister Orders Acceleration of Iraq's First Program and Performance Budget

Mohammed Jangadost

At a Glance:

• Finance Minister Faleh Sari reviewed preparation for the upcoming draft federal budget under a program and performance model.

• Sari instructed the Budget Department to finalize draft allocations within specified deadlines and realistic fiscal estimates.

• The transition moves Iraq away from traditional line-item budgeting to link resources directly to strategic outcomes.

• The ministry aims to maximize spending efficiency amid broader fiscal pressures affecting the country.

Iraqi Minister of Finance Faleh Sari visited the Ministry of Finance's Budget Department to inspect ongoing work on the country's upcoming federal draft budget. During the review, Sari instructed officials to adhere strictly to completion schedules while implementing a program and performance budgeting framework designed to overhaul public expenditure management.

Key Statements and Focus Area:

• Transitioning Fiscal Strategy:"The Ministry is moving toward a gradual transition from line-item budgeting to program and performance budgeting. This approach links resource allocation directly to objectives, programs, and outcomes, thereby enhancing the efficiency of public expenditure management." — Faleh Sari, Iraqi Minister of Finance.
  

• Methodological Discipline:"Completing the draft budget within specified deadlines requires finalizing its requirements according to a precise methodology and realistic estimates to ensure it serves targeted national results." — Ministry of Finance press release.

Shift to Program and Performance Methodology

The Ministry of Finance is phasing out the traditional line-item framework, which historically focused on administrative inputs, in favor of a system that allocates funds based on measurable project deliverables. The new model ties operational and investment outlays directly to sectoral goals, providing clearer oversight over public spending efficiency.

Enforcing Preparation Deadlines

Minister Sari urged department leads to maintain momentum to meet structural deadlines for the upcoming budget cycle. He emphasized that precise revenue and cost estimations are critical to making the new budgeting model functional and sustainable for state institutions.

FYI

The adoption of a program and performance budget reflects an effort to modernize public financial management in Iraq.

Amid volatile energy revenues and structural fiscal pressures, linking state outlays to performance benchmarks allows authorities to prioritize essential infrastructure, improve transparency, and restrict wasteful administrative spending across government ministries.    https://channel8.com/english/news/64159

Seeds of Wisdom RV and Economics Updates Friday Morning 8-21-26

Good Morning Dinar Recaps,

The Dollar-Debt Disconnect: Why Higher Treasury Yields Are No Longer Supporting the Dollar

U.S. borrowing costs remain elevated as Treasury intervention loses momentum, oil approaches $95 and investors reassess the relationship between American debt, interest rates and the dollar.

Overview

• The Treasury's effort to stabilize long-term bonds has provided only temporary relief, with yields climbing again despite the expanded buyback program.

• The dollar is weakening even as U.S. long-term yields remain elevated,suggesting investors are increasingly weighing fiscal and inflation risks alongside interest-rate differentials.

• Oil has moved toward $95 a barrel, adding inflation pressure just as markets prepare for the Federal Reserve's Jackson Hole gathering and reassess the U.S. fiscal outlook.

Key Developments

1. Treasury intervention has not solved the bond-market problem

The Treasury's decision to increase purchases of longer-dated Treasury securities initially brought relief to global bond markets.

That relief has proved short-lived.

U.S. long-term yields have moved higher again, with the 30-year Treasury yield around 5.25%, after briefly declining following the Treasury's announcement. The market is effectively testing whether government intervention can overcome the underlying forces driving yields higher.

Those forces include large fiscal deficits, enormous Treasury issuance, inflation concerns and growing government interest costs.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has indicated that the government could increase its buybacks further and has also discussed fiscal consolidation. But investors remain skeptical that spending reductions will be sufficient to substantially change the fiscal trajectory.

2. The dollar is sending a different signal

This is the part of today's story that makes it different from the bond-market articles Recaps has already published.

The dollar has fallen to a three-month low, even while U.S. long-term yields remain near multi-year highs. Reuters reports that investors are increasingly concerned about the U.S. fiscal picture and the credibility of attempts to stabilize the Treasury market.

Traditionally, higher U.S. yields have supported the dollar because they make dollar-denominated assets more attractive.

But the market is now asking a different question:

What if higher yields are increasingly interpreted as compensation for higher fiscal and inflation risk rather than simply as an attractive return?

That distinction could become increasingly important.

3. Debt and interest costs are becoming impossible for markets to ignore

The U.S. national debt has now exceeded $40 trillion, while interest costs are running at approximately $1.2 trillion annually, according to Reuters. The federal deficit is above 6% of GDP.

That creates a difficult feedback loop:

More debt → more Treasury issuance → higher borrowing costs → higher interest expense → greater financing needs.

Treasury buybacks may improve liquidity and reduce some market stress, but they do not eliminate that underlying cycle.

This is why today's bond-market story is ultimately a fiscal story.

4. Oil is adding another layer of pressure

Brent crude has moved toward $95 a barrel, with tensions surrounding Iran and the Strait of Hormuz contributing to renewed energy-market concerns. Oil prices are now at approximately one-month highs.

That creates another difficult equation for policymakers:

Higher oil → higher inflation pressure → fewer options for central banks.

If inflation remains elevated because of energy costs, the Federal Reserve has less room to cut rates aggressively.

Yet if the economy weakens under the weight of higher borrowing costs, maintaining restrictive policy becomes increasingly difficult.

Why It Matters

The significance of today's market isn't simply that the dollar is falling.

It is that the traditional relationship between U.S. yields and the dollar is becoming less reliable.

For decades, investors could generally understand the equation:

Higher U.S. rates → greater demand for dollars.

Today's environment is more complicated.

Investors are now simultaneously evaluating the return on Treasury securities and the risk associated with holding those securities.

That means the yield itself is becoming only one part of the calculation.

Why This Matters to Foreign Currency Holders

This changing relationship deserves attention from anyone holding foreign currencies.

Currency values are influenced by far more than central-bank interest rates.

Investors are also looking at:

• Government debt

• Fiscal deficits

• Inflation

• Energy costs

• Central-bank credibility

• Political and geopolitical risk

• Foreign demand for government bonds

If the dollar weakens while Treasury yields remain high, it could indicate that risk perceptions are beginning to offset the traditional advantage of higher U.S. returns.

That does not mean the dollar is collapsing.

It means the forces determining its value are becoming more complicated.

The International Monetary System Is Also Evolving

At the same time, countries are taking steps to make greater use of their own currencies in international trade.

India announced a change to its Foreign Trade Policy allowing export contracts, invoices and payments to be settled in either Indian rupees or foreign currencies. The measure is intended to make rupee-based international trade easier and expand the currency's use beyond India's borders.

This should not be interpreted as evidence that the rupee is replacing the dollar.

But it is another piece of a broader trend:

Countries are developing additional options for cross-border payments at the same time that the traditional dollar/Treasury relationship is being tested.

That makes this development particularly relevant to the global financial-reset discussion.

Implications for the Global Financial Reset

• The Treasury market remains the pressure point.

The world's financial system uses U.S. Treasury securities as a fundamental benchmark for pricing risk.

If investors demand persistently higher yields, the effects spread well beyond Washington into mortgages, corporate borrowing, equities, currencies and international capital flows.

• The dollar is being tested from a different direction.

The dollar's traditional advantage from higher U.S. yields becomes less powerful if investors begin viewing those yields as compensation for fiscal and inflation risks.

That doesn't eliminate the dollar's reserve role.

It changes the equation surrounding it.

• Global trade is gradually becoming more currency-diverse.

India's rupee initiative is relatively small compared with the enormous global dollar market.

But the structural direction matters.

More countries are creating mechanisms that allow trade to be conducted in local currencies, potentially reducing the need for dollars in some transactions.

The important story is therefore not "de-dollarization has happened."

It is that the global financial system is developing more alternatives while the U.S. financial system is simultaneously confronting its own debt and inflation pressures.

What to Watch Next

The next major signals will be:

1. Whether the 30-year Treasury yield remains around or above 5.25%.

2. Whether the dollar continues weakening despite elevated U.S. yields.

3. Whether Brent crude approaches or exceeds $100.

4. Whether the Treasury expands its bond-buyback program again.

5. What Federal Reserve officials signal at Jackson Hole about inflation and future interest rates.

6. Whether India and other emerging economies continue expanding local-currency trade mechanisms.

Bottom Line

The important shift today is not simply higher Treasury yields or a weaker dollar. It is the disconnect between the two.

The Treasury is attempting to stabilize long-term borrowing costs, yet investors continue demanding elevated yields. At the same time, the dollar is weakening rather than receiving the normal boost associated with higher U.S. rates.

Add $40 trillion in U.S. debt, approximately $1.2 trillion in annual interest costs, oil approaching $95 and growing use of local currencies in international trade, and the financial system is facing a much broader repricing of risk.

The next phase of the global financial reset may be less about a single currency replacing another and more about how debt, commodities, currencies and central-bank policy interact as investors reconsider what constitutes financial stability.

Sources

• Reuters — Global stocks set for biggest weekly fall as bond yields and oil stay high

• Reuters — Dollar falls as investors weigh U.S. Treasury's rescue efforts

~~~~~~~~~~

🌱 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