On August 4th, 2025, VinUniversity hosted a seminar entitled “USD Hegemony, Bitcoin, Central Bank Digital Currency, and the Geopolitics of Money.” The event was held in Room I.201 and livestreamed via Zoom to enable broader academic participation. Led by Associate Professor Bibi Samuele, the seminar drew a diverse audience of students, researchers, and professionals interested in international finance and monetary affairs.

Seminar Highlights

Assoc. Prof. Samuele delivered a concise yet comprehensive overview of the USD’s ascent to global dominance since World War II, emphasizing its current share of 90% of global foreign exchange transactions and its pivotal role in international trade, particularly in oil, commodities, and raw materials. This supremacy, he noted, reinforces both the United States’ economic power and its geopolitical influence.

He examined the geopolitical risks associated with USD hegemony through case studies of Venezuela, Iran, and Russia—nations excluded from the SWIFT payment system—highlighting the vulnerabilities of economies dependent on the dollar. The discussion then turned to emerging challenges in the 21st century, notably from cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and multi-currency Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs), which facilitate cross-border payments without USD intermediation.

Acknowledgements

We sincerely thank Dr. Le Duy Anh for his coordination and support, and Assoc. Prof. Samuele for his insightful presentation, which deepened our understanding of the nexus between currency, technology, and geopolitics, and inspired new avenues for research and practice.

Our gratitude also goes to all students, researchers, and attendees whose active engagement and thoughtful dialogue made this seminar a truly enriching and memorable experience—one that will continue to inspire scholarly collaboration in the digital age.

SOME MEMORABLE MOMENTS FROM THE EVENT