BRICS says its door is open — and expansion could crest again at the 2026 summit in New Delhi. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told delegates at the Sherpas meeting in New Delhi that “BRICS’ door remains open,” confirming that expansion is already on the table for the 2026 summit. When pressed about a timetable, he declined to commit to any deadlines: “We could not and will not set any artificial timeframes or deadlines for such decisions. Countries that want to join the association know this.” What’s happening now - Sherpas — the government officials who prepare summit agendas and lay the groundwork for leaders’ meetings — are actively discussing how to grow the bloc and deepen cooperation with partner countries. - BRICS currently comprises 11 full members and counts 13 nations as “partner countries.” According to Ryabkov, roughly 45 countries have expressed interest in joining and taking part in decision-making. A recent history of cautious expansion - In 2024 the alliance invited six new countries, but only four accepted invitations. Argentina rejected the offer outright and Saudi Arabia pulled back, reportedly mindful of maintaining relations with Western partners amid its Vision 2030 economic reforms. Why crypto readers should pay attention - Any enlargement of BRICS could reshape trade relationships and accelerate efforts to build alternatives to traditional dollar-dominated payment channels. That, in turn, could spur interest in cross-border digital payment systems, CBDC linkages or private-sector crypto rails as members seek cheaper, faster settlement options. While concrete policy moves would depend on the new membership mix and leaders’ decisions, market observers see expansion as a variable that could affect the global payments and digital-asset landscape. Bottom line: expansion talks are active and scheduled to be part of the 2026 summit agenda, but no firm membership timeline has been set. Watch New Delhi in 2026 for whether BRICS converts current interest into new members — and what that might mean for global finance and digital payments. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

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