India’s central bank (RBI) has proposed linking the central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) of BRICS nations — Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa — to make cross-border trade and tourism payments more efficient.
This proposal is poised to be put on the agenda for the 2026 BRICS summit that India will host later this year if approved.
Key Details
The idea is to connect each member’s digital currency so transactions between them can happen directly rather than routing via the U.S. dollar system, which could reduce dollar dependency in international settlements.
While the major BRICS members have pilot CBDC programs, none has fully launched yet; linking them would be a historic step toward interoperability.
The proposal builds on a 2025 BRICS declaration that called for better payment-system interoperability among member states.
🌍 Geopolitical Angle
U.S. officials have warned that moves perceived as bypassing the dollar might draw criticism; former U.S. President Donald Trump previously labeled the BRICS alliance “anti-American.”
Achieving true technical and governance alignment among the varied BRICS economies remains a significant challenge before such a link could be operational.
📌 What This Means for Crypto
While this announcement isn’t about any particular token like $ARPA, $ROSE, or $BERA directly, greater CBDC interoperability and cross-border settlement innovation could influence broader digital asset infrastructure over time — particularly in areas like cross-border payments where crypto projects often compete or integrate.
Proposals like this sometimes ignite FOMO narratives around payments-focused cryptos, but it’s important to differentiate policy discussions from actual adoption or integration events.$ROSE $BERA #WriteToEarnUpgrade
