Saudi Arabia’s Exit from Petrodollar Deal Marks Global Financial Shift

On Thursday, June 13th, Saudi Arabia announced its decision not to renew its 50-year petrodollar partnership with the United States, signaling a significant shift in global financial dynamics. The deal, initially signed on June 8, 1974, expired on 9 June 2024, ending a cornerstone of U.S. economic influence.

The original 1974 agreement established two joint commissions focused on economic cooperation and military needs. This partnership was instrumental in solidifying the U.S. dollar’s dominance in global oil transactions. However, Saudi Arabia’s decision allows it to sell oil in various currencies, including the Chinese renminbi, euros, yen, and potentially digital currencies like Bitcoin. This move is expected to accelerate the global shift away from the U.S. dollar.

Saudi Arabia’s participation in Project mBridge, a multi-central bank digital currency (CBDC) platform, underscores this paradigm shift. Project mBridge, initiated in 2021, involves more than 26 member countries, including the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the International Monetary Fund, and the European Central Bank. It aims to facilitate instant cross-border payments and foreign exchange transactions using distributed ledger technology.

The project’s steering committee has developed a bespoke governance and legal framework, including a rulebook tailored to its decentralized nature. This initiative reflects a collaborative effort by financial institutions such as the BIS Innovation Hub, the Bank of Thailand, the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates, the Digital Currency Institute of the People’s Bank of China, and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority.

In 2022, Project mBridge conducted a pilot with real-value transactions, and it has since evolved into a Minimum Viable Product (MVP). The project is now inviting private-sector firms to propose new solutions and use cases to further develop the platform and showcase its potential.

This shift away from the petrodollar system, established in 1972 when the U.S. decoupled its currency from gold, marks a significant transformation in global finance. Saudi Arabia’s move is expected to influence other nations to explore alternatives to the U.S. dollar, further diversifying the global financial landscape.