Business

Trump-Xi Truce Won’t Save the Dollar from the Yuan

Published

3 weeks ago

November 5, 2025

A temporary handshake in Busan cannot disguise the deeper structural erosion of dollar dominance and the steady, deliberate rise of the yuan.

When Donald Trump and Xi Jinping emerged from their October summit in Busan, markets reacted with the usual mix of relief and scepticism. Gold ticked up 1.2%, Asian equities softened, and U.S. futures wobbled—hardly the euphoric rally one might expect from what Trump called “a 12 out of 10” meeting. The deal, which paused Chinese rare-earth export controls and promised renewed soybean purchases, was hailed as a “historic truce” by the White House. Yet the muted market response told a deeper truth: investors know that this is theater, not transformation.

The core thesis is simple: this truce does nothing to alter the structural trajectory of global finance. The dollar’s dominance is eroding under the weight of U.S. fiscal excess and its own weaponization, while the yuan’s internationalisation—though gradual—is accelerating. The world is not waiting for Washington or Beijing to declare peace; it is already moving toward a multipolar currency order.

Table of Contents

1: The ‘Trucified’ Mirage

The Busan agreement was transactional diplomacy at its most transparent. China agreed to suspend rare-earth export controls for a year, resume large-scale agricultural imports, and ease pressure on U.S. semiconductor firms. In return, Washington halved certain tariffs and promised to “re-engage” on technology licensing. Both sides declared victory, but the underlying rivalry remains untouched.

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This is not the first time markets have been asked to celebrate a ceasefire in the U.S.-China economic war. Recall the “Phase One” deal of 2020, which promised massive Chinese purchases of U.S. goods that never fully materialised. The pattern is familiar: temporary concessions, symbolic gestures, and a brief pause in escalation. What is never addressed are the structural drivers of conflict—China’s ambition to dominate advanced technologies, Washington’s bipartisan consensus on decoupling, and the geopolitical competition stretching from the South China Sea to Africa.

The truce is a mirage because it assumes that transactional fixes can mask strategic divergence. They cannot. The U.S. is not going to stop restricting Chinese access to advanced chips, nor will Beijing abandon its push for technological self-sufficiency. Investors who mistake this truce for stability are ignoring the tectonic forces at play. The rivalry is permanent; the truce is temporary.

2: The Dollar’s Self-Inflicted Wounds

If the yuan is rising, it is not only because of Beijing’s ambition but also because of Washington’s missteps. Two structural risks stand out: fiscal profligacy and the weaponisation of the dollar.

First, the fiscal picture. U.S. federal debt has surged to over $36 trillion in 2025, according to the St. Louis Fed, up from roughly $18 trillion a decade ago. Debt-to-GDP now hovers near 125%, levels typically associated with emerging markets in crisis rather than the world’s reserve currency issuer. Investors may tolerate high debt for a time, but persistent deficits erode confidence in the dollar’s long-term purchasing power.

Second, the weaponization of the dollar has accelerated since 2014, when sanctions on Russia highlighted the risks of overreliance on the greenback. The freezing of Russian central bank reserves in 2022 was a watershed moment. Allies and adversaries alike saw that dollar assets could be rendered unusable overnight if Washington disapproved of their policies. This has spurred diversification.

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The data is clear: the dollar’s share of global foreign exchange reserves has slipped from 66% in 2015 to around 58% in 2025, according to IMF data. That decline may look modest, but in a $12 trillion reserve universe, it represents hundreds of billions shifting into euros, yen, gold, and increasingly, yuan.

The irony is that Washington’s own policies—fiscal recklessness and sanctions overreach—are accelerating the very de-dollarisation it fears. The dollar is not collapsing, but its aura of invincibility is fading.

3: The Yuan’s Quiet Ascent

While Washington undermines its own currency, Beijing is methodically building the yuan’s global footprint. This is not a frontal assault on dollar hegemony but a patient campaign of incremental gains.

Consider trade settlement. According to DW, nearly one-third of China’s $6.2 trillion trade in 2025 is now settled in yuan, up from just 20% in 2022. This shift is particularly pronounced in energy: Chinese refiners are increasingly paying for Russian oil and Middle Eastern gas in yuan, bypassing the dollar entirely.

Financial infrastructure is another front. The Cross-Border Interbank Payment System (CIPS), Beijing’s alternative to SWIFT, now processes trillions in annual transactions. While still smaller than SWIFT, it provides a sanctions-proof channel for yuan payments. At the same time, the digital yuan is being piloted in cross-border settlements, offering a programmable, state-backed alternative to dollar clearing.

Foreign holdings of yuan assets are also climbing. SWIFT data shows the yuan recently overtook the Japanese yen to become the fourth most-used currency in global payments, with a record 4.6% share. That may seem small compared to the dollar’s 40%+ share, but the trajectory is unmistakable.

The constraint, of course, remains China’s capital account controls. Beijing is unwilling to fully liberalize for fear of destabilizing capital flight. Yet even within these limits, yuan internationalization is advancing. Currency swaps with over 40 central banks, commodity contracts priced in yuan, and the steady rise of yuan-denominated bonds in Hong Kong all point to a currency whose global role is expanding, not retreating.

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The yuan will not replace the dollar tomorrow. But its ascent is relentless—and irreversible.

4: The Path to a Multipolar Currency World

The real story is not a binary contest between dollar and yuan but the emergence of a multipolar currency system. The euro remains a formidable reserve currency, accounting for roughly 20% of global reserves. Emerging markets are increasingly settling trade in local currencies, while BRICS+ nations are openly discussing alternatives to the dollar in energy trade. The yuan is the most dynamic challenger, but it is part of a broader trend: the fragmentation of global finance into overlapping blocs. The unipolar dollar era is ending; the multipolar era is beginning.

Conclusion

The Trump-Xi truce is a headline, not a turning point. The forces reshaping global finance are structural, not cyclical. America’s debt addiction and sanctions diplomacy are eroding trust in the dollar, while China’s deliberate yuan strategy is bearing fruit. The result will not be a sudden dethronement but a gradual rebalancing toward a multipolar currency world.

Policymakers in Washington may celebrate temporary truces, but investors should look past the photo ops. The dollar’s dominance is no longer guaranteed. The yuan’s rise is not a question of if, but how fast.

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Aviation

LAX Passenger Volume Surge Today, Nov 23: Exploring the 500% Increase

Published

4 days ago

November 23, 2025

Abdul Rahman

If you are reading this from the floor of Terminal 4 near the American Airlines check-in, I’m sorry. If you are reading this from the comfort of your couch, stay there.

Today, November 23, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) isn’t just busy; it is a kinetic experiment in human density. Early reports and viral social media metrics are tossing around a staggering figure: a 500% increase in passenger volume. While the statisticians will eventually smooth that number out against year-over-year averages, the feeling on the ground is undeniable.

We aren’t just seeing a holiday rush. We are witnessing a “perfect storm” of logistics, psychology, and policy collision.

Table of Contents

The “Why”: Anatomy of a Super-Surge

To understand why the 500% figure feels real, you have to look at the calendar. We are sandwiched between two massive pressure points.

The Post-Shutdown Rebound: We are barely ten days out from the end of the 43-day government shutdown. For over a month, flight restrictions and FAA staffing shortages throttled capacity. Today represents the breaking of that dam. The “500%” isn’t just normal traffic; it’s the release of six weeks of pent-up business and leisure travel that was artificially suppressed until mid-November.
Thanksgiving Proximity: It is the Sunday before Thanksgiving. Historically, this is a “yellow alert” day, ramping up to the “red alert” of Wednesday. But combined with the post-shutdown floodgates, today has effectively become the busiest travel day of the decade.
The Infrastructure Gap: Construction on the Central Terminal Area curbside improvement just began. This means lanes are closed exactly when volume is quintupling.

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The Reality Check: A Terminal-by-Terminal Breakdown

The raw numbers (82 million Americans traveling this week) are abstract. The reality at LAX today is visceral.

The Loop (World Way): It is currently a parking lot. The “horseshoe” design of LAX, finalized in an era when a 500% surge was mathematically impossible, is failing. Ride-shares are cancelling en masse because they simply cannot enter the central terminal area without losing an hour of revenue.
TSA Checkpoints: This is where the “500% surge” hits hardest. With TSA staffing still restabilizing post-shutdown, PreCheck lines are bleeding into general boarding. The unspoken social contract of the airport queue is fraying.
The Lounge Economy: Even the sanctuaries are overrun. The Delta Sky Club and the Star Alliance Lounge are reportedly operating “one-in, one-out” policies. When you can’t even buy your way out of the crowd, you know the system is saturated.

The Verdict: Is This the New Normal?

Is the “500% increase” a fluke or a forecast?

My verdict is that this is a warning shot. The aviation industry has been celebrating the “return to travel” since 2022, but today proves we have returned with a vengeance that our infrastructure cannot handle. We are trying to pour a gallon of water into a shot glass.

If you are traveling today, you are not a passenger; you are a participant in a logistical stress test. The infrastructure is crumbling not under neglect, but under sheer, unpredicted demand. The “Revenge Travel” narrative was supposed to end last year; instead, it has mutated into “Habitual Travel,” where flyers are willing to endure almost any level of friction to move.

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Survival Guide: Navigating the Surge

If you must fly out of LAX in the next 24 hours, standard advice no longer applies.

Abandon the Loop: Do not get dropped off at your terminal. It is a trap. Get dropped off at the LAX-it lot or a nearby hotel (like the Hyatt Regency) and walk. The 15-minute walk will save you 45 minutes of gridlock.
Digital Sentry: Watch your flight status like a hawk. With this volume, one delayed inbound aircraft creates a domino effect that will wipe out the entire evening board.
Pack Patience (and Snacks): The food court lines are currently longer than the security lines. If you didn’t bring food, you are fasting.

The bottom line: The 500% surge is real in impact, if not in exactitude. Today, LAX is not an airport; it is a city under siege. Proceed with caution, and if you can, maybe wait until Tuesday.

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Startups

🌐 The Global Blockchain Show 2025 Is Coming to Abu Dhabi – December 10–11, 2025

Published

7 days ago

November 20, 2025

Abdul Rahman

The blockchain world is converging in Abu Dhabi this December for one of the most anticipated Web3 events of the year: the Global Blockchain Show 2025, taking place December 10–11, 2025. With over 7,000+ attendees, 250+ global speakers, and 350+ pioneering companies, this summit promises to be a powerhouse of innovation, networking, and strategic insight globalblockchainshow.com Cointelegraph.

Table of Contents

🚀 A Premier Web3 & Crypto Conference

Organized by VAP Group and powered by Times of Blockchain, the Global Blockchain Show is more than just a conference—it’s a launchpad for the future of decentralized technology. Held at a world-class venue in Abu Dhabi, the event will spotlight the UAE’s bold leap into blockchain adoption across government, enterprise, and finance Cointelegraph.

🔍 What to Expect

1. Global Thought Leadership

Hear from 250+ blockchain pioneers, founders, and policy shapers driving the next wave of innovation. Topics will span:

Web3 infrastructure
Tokenization and DeFi
Blockchain regulation and compliance
Enterprise integration and smart contracts

2. Elite Networking

Rub shoulders with:

Top-tier investors
Tech giants
Startups and developers
Government officials and regulators

This is your chance to forge partnerships that could shape the next decade of blockchain evolution.

3. Immersive Exhibitions

Explore cutting-edge solutions from 350+ companies showcasing the latest in crypto, NFTs, metaverse, and enterprise blockchain applications.

🌍 Why Abu Dhabi?

Abu Dhabi is rapidly emerging as a global blockchain hub, with progressive regulation, strong institutional support, and a thriving tech ecosystem. The city’s commitment to digital transformation makes it the perfect host for a summit of this scale and ambition.

🎯 Who Should Attend?

This event is ideal for:

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Blockchain founders and developers
Crypto investors and analysts
Web3 startups and entrepreneurs
Government and enterprise leaders
Legal and compliance professionals

Whether you’re building the next unicorn or shaping policy, the Global Blockchain Show offers unparalleled access to insights, capital, and community.

📅 Save the Date

Global Blockchain Show 2025
🗓️ Dates: December 10–11, 2025
📍 Location: Abu Dhabi, UAE

Ready to be part of the future?
Visit the official website to register, explore the agenda, and secure your spot among the world’s top blockchain minds globalblockchainshow.com.

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Events

🌍 World School Summit 2026 – Malaysia

Published

7 days ago

November 20, 2025

Abdul Rahman

34th Edition | 24th January, 2026

Table of Contents

Introduction

Education is evolving faster than ever, and the leaders shaping tomorrow’s schools must stay ahead of global trends. The World School Summit, now in its 34th edition, is set to take place in Malaysia on 24th January, 2026. This prestigious gathering will unite the world’s top educators, school owners, principals, directors, and institutional leaders for a transformative day of learning, networking, and collaboration.

Why the World School Summit Matters

The summit is more than just an event—it’s a global platform for innovation in education. With participants from across continents, the summit fosters dialogue on the most pressing challenges and opportunities facing schools today.

Key highlights include:

🌐 Global Networking: Connect with principals, directors, and school owners from diverse regions.
💡 Thought Leadership: Hear from pioneering educators and experts on the future of learning.
📈 Strategic Insights: Explore new models of school management, leadership, and institutional growth.
🤝 Collaborative Opportunities: Build partnerships that extend beyond borders.

Who Should Attend

The World School Summit is designed for:

Principals and School Leaders
Directors and School Owners
Educators and Teachers
School Management Professionals
Education Institutes and Policy Makers

Whether you’re leading a single institution or shaping national education policy, this summit offers actionable strategies and global perspectives to elevate your impact.

Malaysia: The Perfect Host

Malaysia, with its rich cultural diversity and growing reputation as a hub for international education, provides the ideal backdrop for this global summit. Attendees will not only gain professional insights but also experience the country’s vibrant culture and hospitality.

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Looking Ahead

As the 34th edition of the World School Summit, this event builds on decades of success, continually adapting to the changing landscape of education. The 2026 summit promises to be one of the most impactful yet, setting the tone for the future of schools worldwide.