Even America's Enemies Trusted It With Their Money. That's Over

Even America's Enemies Trusted It With Their Money. That's Over

Notes From the Field By James Hickman (Simon Black / Sovereign Man) August 12, 2026

At 4:15 in the morning on November 4, 1956, Soviet artillery opened fire on the city of  Budapest. And the subsequent firestorm was nothing short of devastating.

Two weeks earlier, students and factory workers had risen up against the Soviet-installed puppet government in Hungary. They pulled down Stalin's statue, rampaged across the city, and even managed to push Soviet forces out of Budapest.

Moscow initially signaled that it was ready to negotiate and consider a full withdrawal. The bells of freedom started ringing. But it turned out to be a ruse— and Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev swiftly sent in the tanks.

The Soviets brutally crushed the uprising in days, killing around 2,500 Hungarians and displacing 200,000 who fled the country.

In the reprisals that followed, tens of thousands more were arrested, and hundreds were hanged— including Hungary's prime minister, who was tricked into surrendering with a promise of safe passage.

President Dwight Eisenhower condemned the invasion and opened America’s doors to roughly 30,000 Hungarian refugees. He then made his case to the United Nations, where the UN General Assembly demanded a full Soviet withdrawal from Hungary. Kruschev ignored them.

Eisenhower was clearly opposed to Soviet aggression. But America did exercise restraint— the President did not touch Soviet money that was held in the US.

It’s crazy to think that, even during the height of the Cold War, the Soviets held a stockpile of US dollars within the US financial system. They had no choice. Global commerce (including oil sales) took place in dollars, so even America’s mortal enemy needed to hold US currency.

Eisenhower could have easily confiscated Soviet assets. Yet not one Soviet account was frozen. Not one asset blocked… even as Soviet tanks shelled a defenseless European capital.

Similarly, twenty-three years later when the Soviets invaded Afghanistan, President Jimmy Carter reacted harshly. He cut off certain trade with the USSR, including grain and technology. And most famously he led a 65-country boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympics.

But even Jimmy Carter did not freeze Soviet assets.

Decades later, in August 2008, Russia invaded the Republic of Georgia. President George W. Bush condemned the invasion, sent humanitarian aid to Georgia, and ended support for Russia's World Trade Organization bid.

Yet he did not touch any Russian money held in the US.

Three presidents from both parties, across five decades, watched America's biggest adversary invade other countries... but they still chose to keep the money out of it.

America had become Switzerland: a neutral custodian that fiercely protected anyone's savings, regardless of politics. The trust ran so deep that through every proxy war and nuclear standoff, even the Soviet Union held their enemy’s currency inside their enemy’s financial system. That’s how confident the Soviets were in America’s financial neutrality.

That wasn’t about keeping Moscow happy. It showed the world that assets in America were safe... and that was traditionally a huge reason why foreign governments parked trillions of dollars in US government bonds... and why the Treasury Dpeartment could borrow endlessly to fund its deficits.

But this policy of financial neutrality changed in February 2022, after Russia invaded Ukraine. The US pushed its allies to freeze roughly $300 billion of Russian assets.

To be clear, this is not a moral discussion. I’m not arguing whether it was right or wrong; rather, this is about setting precedent. Russia did not attack or invade the United States; they attacked Ukraine— a country with which the US did not have a mutual defense treaty.

For years leading up to the Ukraine invasion, the US government had started politicizing its financial system, weaponizing the dollar, and levying occasional sanctions when foreign countries or banks stepped out of line.

But freezing the reserves of a major power was a massive acceleration.

Consequently, America’s reputation as a financial safe haven vanished on the spot.

Foreign governments were already worried about the gigantic US national debt, political dysfunction in Washington, and deep social divisions. The Russian asset freeze was the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back.

The first lesson that foreign nations concluded was the importance of holding gold as a strategic financial reserve.

Rather than deposit US dollars in a big Wall Street bank, or hold US government bonds, foreign governments concluded that it was much safer to have physical gold sitting in their own country— no one could confiscate it, freeze it, or inflate it away.

That’s why central banks around the world began diversifying out the US dollar and into gold: roughly 2% of strategic reserves (above normalized annual net purchases) between 2022 and 2025 was invested in gold.

And that modest shift— just 2%— caused the gold price to more than double. As we covered earlier this week, central banks plan on investing a whole lot more into gold.

Gold was the key lesson of Ukraine. Then came the lesson of Iran.

Until this year, few governments worried much about the availability of critical assets like energy, food, fertilizer, microprocessors, etc.

But then US and Israeli forces struck Iran in late February, and Iran responded by closing the Strait of Hormuz. More than five months later, the strait is still too dangerous for most commercial traffic, and many countries are running short on those same critical resources that transit the Gulf.

The lesson of Iran is that the world runs on strategic assets, and access to them can vanish overnight.

Their conclusion is that, again, rather than stockpile US dollars via government bonds and bank deposits, it makes a lot more sense to stockpile strategic assets— like fertilizer, energy, etc.

At a minimum, whenever the situation in Iran comes to its conclusion, countries will have to buy oceans of oil just to top off their strategic petroleum reserves. Our guess is they'll go far beyond that and build the capacity to store even more.

And not just oil. Anything critical and strategic is now a candidate for the stockpile, because the old days of global cooperation and easy trade are gone, replaced by mistrust, conflict, and resource nationalism.

That means base metals, rare earths, and technology itself, from memory chips to sovereign compute capacity.

This trend is still in its early stages, and the companies that own and produce these critical assets stand to do very well.

We've featured many of them, from energy to metals, in Schiff Sovereign's investment research newsletter, Strategic Assets. 

And this environment has been very good to them: several are trading at all-time highs right now; the crude tanker company we covered just reported the best quarter in its history, and a zinc producer is up almost 3x in under nine months.

In the most recent issue, we told readers about a small oil producer which is becoming a wildly successful profit machine; it has no debt, excellent management, yet trades at just three times its current free cash flow.

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

https://www.schiffsovereign.com/investing/even-americas-enemies-trusted-it-with-their-money-thats-over-155592/?inf_contact_key=b39c23af66c094617dcf76f7ba78b937b51161ba063939a3213f94f46454e7e9

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Seeds of Wisdom RV and Economics Updates Thursday Afternoon 8-13-26

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CLARITY Act Hits a New Roadblock: Rural Republicans Join Banks in Stablecoin Yield Fight

The battle over stablecoin rewards is exposing a deeper conflict between traditional banking and the emerging digital financial system—putting the CLARITY Act's September Senate vote on increasingly uncertain ground.

Overview

• Rural Republican senators are raising concerns about stablecoin rewards, particularly the possibility that community banks could lose deposits used to finance farms and small businesses.

• The stablecoin-yield provision has become a key obstacle to securing the 60 votes needed to advance the CLARITY Act when the Senate returns in September.

• The fight goes beyond crypto regulation: it represents a broader struggle over whether stablecoins will complement the existing banking system or compete directly with bank deposits.

Key Developments

1. Community-bank deposit concerns are becoming a Republican problem

The latest opposition is significant because some Republican senators representing rural states are increasingly receptive to the banking industry's argument that stablecoin rewards could encourage customers to move money away from community banks.

The concern is particularly important in rural economies, where community-bank deposits help fund agricultural loans, mortgages and small-business credit.

Reuters reports that protections for community-bank deposits and limitations on crypto rewards remain among the major unresolved issues surrounding the legislation.

2. The battle centers on what qualifies as “yield”

The disagreement is not simply over whether stablecoins should pay interest.

The Senate's current market-structure language would prohibit digital-asset service providers from paying passive, deposit-like interest or yield on payment stablecoin balances while allowing certain bona fide activity-based rewards.

Those permitted activities can include rewards associated with transactions, payments, transfers, wallet or platform use, loyalty programs and other qualifying activities.

That distinction has become one of the most important negotiating points between banks and the crypto industry.

3. Banks want the loophole closed

Banking groups argue that exchanges and other crypto platforms could effectively recreate deposit interest through rewards programs even if stablecoin issuers themselves are prohibited from paying interest.

Their concern is that a sufficiently attractive rewards structure could cause consumers and businesses to move cash from traditional bank accounts into stablecoin-based products.

That could potentially reduce the deposit funding available to community banks—particularly important institutions in agricultural and small-business communities.

4. Crypto advocates argue activity-based rewards are different

Supporters of the current approach argue that a reward tied to actual economic activity is not the same thing as interest paid simply for holding a balance.

Senator Cynthia Lummis has pushed back against efforts to treat all stablecoin rewards as equivalent to bank deposit interest.

This distinction is becoming central to the negotiations because an overly broad prohibition could limit the ability of digital-asset companies to develop payment, loyalty and transaction-based business models.

5. September 15 becomes the critical date

Senate Majority Leader John Thune filed a cloture motion for the CLARITY Act before the August recess, setting up a September 15 procedural vote.

The bill needs 60 votes to clear the cloture hurdle.

Reuters reports that the legislation faces a difficult path because of opposition from some Democrats as well as unresolved concerns among Republicans, including issues involving stablecoin rewards and community-bank deposits.

That makes the September vote much more than a routine procedural step. It will reveal whether the bipartisan coalition assembled around crypto market-structure legislation can survive the final negotiations.

What a Weakened or Failed CLARITY Act Could Mean

The CLARITY Act is intended to establish a comprehensive federal framework for digital assets, including clearer boundaries between the SEC and CFTC, registration requirements for market participants and rules governing digital commodities.

The Senate Banking Committee advanced the legislation in a bipartisan 15–9 vote in May after months of negotiations.

A major revision to the stablecoin provisions could make the bill more acceptable to banks but potentially reduce the range of rewards and financial products available through crypto platforms.

A failure to advance, meanwhile, would prolong the regulatory uncertainty that has surrounded digital assets in the United States.

That uncertainty matters because tokenization, stablecoins, institutional digital-asset adoption and blockchain-based financial infrastructure are continuing to develop even while Congress debates the rules governing them.

Why It Matters

This fight is bigger than the question of whether someone can earn a reward on a stablecoin.

At its core is a much larger question:

Will digital dollars become another product operating inside the traditional banking system—or will stablecoins become a competing financial rail capable of pulling deposits and payment activity away from banks?

That distinction could have significant implications for bank funding, credit creation, payments, financial markets and the future architecture of money.

Why It Matters to Foreign Currency Holders

For foreign-currency holders watching the evolution of the global financial system, the CLARITY Act matters because stablecoins are increasingly becoming part of the conversation about digital dollars and cross-border payments.

If U.S. lawmakers establish a clear regulatory framework, dollar-backed stablecoins could potentially expand the reach of the dollar into new digital payment networks.

That could actually reinforce dollar demand, even as other countries pursue alternatives through CBDCs, local-currency settlement and regional payment systems.

Importantly, the CLARITY Act developments do not provide evidence of a currency revaluation or RV event. The more significant signal is the potential restructuring of how dollars themselves move through the global financial system.

Implications for the Global Reset

• Pillar 1 — Technology

Stablecoins and tokenized financial assets are creating a new digital layer for moving and settling value.

• Pillar 2 — Trade

The regulatory treatment of digital dollars could influence future cross-border payment architecture and the dollar's role in international commerce.

Closing Perspective

The next major shift may not come from a new currency—it may come from who controls the rails through which digital dollars move, earn rewards and compete with traditional bank deposits.

Seeds of Wisdom Team
Newshounds News™ Exclusive

Sources

• Reuters — Crypto bill faces long odds after Senate punts vote to September

• U.S. Senate Banking Committee — Section-by-Section: Market Structure Bill

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Iraq Economic News and Points To Ponder Thursday Afternoon 8-13-26

CBI Reserves Fall Sharply To $77.8B

2026-08-13 Shafaq News- Baghdad   The Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) has recorded notable shifts and a marked decline in its financial indicators, with the bank's net claims on the government rising even as official reserves shrink, economist Manar al-Obaidi, head of the Future Iraq Foundation for Economic Studies and Consultancy, revealed on Thursday.

CBI net claims on the government registered a sharp increase, reaching 66.6 trillion dinars (approximately $50.8B), compared to 35 trillion dinars (approximately $26.7B) at the start of 2025, al-Obaidi said, based on an economic reading drawing on the latest operational and banking data.

Net official reseres held by the central bank fell to 102 trillion dinars (approximately $77.8B), down from 130 trillion dinars (approximately $99.2B) at the start of 2026, al-Obaidi added, noting that July alone saw the central bank lose approximately 10.3 trillion dinars (approximately $7.9B) from its foreign currency and banking reserves.

https://www.shafaq.com/en/Economy/CBI-reserves-fall-sharply-to-77-8B

Oil Prices Retreat On Gloomy Demand Outlook

2026-08-13 Shafaq News   Oil prices eased on Thursday after gains in previous sessions, as attention turned to expectations of weaker global oil demand this year, while there was no progress on opening the vital Strait of Hormuz.

Brent futures slipped 42 cents, or 0.47%, to $88.56 a barrel by 0405 GMT. U.S., trimming gains made over the previous six sessions.

West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude fell 55 cents, or 0.66%, to $82.72, after advancing over the past five sessions.

A senior Iranian source said on Wednesday there had been no progress in talks to revive an interim ⁠deal agreed in June and define a timeframe to implement it.

"There was little in the way of fresh developments between the U.S. and Iran, with both sides remaining in a deadlock," said ING analysts in a note on Thursday.

"Meanwhile, the latest large drone attack on Russia's Novorossiysk port appears to have spared oil infrastructure, with no reports of damage to oil terminals as of now."

With no change in the prospect of reopening the Strait of Hormuz, the key factor that had driven prices higher over the past week, attention turned to the demand outlook following a surprise build in U.S. crude stocks and lower consumption forecasts from OPEC and the International Energy Agency.

U.S. commercial crude oil inventories posted their largest weekly gain ⁠since January 2023 as exports slumped, data from the Energy Information Administration showed on Wednesday.

Crude inventories rose by 17.4 million barrels to 424.4 million barrels in the week ended August 7, their highest since June 5, the EIA said, compared with analysts' expectations in a Reuters poll for a 1.4 million-barrel draw.

On the same day, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries lowered its world oil demand ⁠growth forecast for 2026 to 580,000 barrels per day in its monthly oil market report.

At the same time, the International Energy Agency said it expects a 1.6 million bpd contraction in consumption this year, down from a forecast of 1 million bpd last month, with demand ⁠curtailed by higher prices and restricted supply due to the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.

Still, the deadlocked talks between Iran and the U.S. to end the war in the Gulf have kept a floor under prices.

"The safety situation for navigation in ⁠these waters has further deteriorated, forcing vessels to turn off their signals, which reduces transparency in shipping and makes it more difficult for the market to track and assess actual supply levels," analysts at Haitong Futures said in a note.

(REUTERS)  https://www.shafaq.com/en/Economy/Oil-prices-retreat-on-gloomy-demand-outlook

Basrah Crudes Rise Despite Benchmark Losses

2026-08-13 Shafaq News- Basrah   Iraq’s Basrah crude prices advanced about 15% on Thursday, despite losses in benchmark crude futures.

Basrah Heavy crude increased by $7.72, or 14.01%, to $62.81 per barrel, while Basrah Medium crude added $8.72, or 15.20%, to $66.11 per barrel.

Brent crude futures fell by 42 cents, or about 0.47%, to $88.56 a barrel. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) lost 55 cents, or 0.66%, to $82.72 a barrel.

OPEC’s basket rose to $86.60 a barrel, gaining $5.98, or 7.42%. Marban crude moved up to $90.08 a barrel, up 1.10%, while Dubai crude stood at $84.56 a barrel, 0.59% higher.

https://www.shafaq.com/en/Economy/Basrah-crudes-rise-despite-benchmark-losses-0

US Dollar Edges Lower In Baghdad And Erbil

2026-08-13 Shafaq News- Baghdad/ Erbil   The US dollar opened Thursday's trading lower in Iraq, hovering around 152,500 dinars per 100 dollars in Baghdad and Erbil.

According to Shafaq News market survey, the dollar traded in Baghdad's Al-Kifah and Al-Harithiya exchanges at 152,750 dinars per 100 dollars, down from Wednesday’s 153,300 dinars.

In the Iraqi capital, exchange shops sold the dollar at 153,250 dinars and bought it at 152,250 dinars.

In Erbil, selling prices stood at 152,950 dinars and buying prices at 152,850 dinars.

https://www.shafaq.com/en/Economy/US-Dollar-edges-lower-in-Baghdad-and-Erbil-7

Gold Prices Dip Across Baghdad And Erbil

2026-08-13 Shafaq News- Baghdad/ Erbil   On Thursday, gold prices fell across Baghdad and Erbil, hovering around 940,000 IQD per mithqal, according to Shafaq News market survey.

Gold prices on Baghdad's Al-Nahr Street recorded a selling price of 946,000 IQD per mithqal (equivalent to five grams) for 21-carat gold, including Gulf, Turkish, and European varieties, with a buying price of 942,000 IQD. The same gold had sold for 957,000 IQD on Wednesday.

The selling price for 21-carat Iraqi gold stood at 916,000 IQD, with a buying price of 912,000 IQD.

In jewelry stores, 21-carat Gulf gold ranged between 950,000 and 960,000 IQD per mithqal, while Iraqi gold sold for between 920,000 and 930,000 IQD.

In Erbil, 22-carat gold was sold at 982,000 IQD per mithqal, 21-carat gold at 937,000 IQD, and 18-carat gold at 804,000 IQD.

https://www.shafaq.com/en/Economy/Gold-prices-dip-across-Baghdad-and-Erbil-2

Car Sales In Iraq Plunge 28%+ In H1 2026

2026-08-13 Shafaq News- Baghdad   Iraq’s car market contracted sharply in the first half of 2026, with sales falling 28.6% year-on-year to 59,264 vehicles, according to automotive market research platform Focus2move.

Kia remained the country’s largest-selling brand with a 28% market share, despite a 27.8% drop in sales. Toyota ranked second with 22% of the market as its sales fell 24%, while Nissan placed third after a 13.3% decline.

MG ranked fourth with an 8.9% share despite sales falling 31.6%, while Jetour climbed to fifth with 8.4% after recording 29.2% growth.

Among other leading brands, Hyundai recorded the steepest decline, with sales down 69.7%, while Great Wall grew 6.9%.

The electric vehicle segment suffered an even steeper contraction, with sales dropping 72%. BYD led the segment with a 48.3% share, followed by Toyota at 43.4%.

Sales grew strongly between 2021 and 2024, reaching 158,076 vehicles in 2024, before the market reversed course.

https://www.shafaq.com/en/Economy/Car-sales-in-Iraq-plunge-28-in-H1-2026

Iraq Economic News and Points To Ponder Late Wednesday Evening 8-12-26

"My Account" project: Countdown begins for the complete abolition of "cash salaries" in Kurdistan by the end of this month

Erbil (Kurdistan24) - The Kurdistan Regional Government's "My Account" (Hizami Man) financial project team has issued a decisive notice to public sector employees and retirees, announcing that they have only 20 days left to receive their bank cards before cash payments are completely and finally stopped as of August 31, 2026.

The project management statement urged all employees and beneficiaries to expedite the receipt of their cards to avoid delays in the disbursement of their upcoming entitlements, noting that it is possible to verify the card's readiness via text messages (SMS), or applications (Viber and WhatsApp), or by direct inquiry at bank outlets during the current payment period.

Financial inclusion achievement in numbers

Official project data revealed that financial inclusion is nearing completion of all its phases, with the overall rate of employee registration with accredited banks reaching 96% across the region, distributed as follows:

Erbil and Duhok governorates: achieved a record registration rate of 99%.

Sulaymaniyah Governorate: 92% of the total number of employees and beneficiaries were registered.

Expanding the ATM network

As part of strengthening the infrastructure and facilitating cash withdrawals around the clock, the project team confirmed the deployment and equipping of approximately 700 automated teller machines (ATMs) distributed across all cities, districts and sub-districts in the Kurdistan Region.
https://www.kurdistan24.net/ar/story/931812/مشروع-حسابي-بدء-العد-التنازلي-لإلغاء-الرواتب-النقدية-نهائيا-في-كوردستان-نهاية-الشهر-الجاري

Kurdistan Region To Halt Cash Salaries By August 31 Deadline 

Daban Mohammed

At a Glance

• Cash-based payroll distribution in the Kurdistan Region concludes this month.

• The MyAccount project urges 25,000 unregistered employees to expedite their enrollment.

• The federal government and the KRG have agreed to terminate cash-based payrolls.

Cash salary distribution for public sector employees will be completely halted in the Kurdistan Region after August 31; approximately 150,000 public sector bank cards have not yet been collected by beneficiaries.

Key Statements and Focus Area

• In an official statement, the MyAccount project warned public sector employees that cash salary distribution will no longer be available after August 31 of this year.

• Any employee without a bank card will face difficulties receiving their financial dues.

In terms of logistical preparations and distribution status, the MyAccount project management stated that 80,000 finalized bank cards are currently stationed at state-run banks, calling on account holders to collect their respective cards before the end-of-month deadline.

Distribution updates and mandatory pickup schedules specifying the designated holding branch will be communicated exclusively to public sector employees through direct SMS notifications.

For beneficiaries who have not yet received this correspondence, project officials confirmed that automated text alerts will be dispatched incrementally over the next three weeks.

Furthermore, the specialized hotline 1991 has been fully activated as a dedicated customer support center tasked with handling inbound inquiries and resolving individual card issuance issues.

FYI

MyAccount, a digital payroll initiative, was launched by the Kurdistan Regional Government in September 2023 to transition public sector workers from cash payments to electronic bank deposits.

According to the agreement between Erbil and Baghdad, the salary distribution system is shifting, and cash will no longer be disbursed for payroll.

This marks the final deadline for approximately 25,000 employees who have not yet registered in the project.

The project emphasizes that collecting bank cards before August 31 is the only way to protect employees' salaries from being suspended by the federal government. https://channel8.com/english/news/63577

By October 1st, Iraq Will Be Free Of Foreign Military, No Weapons Outside The State Control, Says PM Al-Zaidi

BAGHDAD - INA - 8/12/2026    PM Ali Faleh al-Zaidi and Commander of U.S. Central Command Admiral Charles Brad Cooper confirmed on Wednesday a full and final agreement to end the international coalition's military mission, while stressing that Iraqi-US relations will move towards cooperation and partnership in the economic, development, and security fields.

During the meeting, PM Al-Zaidi reaffirmed the commitment to the agreed timelines, under which September 30 will be the fixed and final date for ending the military mission of the Global Coalition to Defeat Daesh in Iraq and completing the departure of its forces, according to a statement from the PM Media Office, received by the Iraqi News Agency - INA.

“October 1st will mark a new day in the path of the Iraqi state, as Iraq will be free of any foreign military presence, will exercise full national sovereignty over its territory, and will continue building its security and military capabilities, enabling it to protect its security and stability on its own,” he stated.

The Prime Minister called “for adherence to the principles of the Constitution and the fundamental principles upon which the state is founded, safeguarding its supreme interests, and directing the energies of the Iraqi people toward construction, reconstruction, and development. “

“Iraq today needs the efforts of all its people to build a strong economy, a stable state, and a better future for generations to come,” he affirmed.

Al-Zaidi stressed that “confining arms exclusively to state authority, in accordance with the law, protects everyone, strengthens the authority and sovereignty of the state, ensures security and stability, and represents an essential prerequisite for moving Iraq into a new phase of development and prosperity.”

Both sides affirmed their full and final agreement on ending the military mission of the Global Coalition to Defeat Daesh in Iraq, in accordance with what was agreed upon during the Prime Minister’s visit to Washington in mid-July.

They stressed that “Iraqi-U.S. relations will transition toward cooperation and partnership in the economic, development, and security fields, based on mutual respect for sovereignty and the mutual interests of both countries.”

https://ina.iq/en/politics/51172-by-october-1st-iraq-will-be-free-of-foreign-military-no-weapons-outside-the-state-control-says-pm-al-zaidi.html

Seeds of Wisdom RV and Economics Updates Thursday Morning 8-13-26

 Good Morning Dinar Recaps,

BRICS Moves From Talk to Financial Infrastructure: Iran Eyes Development Bank as Members Explore Linked Payment Systems

August 13, 2026 — Two developments this week point to a potentially important evolution inside BRICS: Iran says it will soon join the New Development Bank, while members are discussing ways to connect their fast-payment systems and central bank digital currencies.

Overview

• Iran says it will soon join the New Development Bank (NDB), strengthening its access to a BRICS-backed development-finance institution while remaining under extensive U.S. and international sanctions.

• BRICS central banks are discussing payment-system connectivity, including possible links between fast-payment networks and central bank digital currencies (CBDCs).

• The developments are still in the implementation stage, but together they show BRICS working on financial infrastructure that could make cross-border trade less dependent on traditional dollar-based channels.

Key Developments

1. Iran moves closer to the BRICS New Development Bank

Iranian Central Bank Governor Abdolnaser Hemmati said Iran will “soon” become a member of the New Development Bank, which was established by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

Iran joined BRICS in 2024 and has since sought NDB membership. Reuters reports that the NDB itself has not yet confirmed Iran's membership, so this should be viewed as a stated intention rather than a completed accession.

For Tehran, the significance goes beyond another development-finance relationship. Iran remains under extensive sanctions and is looking for alternative financial channels outside the dollar system.

2. BRICS is exploring connected payment infrastructure

India's central bank governor said BRICS members are discussing possible connections between their fast-payment systems and CBDCs.

The discussions are intended in part to reduce the cost of cross-border payments. The proposals remain at the discussion stage, but they represent a move toward interoperability between national payment systems rather than relying exclusively on existing international payment networks.

3. Local currencies remain part of the strategy

BRICS members have been promoting greater use of national currencies for trade and financial transactions.

India is also continuing efforts to internationalize the rupee and expand local-currency settlement for cross-border trade. Iran, meanwhile, has advocated bilateral and trilateral monetary cooperation with other BRICS members.

4. Development finance and payments are beginning to converge

The important development is not simply that BRICS is discussing an alternative currency.

Instead, the bloc is working on several pieces of financial infrastructure at the same time:

Development finance → local-currency settlement → fast-payment connectivity → CBDCs

If these systems eventually become interoperable, they could provide participating countries with additional ways to conduct trade and finance without every transaction requiring the traditional dollar-centered pathway.

5. This is infrastructure—not an overnight monetary reset

It is important to separate what is actually happening from what is often claimed online.

There is currently evidence of discussions surrounding payment-system connectivity and local currencies, and Iran has announced its intention to join the NDB. There is not evidence that BRICS has launched a common currency or replaced the U.S. dollar as the world's reserve currency.

The significance is therefore in the gradual construction of alternatives, not a sudden replacement of the existing system.

Why It Matters

The global financial architecture is increasingly being shaped by the development of multiple payment and settlement channels.

BRICS is attempting to make cross-border transactions cheaper and less dependent on a single financial pathway. The NDB provides a financing mechanism, while payment-system interoperability could eventually provide the infrastructure for faster settlement between participating economies.

The real question is no longer simply whether countries want to reduce dollar dependence. It is whether they can build systems capable of doing so at a meaningful scale.

Why It Matters to Foreign Currency Holders

For foreign-currency holders watching the evolution of the global monetary system, these developments are worth monitoring because currency value ultimately depends not only on the currency itself, but also on the financial infrastructure supporting its use in international trade.

The development of local-currency settlement, regional payment systems and CBDC interoperability could gradually change how currencies move across borders.

However, none of these developments constitutes evidence of a specific currency revaluation or RV event. The more meaningful signals to watch are actual changes in settlement volumes, reserve policies, central-bank holdings, NDB lending and the adoption of interconnected payment infrastructure.

Implications for the Global Reset

• Pillar 1 — Trade

  BRICS is working toward payment infrastructure that could make cross-border trade less dependent on traditional dollar-based settlement.

• Pillar 2 — Technology

Linking fast-payment systems and CBDCs could create a new layer of digital financial infrastructure connecting national currencies.

Closing Perspective

The next major shift may not come from the launch of a new currency—it may come from the infrastructure that allows existing currencies to move, settle and trade outside the traditional financial channels.

Seeds of Wisdom Team
Newshounds News™ Exclusive

Sources

• Reuters — "Iran to join BRICS development bank soon, central bank governor says"

• Reuters — "BRICS nations discuss linking payment systems and CBDCs, RBI chief says"

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🌱 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

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Follow the Gold/Silver Rate COMEX

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The Tax Collector Now Gets a Cut of What He Finds

The Tax Collector Now Gets a Cut of What He Finds

Notes From the Field By James Hickman (Simon Black / Sovereign Man) August 11, 2026

Arguably the most famous man on the planet throughout the 1700s was the famed writer Francois-Marie Arouet, known to history as Voltaire. He wasn't just a celebrity writer and philosopher, however; Voltaire was also a wealthy capitalist and nobleman who almost single-handedly turned the impoverished region of Ferney into a highly productive watchmaking hub.

Through his fame and creativity, Voltaire managed to attract a small army of Swiss watchmakers to relocate across the border into France and set up shop in Ferney. As part of the deal, he personally negotiated special tax incentives for his watchmakers, exempting them from some of the most onerous French national taxes.

Voltaire's tax incentives were personally signed off by France's comptroller general, Jacques Turgot... and all of Ferney celebrated their success.

Unfortunately, even a formal deal with the French government didn't stop the local "tax farmers" from coming to collect.

For most of the 1700s, the royal court in France had delegated the collection of its complex system of taxes and duties to private citizens who were known as tax farmers.

Tax farmers would essentially bid against each other to pay the government a fixed sum of money up front each year, which the treasury would then claim as tax revenue.

Tax farmers would then have the full authority of the state to go all over the cities and the countryside to collect.

As they were obviously running a business, their primary motivation was to generate the highest possible return on investment by any means necessary. And it didn't take long for tax farmers to turn into mafia-like organizations that would send roaming gangs across the country to threaten and extort every last penny they could get from French citizens.

Even though Voltaire had negotiated directly with the French government for his region's tax exemptions, the tax farmers still came to Ferney and brutalized the local population.

Voltaire wrote to a friend in late 1775 that the tax farmers "marched about in groups of fifty, stopped all the vehicles, searched all the pockets, forced their way into all the houses and made every kind of damage," to collect money from the citizens of Ferney.

This was not an aberration; stories of widespread abuse by tax farmers were legendary in pre-revolutionary France. In the year 1783 alone, tax farmers carried out more than 4,000 house searches and arrested roughly 20,000 people. Confiscation of property, homes, clothes, and horses was routine. And the financial incentives were perverse, with the person who ratted out a suspected tax delinquent earning one-third of the confiscated property.

Unsurprisingly, most of these tax farmers would be put to the guillotine after 1789.

Sadly, this concept is starting to make a comeback in the land of the free, where governments are outsourcing tax collection to private businesses, which have a financial incentive to be excessive and overly suspicious.

A large part of this is because roughly half of the states are in financial distress. This is a consequence of the federal government pulling the plug on certain slush fund programs that have fattened state coffers since the COVID days.

As a result, states are having to find ways to make ends meet. And that starts with keeping their tax codes deliberately complex and outdated. Doing so means that almost everybody is going to be guilty of some violation, because it's nearly impossible to remain in compliance with a tax code that often contradicts itself.

States then empower private companies to go out and collect, to find infractions wherever they may be, and extort money from productive citizens. This is a much easier approach for them than doing the hard work to balance their budgets and live within their means.

Here's an easy example: it's completely normal now for a business to have remote workers. And often those workers might be in another city, another state, or even another country.

Tax rules in many states have never caught up to this new paradigm. Hence, many state governments still want their pound of flesh, even though workers don't set foot anywhere near their jurisdictions.

Rules in New York state, for example, are completely incomprehensible. A nonresident employee who works remotely from another state can still be considered a New York worker whenever staying home is for the employee's convenience rather than the employer's necessity.

There is, of course, no guidance on how necessity versus convenience is determined. It's a gray area and leaves a lot of room for interpretation by a tax collector who has a financial incentive to extort businesses with out-of-state remote workers.

The fact is, it's impossible for businesses with several employees in several states to get all of this right.

Every multi-state business is in violation of something, somewhere, and the only question is who finds it first.

And this is only one small example. There are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of outdated tax regulations at the state and local levels for which compliance is simply not feasible.

Private companies receive anywhere from 12% to 20% of the amount they collect, and they engage in any number of creative ways to find delinquents.

They'll license proprietary location data, including cell phone tower logs, toll records, and even credit card statements, and when all else fails, sometimes they'll just make stuff up to intimidate taxpayers into writing a big check.

You will absolutely hear more about this, if not experience it for yourself. Readers of this letter know without a doubt that the US federal government is in deep financial turmoil, with a national debt of nearly $40 trillion and roughly $2 trillion in annual deficits.

But many states are in far worse shape. And they don't have the luxury of being able to print the world's reserve currency to make ends meet. Rather than make the difficult choices to balance their budgets, they will turn to milking their citizens like dairy cows and outsourcing the collection to a new generation of tax farmers.

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

P.S. Working out where your business, your assets, and your family legally belong is exactly what our flagship research service, Schiff Sovereign's Plan B Confidential, was built for.

Every month it covers second residencies and citizenships, foreign banking, legal tax reduction, and real assets, reported from more than 120 countries so the options come with real costs attached.

https://www.schiffsovereign.com/trends/the-tax-collector-now-gets-a-cut-of-what-he-finds-155585/?inf_contact_key=5968a2103edc51c46916d24cc2288911a6962d1c92ac1407bd3dfd0422dea95d

Thursday Iraq News Posted by Tishwash at TNT 8-13-2026

TNT:

Tishwash:  Al-Zaidi to CENTCOM commander: By October, Iraq will be free of any foreign military presence.

Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi confirmed on Wednesday evening to US Central Command chief Charles Brad Cooper that Iraq will be free of any foreign military presence on October 1st.

Al-Zaydi’s media office stated in a statement received by Shafaq News Agency that during his meeting with the CENTCOM commander, he emphasized the commitment to the agreed-upon timelines, which stipulate that September 30th will be a fixed and final date for ending the international coalition’s military mission in Iraq and completing the departure of its forces.

He explained that the first of next October will be "a new day in the course of the Iraqi state, as Iraq will be free of any foreign military presence, and will have completed its national sovereignty over its lands, and continued to build its security and military capabilities, enabling it to protect its security and stability on its own."

In this context, the Prime Minister called for adherence to the principles of the constitution and the constants upon which the state is based, preserving its supreme interests, and directing the energies of the people towards construction, reconstruction and development, stressing that Iraq today needs the efforts of all its people to build a strong economy, a stable state, and a better future for future generations.

He stressed that restricting weapons to the state, in accordance with the law, protects everyone, strengthens the state’s authority and sovereignty, ensures security and stability, and represents a fundamental condition for moving Iraq to a new stage of development and prosperity.

Both sides confirmed the full and final agreement to end the military mission of the international coalition, in accordance with what was agreed upon during the Prime Minister's visit to Washington in mid-July.

They stressed that Iraqi-American relations will move towards cooperation and partnership in the economic, developmental and security fields, based on mutual respect for sovereignty and the common interests of the two countries.

 Earlier today, during his chairmanship of a meeting of the National Security Council, Al-Zaydi confirmed that the decision to end the mission of the international coalition in Iraq on September 30 is a final and irreversible date, and stressed the implementation of the highest level of security plans, support for internal stability, and guaranteeing national sovereignty.  link

Tishwash:  Baghdad and Erbil resolve the "ASYCUDA" dispute... Border crossings enter a new customs phase

The Interior Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government, Reber Ahmed, announced that Erbil and Baghdad have reached a final agreement on the implementation of the ASYCUDA global system and the sharing of customs revenues, while criticizing the federal government's "hesitation" in compensating the victims of the attacks that targeted the region, stressing that the resumption of oil production is linked to providing air defense systems and security guarantees for foreign companies.

In a press statement, Reber Ahmed explained that the implementation of the ASYCUDA customs system came under the direct supervision of the Prime Minister of the region, Masrour Barzani, and after a series of intensive meetings.

He noted that the last point of contention regarding the distribution of border crossing revenues has been resolved, as it was agreed, in accordance with the constitution, to distribute them at a rate of 50% to Erbil and 50% to Baghdad.

In this context, Iraqi parliament member Ghalib Muhammad, from the Al-Mawqif bloc, believes that there are several benefits to implementing the ASYCUDA system at the region's border crossings.

He explained to Al-Mada that "the first expected benefit is reducing the time and costs associated with the entry of goods. Instead of relying on paper transactions and multiple procedures, customs data becomes electronic, and a large part of the transactions can be completed through the system."

He added that "the second benefit relates to transparency and the electronic recording of data, which reduces the scope of human intervention in determining fees and procedures, and allows for clearer tracking of customs transactions, which can limit manipulation and customs evasion, enhance the fight against corruption, and end the state of chaos in the management of Kurdistan's ports."

He stressed that "the most important benefit is the increase in public revenues. When the movement of goods and the fees due on them become clearer, the state can collect revenues better, especially since the region has more than 20 border crossings."  link

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

Tishwash:  With Apple's entry, Iraq joins the global digital economy.

The world is experiencing a phase of rapid transformations towards digitalization, and the entry of major technology companies into emerging markets stands out as one of the most important indicators of economic attractiveness and regulatory stability.

The entry of the global company (Apple) into the Iraqi market comes as an event that goes beyond the traditional commercial dimension, to reflect a new phase of Iraq’s openness to the global digital economy, and a serious attempt to reposition itself within the map of modern technology and services.

 The financial advisor to the Prime Minister, Dr. Saleh Mahoud, said: “The entry of Apple into the Iraqi market and the official adoption of its services represents an important step in the path of digital transformation, and at the same time reflects an improvement in the regulatory and technical environment that Iraq is working to establish in order to attract global companies.”

Digital companies

Mahoud added that this step did not come as a surprise, but rather is the result of a cumulative effort that began more than two years ago, through continuous cooperation and coordination between the Prime Minister’s Office, the Media and Communications Commission, the Central Bank of Iraq and a number of other government agencies, with the aim of preparing the necessary requirements and procedures for the entry of global digital companies into the Iraqi market in an official and organized manner. 

Electronic payments

He pointed out that Apple’s entry “is of importance beyond simply providing new digital services and products to the Iraqi user, as it represents an indication of the growing confidence of global companies in the Iraqi market and its ability to absorb modern digital services within clear legal and regulatory frameworks. It can also contribute to the development of the electronic payments system and the enhancement of digital transactions, in line with the directions of banking and financial reform and the shift towards a more technology-dependent economy.”

From an economic perspective, the presence of a global company the size of Apple in the Iraqi market can send a positive message to other international companies, indicating that Iraq is working to build a more open environment for the digital economy and investment in technology. The presence of global companies is not only linked to market size, but also to the clarity of regulatory frameworks, ease of doing business, efficiency of payment and settlement systems, and security measures.

For the consumer and the data.

Joint efforts

Mahoud stressed that what has been achieved is the result of joint efforts involving multiple government agencies and teams, which makes the current step part of a broader path and not a single goal. The most important thing during the next stage is to build on this experience and complete the rest of the procedures and services. 

This will allow more international companies and platforms to officially enter Iraq, and will enhance the integration of the Iraqi economy into the global economic system. 

Global digital.  Attracting companies

Economic expert Dr. Nabil Al-Abadi pointed out that Apple's entry should not be understood as a mere business deal, but rather as a true test of the environment's readiness. 

The Iraqi economy believes that priority should be given to building an integrated ecosystem that precedes any attraction of global companies, based on three basic pillars: automating the customs system to unify fees and reduce smuggling, launching a unified electronic payment gateway linked to the Central Bank to facilitate subscriptions and digital services, as well as developing clear legislation to protect the consumer that guarantees the rights of users, device maintenance, and the availability of official spare parts.

 Attractive environment

Al-Abadi pointed out in an interview with Al-Sabah that Iraq should not wait for decisions from international companies to enter, but rather should take the initiative to build an attractive and stable environment that makes the Iraqi market a viable option. 

Naturally for these companies. 

According to him, global institutions do not enter fragile markets, but rather seek clear and stable regulatory environments. Once this legislative and service infrastructure is complete, the entry of major companies will be a natural consequence of market attractiveness, not a result of external factors. 

Direct negotiations.

He pointed out that if this vision is seriously adopted, it could put Iraq on a completely different path, transforming it from a consumer market into a regional digital hub capable of attracting technological investments, which would positively impact the national economy and the level of services provided to citizens.  link

Tishwash:  Upgrading the Iraqi banking sector: A new phase begins with mergers and reducing the number of banks.

The Independent - The Iraqi banking sector is entering a new phase of restructuring and modernization, after the Cabinet approved a plan to develop the banking sector, in a move that is expected to open the door to broad changes in the map of banks operating in the country during the next phase.

An informed source confirmed to Al-Mustaqilla that the current trend is not limited to developing banking systems and financial services, but also aims to merge a number of banks and reduce the total number of banks operating in Iraq, with the goal of building a sector more capable of complying with international banking and regulatory standards.

According to the source, the Iraqi banking sector has been facing a number of challenges for years, most notably the weakness of some banks, compliance and governance problems, in addition to sanctions and restrictions imposed on a number of Iraqi banks, which has made the issue of reorganizing the sector one of the most sensitive economic issues.

The data circulating indicates that the number of Iraqi banks subject to international banking sanctions or restrictions has reached about 39 out of 81 banks, which reflects the size of the challenges facing the sector reform process, and pushes towards a comprehensive review of the banks’ conditions and their ability to continue.

Merger of state-owned banks

In a notable development, the source revealed that the next phase may also witness the merging of a number of government banks with each other, as part of a move to restructure the government banking sector and reduce the fragmentation and multiplicity of banking institutions.

According to the source, the discussion revolves around the possibility of mergers between government banks in the coming period, with these steps being part of a broader plan to restructure the sector, raise the efficiency of banks, and enhance their financial and administrative capabilities.

If officially approved, mergers are expected to be linked to studies concerning the financial positions of banks, the size of deposits and loans, staff, branches, assets and liabilities, in addition to the ability of the bank resulting from the merger to compete and comply with international standards.

Will the number of banks in Iraq change?

The most prominent question in the next phase will be about the final number of banks that will remain in the Iraqi market.

The new plan may mean a shift from a policy of increasing the number of banks to a policy of focusing on the quality of the bank, its financial strength, and its ability to comply with regulatory standards.

This means that some banks may face the option of merging, while others may have to reorganize, and institutions unable to meet regulatory requirements may face stricter measures.

Observers believe that the success of this step will not be measured solely by the number of banks that will be merged or downsized, but rather by the extent to which the reforms can address the fundamental problems that the sector suffers from, most notably trust, compliance, governance, liquidity, digital transformation, and integration with the global financial system.

pivotal stage

According to informed sources, the Cabinet's approval of the modernization of the banking sector represents the beginning of a process that may be one of the largest restructurings of the Iraqi banking sector in recent years.

The next phase may involve merging banks, reducing their number, restructuring government banks, and tightening work and oversight standards.

However, the final details remain linked to the decisions and procedures that will be issued by the relevant governmental and regulatory bodies, and the extent to which they are implemented on the ground.

If the plan is implemented according to a clear schedule, the Iraqi banking sector may witness in the coming period a transition from a stage of multiple banks to a stage of fewer banks that are stronger, more organized, and more capable of dealing with the international financial system. link

Iraq Economic News and Points To Ponder Wednesday Evening 8-12-26

Saladin Gas Field Targets 300M Cubic Feet Daily

2026-08-11 Shafaq News- Baghdad   Iraq plans to raise gas production from the Ajeel field in Saladin province to around 300 million standard cubic feet per day, the Oil Ministry stated on Tuesday.

Deputy Oil Minister for Gas Affairs Izzat Saber Ismail said the projected output would strengthen the national gas system and could also support production of liquefied petroleum gas and condensates.

The ministry is assessing whether existing North Gas Company facilities can process the additional volumes or whether new infrastructure will be required at Ajeel, taking into account rehabilitation and development work under Iraq’s contract with BP.

Te field’s development should pair higher crude output with greater use of associated gas to reduce flaring and improve utilization of Iraq’s hydrocarbon resources, according to Deputy Oil Minister for Extraction Affairs Naseer Aziz.

Ajeel is one of Saladin province’s active oil and gas fields. North Gas Company was producing about 410 million standard cubic feet per day of associated gas in 2025, while Kirkuk gas output currently stands at about 255 million standard cubic feet per day, with BP-linked development targeting 400 million.

Read more: Four Iraqi Kirkuk fields target 450K bpd under BP

https://www.shafaq.com/en/Economy/Saladin-gas-field-targets-300M-cubic-feet-daily

Heavy Fees Drive Iraqi Delivery Firms Toward Collapse

2026-08-11 Shafaq News- Baghdad   Iraq's delivery companies are warning that rising licensing costs, new fees and overlapping government regulations are putting increasing pressure on a sector that has become a key link between small businesses and their customers.

More than 25 delivery companies are closing each day because of the cost of renewing licenses and rising charges, Rami Ali, manager of Al-Sultan Road Delivery Company, stated on Tuesday.

Speaking at a forum in Baghdad that brought together representatives of delivery companies, lawmakers and government officials to discuss the challenges facing the sector, Ali noted that renewing licenses costs companies 8 million Iraqi dinars ($6,100) a year for services that are not actually provided.

“Half of the delivery fee goes to the courier and the other half to the company,” he added, cautioning that the financial pressure is particularly heavy for companies operating on relatively narrow margins, with profits accounting for no more than 13% of delivery fees.

The financial strain comes alongside a dispute over which government body should regulate delivery companies, with the Transport Ministry and Communications Ministry both involved in the sector.

Read more: Iraq's e-commerce boom fuels growth, fraud, and consumer mistrust

Legal expert Ayoub Rashid argued that the laws underpinning the regulatory framework are inconsistent with those currently in force, leaving the two ministries with overlapping authority.

“Transport falls under the jurisdiction of the relevant ministry, and no other ministry is authorized to regulate it,” he maintained, contending that the Communications Ministry cannot impose fees on delivery companies without a clear legal basis.

The dispute extends beyond the companies themselves, with potential implications for the growing number of small businesses and households that rely on delivery services to reach customers.

Economic expert Khaled al-Jabri described delivery companies as a key link in Iraq's e-commerce sector, particularly for people who produce goods from their homes and depend on delivery services to sell them.

“Delivery companies provide the link between producers and consumers, particularly for businesses that can be operated from home and do not require extensive administrative or legal procedures,” Jabri told Shafaq News.

Many of these small activities generate revenues below the threshold for tax exemptions and have limited dealings with company registration offices or other government departments, he added, stressing that disruptions to the sector could therefore affect the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of families, particularly as Iraq faces significant financial pressures.

Read more: 2026 budget: Iraq confronts unprecedented fiscal strain

https://www.shafaq.com/en/Economy/Heavy-fees-drive-Iraqi-delivery-firms-toward-collapse

Oil, Gold Rise As Geopolitical Risks Persist

2026-08-12 Shafaq News   Oil and gold prices climbed while regional shares edged nervously higher on Wednesday as geopolitical tensions ratcheted up ahead of key U.S. inflation data.

The yen was mostly flat against the dollar, having unwound much of its gains following rare intervention in currency markets by Japan and the United States.

The U.S. ​and Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis reported separate attacks on shipping, while Asia was rattled by an early morning missile launch by North Korea.

‌Markets remained focused on U.S. consumer price index data later in the session for signals of timing for a potential Federal Reserve rate hike.

"Market sentiment is lukewarm amidst lingering geopolitical risk and as market participants head into U.S. CPI data," Kyle Rodda, a senior financial market analyst at Capital.com, wrote in a note.

"The lack of substantial news or ​progress in talks, with Iran doubling down on its commitment to govern the Strait of Hormuz, is keeping the risk for oil ​prices skewed to the upside and U.S. indices on hold," he added.

U.S. crude rose 0.89% to $83.94 a barrel, and ⁠Brent advanced to $89.60 per barrel, up 0.78% on the day. Both benchmarks settled more than $1 higher on Tuesday, marking their highest closes since July 31 and ​extending gains after jumping about 5% on Monday.

Spot gold gained 0.46% to $4,387.03 an ounce. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan (.MIAPJ0000PUS), opens new tab was up 0.5%, while Japan's ​benchmark Nikkei share gauge (.N225), opens new tab traded flat as the market reopened after a holiday.

Four crew members of an Egyptian-owned ship were killed in an attack by Houthis on Tuesday, Yemen's transport ministry said, while the U.S. military said it struck a container ship attempting to sail toward an Iranian port. The fatalities would mark the first from a Houthi strike ​on shipping since the Iran war began on February 28.

The war shows no signs of ending despite repeated claims from U.S. President Donald Trump ​of an imminent deal.

A North Korean ballistic missile fired off the Korean Peninsula's east coast came days ahead of major joint military exercises by Seoul and Washington long ‌denounced by ⁠Pyongyang. Meanwhile, Taiwan condemned planned naval drills between China and an Indonesian warship off the island's east coast.

Wednesday's CPI data will not capture the most recent rise in energy costs, but it could still prove instrumental in setting expectations for the Fed's meeting next month, with money markets showing an even chance of a hike .

Consumer prices are expected to edge up 0.1% in July after falling 0.4% in June, according to a Reuters poll. Annual CPI inflation ​is forecast to slow to 3.4% from ​3.5% a month earlier.

"Everyone's got ⁠their eyes on the CPI report," Skye Masters, head of markets research at National Australia Bank, said on a podcast. "If you do see the print coming in at zero, I think you'll obviously see a reasonable rally in ​Treasuries as the market unwinds expectations for the Fed tightening."

Markets are also increasingly pricing in an early ​rate hike in Japan, ⁠putting pressure on the nation's shorter-dated bonds. The yield on the 5-year Japanese government bonds rose to 2.1%, a record high, while the 2-year yield reached a 31-year peak of 1.63%.

The dollar index , which measures the greenback against a basket of currencies, rose 0.04% to 99.85. The euro was down 0.02% at $1.1538.

The Japanese yen ⁠weakened 0.03% ​against the greenback to 159.31 per dollar, remaining off last week's high of 155.20 after ​several suspected rounds of intervention. Sterling weakened 0.01% to $1.3501.

In early European trades, the pan-region Euro Stoxx 50 futures were down 0.15% at 6,563, German DAX futures fell 0.12% at 26,444, and ​FTSE futures lost 0.25% to stand at 10,825.

U.S. stock futures, the S&P 500 e-minis , were up 0.03% at 7,750.

https://www.shafaq.com/en/Economy/Oil-gold-rise-as-geopolitical-risks-persist

BP Weighs New Oil Exploration Across Southwest Kirkuk

2026-08-12 Shafaq News- Kirkuk   British energy giant BP could extend oil and gas exploration into new areas of Kirkuk, including the Hawija district and the al-Riyadh and al-Rashad sub-districts, a member of the Iraqi parliament's Oil and Gas Committee, Mohammed Ali al-Nuaimi, told Shafaq News on Wednesday.

He set out those areas as promising untapped ground during talks with the General Manager of BP in Iraq, Zaid al-Yasiri. The two sides examined technical and investment plans to develop Kirkuk's oil and gas fields, raise production efficiency, and upgrade refineries.

BP maintains a long-standing partnership with Iraq's energy sector and operates under an agreement with the Iraqi government to develop and rehabilitate several Kirkuk fields, including the Kirkuk, Bai Hassan, Jambur, and Khabbaz fields, along with gas and power projects.

 Iraq activated that contract in October 2025, with initial output set at about 328,000 barrels per day, according to Iraq's Oil Ministry.

According to Oil Ministry spokesman Salim al-Rikabi, BP's work will include rehabilitating and developing Kirkuk oilfields, expanding Northern Gas Company facilities, constructing a 400-megawatt power station, absorbing local labor, implementing social welfare projects, and developing the technical capacity of the North Oil and Northern Gas companies.

The projects will also eliminate continuous gas flaring by utilizing produced gas as fuel for power stations, contributing to both economic and environmental benefits.

https://www.shafaq.com/en/Economy/BP-weighs-new-oil-exploration-across-southwest-Kirkuk

Totalenergies, CPP To Build Basra Gas Pipelines For Iraq

2026-08-12 Shafaq News- Basra   Iraq will start laying the pipeline network for a major gas-capture project in the Basra oilfields this month, the state-owned Company for Oil Projects (SCOP) said Wednesday, adding that it had completed technical and operational preparations to begin work at the Artawi field on a scheme designed to cut the gas routinely flared, or burned off, at southern oilfields.

The director of the company's South Projects Authority, Abdul Hakim Qadouri, said a joint meeting with TotalEnergies of France and China Petroleum Pipeline (CPP) of China, attended by representatives of Basra Gas Company, settled the final requirements for launching the work, including pipeline routes and supporting facilities.

The project involves laying pipelines of 10, 12, and 24 inches to carry sweet gas, which is low in sulfur, and building launching and receiving stations. It also includes a 20-inch line for sour gas, which is higher in sulfur and more corrosive, within the WQ2 block of the West Qurna 2 oilfield.

According to Qaddouri, behind the engineering is a persistent Iraqi problem: the country flares much of the gas produced alongside its crude for lack of infrastructure to capture it, then imports gas and fuel to run its power stations.

 The project falls under Oil Ministry efforts to make use of this associated gas and process the volumes coming off producing fields, reducing flaring and drawing more value from the resource.

The Artawi Gas Midstream Project (GMP) forms part of TotalEnergies' Gas Growth Integrated Project, a multi-billion-dollar program in Basra that also covers oilfield redevelopment, a seawater supply plant, and solar power, according to the French company.

The Company for Oil Projects said the pipeline work is scheduled to begin this August.

Read more: TotalEnergies pushes alternative Iraqi pipelines to west

https://www.shafaq.com/en/Economy/TotalEnergies-CPP-to-build-Basra-gas-pipelines-for-Iraq

Seeds of Wisdom RV and Economics Updates Wednesday Evening 8-12-26

Good Evening Dinar Recaps,

U.S.–Iran Conflict Update: Ceasefire Talks Stall as Strait of Hormuz Remains at the Center of the Crisis

August 12, 2026 — The latest developments suggest the U.S.–Iran conflict remains unresolved, with diplomacy stalled and control of the Strait of Hormuz continuing to drive the confrontation.

Overview

• U.S.–Iran negotiations have stalled, with an Iranian official saying there are currently no talks to extend the interim ceasefire agreement.

• The Strait of Hormuz remains the critical flashpoint, with Iran maintaining that it will not fully reopen the waterway until the United States changes its policies and meets Tehran's demands.

• Washington is increasing economic pressure, while the continued disruption of shipping is keeping energy markets and global trade under pressure.

Key Developments

1. Ceasefire negotiations have stalled

Iran says there has been no progress toward reviving the interim peace arrangement negotiated earlier this year. The agreement was intended to stop military operations and create a 60-day period for negotiating a longer-term settlement addressing Iran's nuclear program and U.S. sanctions.

However, the arrangement deteriorated after both sides accused the other of violating its terms. President Trump subsequently declared the agreement over, while Iran suspended implementation.

2. Strait of Hormuz remains the major obstacle

The Strait of Hormuz has become the central bargaining point between Washington and Tehran.

Iran says the waterway will remain restricted until the United States ends sanctions, addresses what Tehran describes as war-related compensation, and changes its military posture. President Trump, meanwhile, has claimed that the United States has “total control” of the strait and has rejected Iranian demands for control or fees associated with international shipping.

The disagreement is particularly significant because Hormuz is one of the world's most important energy corridors. AP reports that roughly 20% of global oil supplies normally move through the waterway.

3. Washington shifts toward economic pressure

With diplomatic efforts struggling to produce a settlement, the Trump administration has turned increasingly toward sanctions and economic pressure.

AP reports that the administration has launched what it calls “Operation Economic Fury,” seeking to weaken Iran's financial ability to sustain the conflict and pressure Tehran into concessions on its nuclear program and the Strait of Hormuz.

4. Shipping and energy markets remain vulnerable

The unresolved confrontation continues to affect commercial shipping and energy markets.

The United States has also extended a 90-day Jones Act waiver, allowing foreign vessels to transport certain energy and agricultural commodities between U.S. ports. The move is intended to help maintain domestic supplies while the conflict continues to disrupt international shipping.

5. A diplomatic opening still exists — but the gap is wide

Despite the current impasse, diplomacy has not completely disappeared. Pakistan and other regional governments continue to push for renewed negotiations, while discussions surrounding a possible arrangement for the Strait of Hormuz remain possible.

The fundamental disagreement is that Washington wants unrestricted international shipping without granting Iran a formal role in controlling or charging for passage, while Tehran is seeking major U.S. concessions before agreeing to reopen the waterway.

Why It Matters

The U.S.–Iran confrontation has moved beyond a traditional military conflict and into a broader struggle involving energy, shipping, sanctions, international trade and financial pressure.

The longer Hormuz remains disrupted, the greater the potential consequences for oil prices, transportation costs, inflation and global supply chains. At the same time, continued military pressure increases the risk that another incident could derail diplomatic efforts entirely.

Why It Matters to Foreign Currency Holders

For foreign-currency holders watching the possibility of a broader global monetary and financial restructuring, the U.S.–Iran confrontation is important because it demonstrates how quickly geopolitical conflict can affect energy flows, trade routes, currency stability and international payment relationships.

However, the current developments do not provide evidence of a specific currency revaluation or RV event. The more concrete financial signals to watch are changes in reserve assets, central-bank policies, sanctions infrastructure, international payment systems and settlement arrangements.

Implications for the Global Reset

• Pillar 1 — Energy

Continued disruption around Hormuz reinforces the strategic importance of energy security and alternative supply routes.

• Pillar 2 — Trade & Assets 

Prolonged geopolitical fragmentation encourages countries to diversify trade relationships, reserves and payment mechanisms.

Bottom Line

The U.S.–Iran situation remains unresolved rather than settled. The immediate diplomatic problem is the lack of progress toward reviving the ceasefire framework, while the Strait of Hormuz remains the biggest bargaining chip and economic pressure point.

For now, the most important developments to watch are whether negotiations restart, whether Hormuz shipping can be restored, whether Washington expands sanctions, and whether either side makes a meaningful concession.

The next major move may not come from the battlefield—it may come from the Strait of Hormuz, global energy markets and the financial pressure building between Washington and Tehran.

Seeds of Wisdom Team
Newshounds News™ Exclusive

Sources

• Reuters — “Iran says no progress on reviving interim peace deal with US”

• Associated Press — Trump pivots back to sanctions for Iran as other strategies to end his war fizzle

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Japan Just Forced the US into an Impossible Choice

Japan Just Forced the US into an Impossible Choice

Taylor Kenny:  8-11-2026

Japan’s currency crisis may be exposing a much bigger problem for the U.S. The largest foreign holder of U.S. Treasuries—faces mounting pressure at the same time America is approaching $40 trillion in debt. So what happens if Japan needs cash and starts selling Treasuries?

The global financial system is currently experiencing subtle yet profound shifts that could redefine wealth preservation for years to come.

Recent movements in foreign exchange markets—specifically an unprecedented intervention by the United States to support the Japanese yen—have signaled deeper structural vulnerabilities within the international monetary framework. What initially appeared to be a routine diplomatic or financial courtesy is, upon closer inspection, a strategic move driven by mutual economic survival.

Understanding these macroeconomic developments requires looking beyond daily headlines to examine the interconnected mechanisms of sovereign debt, foreign reserves, and global currency stability.

In a rare move not seen on this scale in over three decades, monetary authorities in the United States recently intervened in currency markets to help stabilize the Japanese yen. By liquidating a portion of its euro reserves, the U.S. actively supported Japan’s currency, which has been under severe downward pressure due to widening interest rate differentials.

This intervention was not merely an act of international goodwill. Japan is currently the largest foreign holder of U.S. sovereign debt. However, with a domestic debt load roughly double the size of its economy, Japan faces immense pressure to defend its currency. Without external support, Japan would likely be forced to liquidate significant holdings of U.S. Treasuries to raise the capital necessary to back the yen.

The prospect of Japan selling off massive tranches of U.S. government debt presents a serious challenge for Washington. The U.S. bond market relies heavily on consistent demand from foreign central banks to absorb its ongoing debt issuance. If major buyers like Japan pause their purchases—or actively flood the secondary market with existing Treasuries—it creates a supply-and-demand imbalance.

When demand for sovereign debt falls, bond yields (and consequently, interest rates) must rise to attract new buyers. Higher interest rates increase borrowing costs across the entire economy, from mortgage rates to corporate debt, while simultaneously making it far more expensive for the U.S. government to service its own national debt, which is fast approaching the $40 trillion threshold.

To prevent rates from spiking uncontrolled, the Federal Reserve could ultimately be forced to intervene as the buyer of last resort, expanding its balance sheet and potentially accelerating inflationary pressures.

For decades, the U.S. dollar has enjoyed the distinct advantage of being the world’s primary reserve currency. This global demand for dollars has effectively exported domestic inflation, allowing the U.S. to carry high levels of public debt without immediate, runaway price increases at home.

However, as global trade patterns evolve and geopolitical dynamics shift, trust in the long-term stability of fiat-based debt systems is being tested. Central banks around the world are increasingly scrutinizing the risks associated with holding large reserves of foreign sovereign debt. When national debts balloon without a clear path toward fiscal balance, global confidence in the purchasing power of paper currencies naturally wanes.

As international confidence in traditional fiat models faces headwinds, central banks and institutional investors are quietly reallocating capital. Rather than relying solely on paper assets and sovereign debt, there is a growing pivot toward tangible, non-counterparty assets—most notably physical gold.

Physical precious metals have historically served as a foundational hedge during periods of monetary transition and currency debasement. Unlike sovereign bonds, physical gold carries no credit risk and cannot be diluted through monetary expansion. The systemic shifts currently taking place highlight the importance of risk management and portfolio diversification outside of purely dollar-denominated financial instruments.

The recent currency interventions and bond market tensions serve as an early warning signal of broader structural adjustments within global finance. As debt levels rise and traditional currency relationships face stress, proactive financial planning becomes essential for safeguarding capital. Diversifying into physical assets and reducing over-reliance on a single currency system remain prudent strategies for navigating an uncertain economic landscape.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 Japan Just Forced the U.S. Into an Impossible Choice

00:55 Japan Is the Largest Foreign Holder of U.S. Debt

01:55 Why the Dollar’s Reserve Status Matters

02:24 The Debt Doom Loop Is Accelerating

03:52 What Happens If Japan Starts Selling U.S. Treasuries?

04:50 Why the U.S. Currency Intervention Was So Unusual

05:49 The Bigger Threat: Other Countries Could Follow

07:17 The U.S. Is Running Out of Good Options

08:42 Why Physical Gold and Silver Matter

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

Seeds of Wisdom RV and Economics Updates Wednesday Afternoon 8-12-26

Good Afternoon Dinar Recaps,

Cooling Inflation, Rising Debt Costs: The Fed Faces a New Policy Dilemma

U.S. inflation is easing toward the Federal Reserve’s target while record government interest costs increasingly complicate the path for monetary and fiscal policy.

OVERVIEW

• U.S. inflation is cooling: July CPI eased to 3.4%, while core CPIfell to 2.5%, strengthening the case for the Federal Reserve to avoid additional tightening.

• The debt burden is moving in the opposite direction: Interest payments on U.S. public debt have reached approximately $1.37 trillion over the past year, creating increasing pressure on the federal budget.

• The emerging dilemma is becoming more important: Lower inflation could give the Fed room to hold or eventually reduce rates, but high borrowing costs and record debt-service expenses make the cost of maintaining restrictive rates increasingly significant.

KEY DEVELOPMENTS

1. July Inflation Shows Further Cooling

The latest CPI data provide evidence that underlying inflation pressures are moderating. Headline CPI rose 3.4% year-over-year, down from 3.5% in June, while the monthly increase was just 0.1%.

Core CPI, which excludes food and energy, declined to 2.5%, its lowest level since February 2026. That remains above the Fed’s 2% target, but the direction is favorable for policymakers.

2. The Fed May Have More Room to Hold Rates Steady

The softer inflation reading has reduced expectations for another immediate rate increase. Market expectations are increasingly shifting toward the possibility that the Federal Reserve holds rates steady rather than tightening further.

If additional inflation reports confirm the trend, policymakers could eventually have greater flexibility to consider lower rates. However, the Fed must balance that possibility against the risk that inflation could remain above target.

3. U.S. Debt-Interest Costs Hit Another Record

While inflation is moving lower, the government's cost of servicing its debt is moving higher.

U.S. public-debt interest expenses have reached approximately $1.37 trillion over the past year, with interest payments reportedly increasing 10.5% year-over-year.

The average interest rate on marketable U.S. debt was approximately 3.411% as of June 2026, illustrating why even modest changes in borrowing costs can have enormous fiscal consequences.

4. Debt Service Could Become a Larger Budget Constraint

If current trends continue, annual federal interest expenses could eventually surpass Social Security as the largest individual component of federal spending.

That does not mean such an outcome is inevitable, but it highlights the structural problem: as older, lower-rate Treasury debt matures and is refinanced at higher rates, the government's interest burden can continue rising even without a dramatic increase in total debt.

5. Markets Must Reconcile Two Opposing Signals

The financial system is therefore receiving two very different signals.

Inflation is providing the Fed with greater policy flexibility, while the enormous stock of outstanding government debt makes higher interest rates increasingly expensive for the Treasury.

That tension could become increasingly important as investors assess the future direction of Treasury yields, federal borrowing, monetary policy and the dollar.

WHY IT MATTERS

The significance extends beyond the latest CPI report.

For the economy, cooling inflation improves household purchasing power and reduces pressure on businesses and consumers. But elevated government interest costs divert increasing amounts of federal revenue toward servicing existing obligations rather than funding other priorities.

For financial markets, the combination creates a difficult pricing environment. Investors must determine whether declining inflation will eventually produce lower interest rates or whether the scale of government borrowing will keep pressure on Treasury yields.

For Federal Reserve policy, the situation is particularly complicated. The Fed wants inflation to return sustainably to 2%, but maintaining restrictive rates for too long also increases the government's financing costs and can tighten financial conditions across the economy.

For the global financial system, the issue is even larger because U.S. Treasury securities remain a core component of global reserves, collateral markets and international investment portfolios.

WHY IT MATTERS TO FOREIGN CURRENCY HOLDERS

• Dollar value: Changes in U.S. interest-rate expectations can influence global demand for dollars and affect exchange rates.

• Purchasing power: Lower inflation could support U.S. purchasing power, while continued fiscal deficits and rising debt-service costs create longer-term concerns about monetary and fiscal stability.

• Capital flows: Investors may continue moving capital toward U.S. assets if Treasury yields remain attractive, but persistent fiscal pressures could eventually influence how global investors allocate reserves.

• Exchange rates: A shift from expectations of higher U.S. rates toward eventual rate reductions could change relative currency valuations and alter capital flows between the dollar and other major currencies.

IMPLICATIONS FOR THE GLOBAL RESET

• Pillar 1: Debt

The clearest structural signal is the growing cost of servicing U.S. government debt. $1.37 trillion in annual interest expense demonstrates how the level of outstanding debt interacts with interest rates to create a rapidly expanding fiscal obligation.

This is important to the broader financial system because the U.S. Treasury market serves as a foundation for global borrowing, collateral and reserve management. Rising debt-service costs therefore represent more than a domestic budget issue.

• Pillar 2: Assets

The relationship between inflation, interest rates and Treasury yields directly affects the valuation of bonds, equities, currencies, gold and other major assets.

If inflation continues falling, markets may increasingly anticipate lower rates, potentially supporting bonds and rate-sensitive assets. But if investors become more concerned about the sustainability of U.S. borrowing, Treasury yields could remain elevated even as inflation declines.

That tension is an important structural signal for global asset allocation.

CONCLUSION

The latest economic data present a striking contrast: inflation is moving in the direction the Federal Reserve wants, while the cost of America's debt is moving in the opposite direction.

That creates a growing policy dilemma. Lower inflation gives the Fed greater flexibility, but the enormous size of the federal debt means that prolonged high interest rates carry increasingly significant fiscal consequences.

The important question is no longer simply whether inflation is falling. Markets must also determine how the United States manages its debt burden while maintaining confidence in the Treasury market and the dollar.

The financial system is entering a period where the cost of money and the cost of debt can no longer be viewed separately.

Seeds of Wisdom Team
Newshounds News™ Exclusive

SOURCES

• Crypto Briefing — "US Inflation Falls to 3.4% in July 2026"

• Crypto Briefing — "US Public Debt Interest Hits Record $1.37T"

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Seeds of Wisdom Team RV Currency Facts Youtube and Rumble

Newshound's News Telegram Room Link

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RV Updates Proof links - Facts Link

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