BRICS+ Struggles to Build Independence from the US Dollar

The bloc seeks freedom from the dollar, but remains tied to its shadow.

BRICS+ has long promised a new financial order one that frees emerging economies from the dominance of the United States dollar. From Brazil to South Africa, leaders talk about fairness, sovereignty, and the right to trade without being bound by one currency. Yet, behind these bold words, dependence still runs deep.

During the recent talks, some delegates, like from Indonesia and South Africa, admitted that leaving the dollar system isn’t as simple as it sounds. Their economies still depend on trade routes, loans, and investors that move under the dollar’s influence. Breaking away too fast could backfire, hurting growth instead of helping it. While they support the idea of independence, many quietly acknowledge that a sudden shift could hurt more than help. Developing nations still need foreign investment and access to international credit both of which remain dollar based.

Meanwhile, countries like Iran and Russia continue to face economic sanctions that push them closer to BRICS+. For them, building a financial system outside U.S. reach is not just ambition it is survival. China, on the other hand, is expanding the new development Currencies, and encouraging trade settlements in yuan. But even that effort has limits global trust in the yuan is still far behind the dollar, and economic transparency remains a concern for investors.

This shows the main challenge: BRICS+ wants freedom but still needs the structure it hopes to replace. Without a shared vision or stable currency to unite them, the bloc risks becoming more symbolic than practical. The dream of “de-dollarization” sounds revolutionary, but in practice it demands trust, integration, and sacrifice things not all members are ready for.

France, along with other big players in the un security council, has been watching the rise of BRICS+ with mixed feelings. Some western voices call it a healthy pushback against America’s dominance, while others worry it might shake the flow of global trade even more. For France, it’s less about rivalry and more about keeping balance how to support change without letting the world split into two sides again. True economic stability cannot come from replacing one dominant power with another. It must come from cooperation that allows smaller economies to stand without fear of punishment or exclusion.

The discussion in BRICS+ is, at its core, about dignity. Developing nations are no longer content to play supporting roles in a play written by others. They want to write their own script but still within a world where the dollar sets the stage. The path forward isn’t about rejecting globalization but reshaping it into something fairer. Through regional cooperation, better lending rules, and steady diversification, BRICS+ might move closer to real independence. But that future won’t be built by statements alone it depends on trust, both among the members themselves and with the rest of the world. Replacing the dollar isn’t just an economic plan it’s also a political test and a question of patience. For now, that dream of financial freedom still floats somewhere between hope and reality. The question is whether BRICS+ will have the patience and unity to cross that distance.