Dollar, euro, ruble, yuan, yen, pound, franc. The world of money is full of names. When traveling, you exchange rubles for lira, then for dirhams, then for bаты. Why can't there be one currency for everyone? It's convenient. But behind every piece of paper is sovereignty, history, economic policy, and a bit of magic. Let's figure out where different money came from, why it is needed, and why the dollar is still the main one, but not eternal.

Why can't there be one currency for everyone

The idea of a single world currency is as old as the world itself. Keynes proposed it in the 1940s. But there are three big problems. The first is sovereignty. Each country wants to manage its economy. To issue as much money as needed, to raise the rate, to devalue in a crisis. If there is a single currency, then all these levers go to a supranational body. Countries are not ready.

The second is the different level of economies. Germany and Greece have the same currency - the euro. But Germany is richer and more efficient. It turns out that Germans subsidize Greeks. In a single world currency, poor countries would drag rich ones down, and the rich would not want to share.

The third is crises. If the currency is common, then in a crisis in one country, it spreads to all at once. You can't devalue, you can't print money alone. You can only tighten your belt and wait for help from neighbors. The Eurozone experienced this in 2010-2015. Painfully.

Therefore, 180 countries - 180 currencies. Plus local ones: the dollar in Zimbabwe, the euro in Montenegro, the Russian ruble in Abkhazia. It turns out a mess, but it's alive.

How currencies appear

Each currency has its own history of birth. Often - together with the state. Proclaimed independence - you need your own money. Print it. But it can be otherwise. The euro appeared not with a new state, but with a treaty between old ones. 1999 year - cashless euro, 2002 - coins and banknotes. Immediately 12 countries refused to use their marks, francs, lire. Painfully, but survived.

The US dollar appeared in 1792. Before that, Spanish coins were used. The ruble has a history since the 13th century, but the modern one is after the devaluation of 1998. The yuan - since 1948, after the Communist revolution. The pound sterling - one of the oldest, since 775.

There are phantom currencies. For example, the Zimbabwean dollar. Due to hyperinflation, they printed a note of 100 trillion dollars. Now it is not in circulation, the country uses the US dollar and the yuan. There are currencies tied to another currency (for example, the Danish krone is tightly tied to the euro). There are currencies that hang in the air - they are issued, but almost not used, all calculations are in dollars.

Dollar: why it's the main one

The US dollar is the world's reserve currency. About 60 percent of global reserves are in dollars. 80 percent of international contracts (oil, gas, gold) are denominated in dollars. Why? History.

After World War II, the United States was the only undamaged economy. Gold reserves - 2/3 of the world's. At the Bretton Woods Conference in 1944, it was agreed: the dollar is exchanged for gold (35 dollars per ounce), and all other currencies - for the dollar. So the dollar became "world gold". In 1971, Nixon canceled the conversion of the dollar to gold. But the dollar had already been deeply rooted, so it continued to be used out of habit and because of trust.

Plus, the United States is the largest economy, a stable political system (relatively), a huge capital market. It's convenient to trade in dollars, it's easy to get them, they are liquid. Even enemies of the United States keep reserves in dollars because there is no alternative.

But the share of the dollar is falling. In the 1970s, it was 85 percent of reserves, now 60. China, Russia, BRICS countries are actively looking for alternatives.

Euro: the main competitor

The euro is the second most important reserve currency. About 20 percent of global reserves. The Eurozone consists of 20 countries, 350 million people. The economy is roughly equal to that of the United States.

The euro appeared as a political project: to unite Europe with a common currency, so that we would never forget about wars. Economically, it was risky. The German mark was too strong, the Italian lira - too weak. When they were united, they got problems. Germany became the locomotive, Greece - the ballast.

The crisis of 2009-2015 almost destroyed the Eurozone. Greece, Ireland, Portugal, Spain were on the brink of default. They were saved by loans, but had to introduce strict austerity measures. People went to the streets.

Nevertheless, the euro survived. Now it is firmly in second place. The euro is used even outside the EU: Montenegro, Kosovo, Andorra, San Marino, Vatican. Euro banknotes can be found in Africa (former French colonies tied the CFA franc to the euro). But the euro cannot fully replace the dollar: Europe does not have such military power and such a debt market.

Ruble: history of ups and downs

The Russian ruble is the 18th largest reserve currency in the world (less than 1 percent). But for Russians, it is the main one. Its history is like a seesaw. 1992 year - hyperinflation, the ruble depreciated 2500 times. 1998 year - default, the ruble fell by 4 times in a month. 2014 year - collapse due to oil and sanctions, the exchange rate fell by half. 2022 year - a new collapse (more than 100 rubles per dollar), then strengthening due to control over capital.

The ruble is a volatile currency. It is strongly dependent on the price of oil and gas, sanctions, and geopolitics. Plus - closed: due to sanctions, it is difficult to exchange the ruble for other currencies, dollar transfers through SWIFT are blocked.

Nevertheless, the ruble is alive. Inside the country, it serves a huge economy. There are plans to make the ruble a reserve currency for the Eurasian Union, but it is weak. Negotiations are underway with China and India on settlements in rubles and yuan instead of the dollar. If it succeeds, the share of the ruble will increase. But far from global dominance as in the Soviet Union.

Yuan: a rising star

The Chinese yuan (or renminbi) is the currency of the second-largest economy in the world. Its share in global reserves is about 3 percent and is growing slowly. Why not more? China has not fully converted the yuan. The state controls the exchange rate, limits the outflow of capital, does not allow the yuan to float freely. This hinders its use in international settlements.

But China is actively promoting the yuan. It pays for imports in yuan, issues loans to countries in Africa and Asia in yuan, launched its own payment system CIPS (an alternative to SWIFT). In 2016, the IMF included the yuan in the SDR basket - a symbolic recognition.

Many experts predict that in 10-20 years the yuan will become the third reserve currency after the dollar and the euro. But it is far from the first place: the United States will not give up the leadership without a fight, and the Chinese economy depends on exports, and a strong yuan is not beneficial for it.

Nevertheless, for Russian business, the yuan has already become an important currency. In 2023-2026, settlements in yuan between Russia and China have increased by tens of times.

Other significant currencies

The Japanese yen is the third largest reserve currency (about 5 percent). Japan is the largest creditor in the world, the yen is considered a "safe haven" in crises. The pound sterling is an old good currency, the fourth largest in reserves (about 4.5 percent). London is a financial center, the pound is convenient for operations. The Swiss franc is a currency for the rich, considered the most stable. Switzerland is a neutral country, its banks are trusted more than many states.

The Canadian and Australian dollars are commodity currencies. They rise when oil, gas, and ore prices rise. They are narrowly specialized, but convenient for hedging.

The Indian rupee is a growing giant. India is the fifth largest economy in the world, but the rupee is still closed, little used outside the country. However, the potential is huge.

Cryptocurrencies - bitcoin, etherium - are not national currencies (except in El Salvador, where bitcoin is a legal means of payment). But they affect the world of money, create an alternative to states.

How countries protect their currencies

Central banks do three main things. The first is to manage the rate. If the rate is high, the currency appreciates (it is profitable to keep money in this country). If it is low - it depreciates (it stimulates the economy, but causes capital outflow). The second is currency interventions. If the currency falls, the central bank sells dollars from reserves and buys its own currency, raising its exchange rate. If it rises too fast - on the contrary, it buys dollars and sells its own, reducing the growth.

The third is currency restrictions. They prohibit the export of their own currency abroad, require the sale of currency proceeds, limit the purchase of cash dollars. This is not a market method, but it saves in a crisis.

An example is Russia after 2022: exporters were required to sell currency, the withdrawal of cash was limited, transfers abroad were prohibited without special permission. The ruble strengthened. Then the restrictions were lifted - the ruble fell.

Each country has its own toolkit. The United States has the printing press and the status of a reserve currency. China has currency control and state banks. Europe has a common rate, but not a common fiscal policy, which weakens the euro.

What's in the future: will national currencies disappear

In the next 30 years - no. National currencies are too convenient for states to give them up. But there are trends. The first is central bank digital currencies (CBDC). China has launched the digital yuan, Sweden - the digital crown, Russia is testing the digital ruble. This will not replace cash, but may simplify international settlements and reduce the share of the dollar.

The second trend is regional currencies. For example, BRICS countries are discussing the creation of a single unit of account, tied to a basket of currencies. Not cash, but for mutual settlements. This will weaken dependence on the dollar.

The third trend is dedollarization. China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Venezuela are actively looking for an alternative to the dollar. They trade in yuan, rubles, even in crypto. For now, the share of settlements in alternative currencies is small, but it is growing.

The conclusion is that the world of money will become more diverse. The dollar will remain the leader, but will no longer be a monopolist. New currency blocks will appear, possibly digital hybrids. But paper banknotes with the portraits of great people will not disappear. Because the banknote is not just a means of payment. It is a piece of history that can be put in your wallet.

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