BIS Debates Ending Project Eyed by Putin to Undermine Dollar
- mBridge would allow transactions without relying on dollar
- Russia, China seek alternatives as US extends sanctions’ scope
This article is for subscribers only.
The Bank for International Settlements is debating whether to shut down a pilot cross-border payments platform after Russia’s President Vladimir Putin identified the underlying technology as a tool to circumvent sanctions and potentially undermine the dollar’s dominance in the global financial system.
The mBridge project — which promises to allow sending money around the world without relying on US banks — was among topics discussed by central banks and finance chiefs at last week’s annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank in Washington, according to people informed about the talks. Shutting it down was among the options, the people added, asking not to be named discussing confidential deliberations.