The U.S. dollar has always been the top choice globally for countries to store their money. However, with recent international events like the U.S. rivalry with China, Russia’s actions in Ukraine, and arguments in the U.S. government over debt have all made people wonder, there has been many discussions whether it will remain the top currency that countries use to store their money, with some even suggesting that China’s yuan could challenge the dollar.
Nonetheless, a recent report from Morgan Stanley says otherwise, stating that the dollar is still strong and likely to remain at the top for now.
The bank highlighted that although there is no doubt that China is also a major player in the global economy, the country is dealing with what they refer to as the “3D challenge” (debt, deflation, and demographics), and this makes it hard for the yuan to compete with the dollar.
In fact, although the Chinese yuan’s share of currency reserves has been slowly increasing, estimates show it may only reach 5% by 2030, up from the current 2.3%. Thus, it is very likely that the yuan will not be able to surpass the dollar.
It is worth noting that despite initial expectations for the U.S. dollar to fall this year due to the optimistic hope of rate cuts being implemented by the Federal Reserve this year, it has been instead performing quite strongly.
One remarkable example due to such unexpected dollar strength is its recent 34-year peak against the Japanese yen, with one dollar being worth about 154 yen.
Furthermore, as a result of such unforeseen upswing in the dollar’s value has caught many market observers off guard, resulting in losses for those who had bet against the dollar.
Moreover, Morgan Stanley remarked that although concerns about the U.S. fiscal outlook and the use of economic sanctions by the U.S. government remain and may prompt some countries to seek alternatives, the barriers to replacing the dollar remain significant.
Also, although there may be periods of weakness for the dollar, driven by factors such as U.S. inflation and geopolitical tensions, Morgan Stanley stated that it expects only a gradual decline in the dollar’s international use, and this is because the currency’s influence in the global economy across various economic and financial metrics remains strong, which indeed provides a solid foundation for its continued dominance.
Morgan Stanley explains that due to the U.S. dollar’s strong influence in areas such as global currency reserves, international trade, and bank lending, even a small change in its value could have an impact on the global economy. Thus given these factors, the bank’s perception of the U.S. dollar maintaining its status as the top choice carries substantial weight and significance in the broader economic landscape.
Ultimately, although as every other asset in the financial world can have unexpected turns, the U.S dollar definitely stands as one of the most dominant and stable currencies in the global financial system for the foreseeable future, and while discussions of a potential shift in the global currency landscape may continue, the valuations such as the one from Morgan Stanley reinforces the enduring strength and stability of the U.S. dollar as the top choice for countries seeking a reliable store of value.
