Ezra's Bookshelf

Smart Money

by Brunello Rosa and Casey Larsen · 353 pages · ~6.5 hrs

EconomicsScience & TechnologyForeign Policy

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Brunello Rosa and Casey Larsen examine the rise of Central Bank Digital Currencies and their potential to reshape global finance and geopolitics. China's digital yuan leads the way, offering an alternative to the dollar-denominated system that has structured international commerce since World War II. The authors explain how CBDCs work technically, how they differ from cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, and why central banks worldwide are racing to develop them. They argue that CBDCs will enable faster, cheaper payments while also giving governments powerful new tools for surveillance and control. The geopolitical stakes are immense: if China's digital yuan gains adoption across the developing world, it could reduce dollar dominance and American financial leverage. The book examines how the U.S. and Europe are responding, the role of private stablecoins, and scenarios for how digital currency competition might unfold. For readers interested in finance, technology, or international relations, this book provides a window into changes already underway.

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