Seeds of Wisdom RV and Economic Updates Saturday Afternoon 3-01-25

02/03/2025

Good afternoon

RUSSIA WANTS TO REVERSE DE-DOLLARIZATION: WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE US DOLLAR?

The US dollar has always been surrounded by serious foes and enemies, the ones that want to derail its reserve currency status.

To expedite the de-dollarization concept, Russia and China have always been quite vocal about their ideas, adding how they both want to derail the US dollar hegemony by putting forth the idea of the multi-polar currency world.

This roughly sparked the promotion of local currencies on an international scale, jeopardizing the dollar’s supremacy. With the US and EU sanctioning Russia and expelling it out of the SWIFT system, Russia opted for yuan, all while promoting the narrative of de-dollarization at a rapid pace.

But now it seems that things have started to take an interesting turn, with Russia showing a softening stance against the US. What is this all about? Let’s find out.

Tables Turning Around: Trump Supporting Russia

With Donald Trump assuming the role of the US president, his ideas of bolstering the US economy via tariffs have been gaining widespread momentum. Apart from that, another significant development that has caught the world’s attention is Trump’s increased effort to conclude the ongoing Ukraine-Russia war.

The US president has often been noted stating the gruesome repercussions of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, adding that Zelensky should have made a deal to end the war earlier, showing a supportive stance towards Russia.

“I hear that they’re upset about not having a seat. Well, they’ve had a seat for three years and a long time before that. This could have been settled very easily… Russia wants to do something. They want to stop the savage barbarism.”

“You should have never started it. You could have made a deal…I could have made a deal for Ukraine… That would have given them almost all of the land, everything. Almost all of the land—and no people would have been killed, and no city would have been demolished.”

Trump earlier shared how he has the power to end the war.

“I think I have the power to end this war,” he added.

De-Dollarization To End: Russia Praises Trump

On the other hand, Russian PM Vladimir Putin has notably praised Trump’s effort to resolve the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

“Let me note that the first contacts with the American administration instill hope. They too are willing to work towards resuming our ties, solving a colossal amount of strategic problems in world architecture.”

In addition to this, Putin also acknowledged how certain external forces are trying to disrupt the budding Russian-US sense of friendship and commitment.

“I understand that not everybody is pleased with the resumption of Russian-American contacts. Some of the forces are interested in keeping hostilities, and they will try to disrupt the emerging dialogue. We will need to use all the possibilities of diplomacy and special forces to firmly defend our national interests.”

With such developments taking place, the Russia-US fostering relationship could ultimately result in a lasting resolution thwarting BRICS efforts of derailing the US dollar. This development can ultimately put a stop to the rising de-dollarization concepts and ideations.

@ Newshounds News™

Source: Watcher Guru

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RUSSIA DELAYS DIGITAL RUBLE CBDC ROLLOUT

A year ago, the Bank of Russia set July 2025 as the date for the first launch phase of its digital ruble central bank digital currency (CBDC). Now the central bank is delaying the roll out. It follows resistance from merchants, a major banking association, and its largest bank, Sber.

The big bank was excluded from the first wave of banks involved in the pilot, so it only joined this January, a year later than planned. Perhaps its inclusion was delayed to avoid it dominating trials, but that’s speculation. The reality is that six months from the first pilot to launch is rather short for a bank.

Central Bank Governor Elvira Nabiullina announced the delay at a meeting with the Association of Russian Banks (ASROS). However, she said that the pilots are progressing well.

“Our intention is to move on to the mass implementation of the digital ruble somewhat later than originally planned, namely after we have worked out all the details in the pilot and held consultations with banks on the economic model that is most attractive to their clients – for businesses, for people,” the Governor said, as reported by the Association.

The central bank first shared details about the planned business model late last year.

A new schedule has not yet been set, and the central bank did not mention the delay on its website. However, the launch postponement was also reported by the Interfax news agency.

Digital ruble: addressing bank concerns

When banks raised their concerns in the State Duma in December, they highlighted several issues. The main ones were worries about deposit outflows and the costs of implementation.

On the first point, from the start the central bank has appeared unconcerned about this impact. This may be partly because it plans a three phase rollout. Initially larger banks and merchants will join, followed by other banks and mid-sized merchants. The final phase will require non bank providers and all merchants to participate, but that will be two years later.

Regarding the expense, the banking association estimated the cost to a bank could be up to Rubles 100 million ($1.1m). The central bank says it will provide some technical elements to banks free of charge, to help smaller banks.

“For those components that are mandatory from the point of view of information security, we (will) provide these solutions to banks free of charge. This software module for embedding is created and transferred to organizations, and in three different forms, so that banks can choose the most optimal one for their landscape,” said Deputy Governor of the Bank of Russia, Zulfiya Kakhrumanova.

“We provide free cryptographic information protection tools for subordinate certification centers that are deployed by banks, and this is also a significant cost aspect for banks,” she added, according to Interfax.

@ Newshounds News™

Source: Ledger Insights

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ARIZONA APPROVES BITCOIN RESERVES, BUT WYOMING AND MONTANA ARE SAYING NO – HERE’S WHY

▪Arizona advances crypto legislation – two bills, one establishing a digital asset reserve and another focused on Bitcoin investment

▪While Arizona embraces crypto reserves, other states like Wyoming and Montana reject them due to volatility concerns.

▪Bitcoin’s recent price drop fuels skepticism, while predictions suggest federal crypto legislation is forthcoming.

Arizona is pushing ahead with cryptocurrency investment as two Bitcoin reserve bills have passed the Senate, setting the stage for final approval in the state’s House of Representatives.

While states like Wyoming and Montana are rejecting similar measures over concerns about crypto’s volatility, Arizona is doubling down on digital assets.

If these bills pass in the state’s House of Representatives, Arizona could become one of the first states to officially hold Bitcoin in its reserves.

Senate Approves Bitcoin Reserve Bills

On Feb. 27, the Arizona Senate approved the Strategic Digital Assets Reserve bill (SB 1373) in a 17-12 vote, sending it to the House for final approval. Sponsored by Republican Senator Mark Finchem, the bill aims to create a Digital Assets Strategic Reserve Fund, which will be managed by the state treasurer. The fund will include legislative appropriations and crypto assets seized by the state.

To limit risk, the treasurer would be allowed to invest no more than 10% of total fund deposits per fiscal year. However, the state could loan out digital assets to generate returns as long as it doesn’t add financial risk.

Another Bill Aims to Allow Bitcoin Investments

A second Bitcoin-related bill is also moving forward. The Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Act (SB 1025), co-sponsored by Republican Senator Wendy Rogers and Representative Jeff Weninger, passed the Senate with a 17-11 vote.

Unlike Finchem’s bill, which focuses on managing seized crypto assets, SB 1025 allows the state to invest public funds directly into Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. This signals Arizona’s growing commitment to incorporating digital assets into its financial strategy.

Crypto Legislation Gaining Momentum Nationwide

Dennis Porter, founder of Satoshi Action Fund, believes federal regulation of cryptocurrencies is inevitable. He predicts lawmakers will first regulate stablecoins, followed by broader market structure rules, and eventually, Bitcoin reserves.

While Arizona and Utah are leading the push for crypto reserves, 18 other states are still waiting for approval. However, not all states are on board—Montana, Wyoming, and others have rejected similar plans, calling Bitcoin too risky.

Trump Weighs Heavy on the Markets

Despite increasing political support for crypto, Bitcoin’s price has taken a hit. The asset dropped below $80K, and analysts fear it could fall further to $70K–$75K. Bitcoin is down 17% this week, with Trump’s tariff policies adding to market uncertainty.

Amid the panic, Michael Saylor jokingly told investors to “sell a kidney if you must, but keep the Bitcoin.” While Saylor continues to advocate for a U.S. Bitcoin reserve, the recent price drop has given skeptics more reason to doubt Bitcoin’s long-term stability.

@ Newshounds News™

Source: Coinpedia

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BITCOIN NOT FIT FOR SWISS NATIONAL BANK RESERVES, SAYS PRESIDENT

▪The Swiss National Bank president dismissed the idea of holding Bitcoin in reserves due to volatility, liquidity concerns, and security risks.

▪The SNB views cryptocurrencies as a small, volatile “niche phenomenon” unsuitable for central bank reserves.

▪A Swiss initiative is pushing for a public vote to mandate the SNB to include Bitcoin in its reserves.

The Swiss National Bank (SNB) has made its stance on Bitcoin crystal clear—it’s not interested. Despite growing global adoption and a push from Swiss crypto advocates, SNB President Martin Schlegel has firmly rejected the idea of adding Bitcoin to the bank’s reserves.

In a recent interview, he explained why digital assets don’t make the cut, pointing to volatility, liquidity concerns, and security risks.

@ Newshounds News™