Alternative financial systems and the reshaping of global finance
Think tank: RUSI
Author(s): Kinga Redlowska; Tom Keatinge
September 16, 2025
This report from UK think tank RUSI examines why more states and other actors are turning to alternative financial systems.
A desire for autonomy, necessity, and opportunity are reshaping global financial systems and reducing longstanding Western influence and control – it’s not too late to act.
The central conclusion is that the longstanding dominance of the Western-led, US dollar-based financial system is being challenged by the accelerating development of alternative financial systems. This shift is driven by a complex interplay of motivations, actors, and technological innovation.
