Research Seminar with Assoc. Prof. Bibi Samuele: USD Hegemony, Bitcoin, Central Bank Digital Currency, and the Geopolitics of Money

We are pleased to invite you to a research seminar titled “USD Hegemony, Bitcoin, Central Bank Digital Currency, and the Geopolitics of Money”, presented by Assoc.Prof Bibi Samuele

Location: Room I.201, VinUniversity

Date and Time: 16:00 – 17:00, August 4th, 2025 (Monday)

Seminar Overview

Since the end of World War II, the US dollar (USD) has risen to dominate the international monetary and financial system, now involved in nearly 90% of global foreign exchange transactions. Its central role in trade—particularly in oil, commodities, and strategic goods—has reinforced both the economic and geopolitical power of the United States. Yet, this dominance also carries risks and tensions. Recent decades have underscored how USD hegemony can be weaponized, as seen in sanctions imposed on countries like Venezuela, Iran, and Russia through the US dollar-dominated SWIFT system.

In the 21st century, however, new digital currencies are reshaping this landscape. Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies have introduced the possibility of global transactions beyond USD dependency. At the same time, the development of multi-currency Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) offers governments an alternative route for cross-border payments, reducing reliance on the dollar. This seminar will examine both the geopolitical implications of USD supremacy and the transformative potential of digital currencies. By analyzing the opportunities and challenges posed by Bitcoin and CBDCs, it aims to shed light on the future of money in an increasingly multipolar world.

About the Speaker

Assoc. Prof. Bibi Samuele is a Macro-Development Economist with a pluralist perspective, whose research focuses on financial, monetary, and structural dynamics in developing and emerging economies. His work explores how cross-border capital flows, trade structures, and currency internationalization shape macroeconomic and monetary policies, as well as their implications for development finance and external vulnerabilities. Drawing from Post Keynesian theory and Latin American Structuralism, he provides critical insights into the hierarchical nature of the global monetary and financial system.

He has published in leading journals such as the Cambridge Journal of Economics, Development and Change, and the Journal of Post Keynesian Economics. Beyond academia, Assoc. Prof. Samuele has presented his research at major international institutions including the Central Bank of Peru, the Ministry of Economics and Finance of Peru, the Central Bank of Kazakhstan, and UNCTAD. As an active member of academic organizations like PKES and IIPPE, he seeks to bridge economic theory with pressing global issues. His expertise makes him particularly well-positioned to discuss USD hegemony, Bitcoin, Central Bank Digital Currencies, and the evolving geopolitics of money in this seminar.

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