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The BRICS countries are moving away from the US dollar as the currency that settles international transactions, and gold is an integral part of the new settlement mechanism.
The Unit
On Oct. 31, 2025, researchers launched a pilot to test a gold-anchored settlement “Unit” inside the 10-member BRICS+ bloc of countries, which includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates.
This was followed by a Unit prototype launched on Dec. 8.
The four original BRICS members were Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The six additional countries were invited to become BRICS members following the 2023 BRICS Summit.
The Unit is a “digital trade currency” pilot created for settlement between BRICS economies. The initiative came from IRIAS, the International Research Institute for Advanced Systems.
Importantly, the Unit does not replace national currencies. Rather, it aims to act as a neutral settlement tool that reduces reliance on the US dollar in trade between BRICS economies.
- The BRICS Unit is a gold-anchored digital trade currency designed for cross-border settlement.
- Its launch coincides with record public anxiety about dollar debasement, as shown in Google Trends data shared by Bloomberg.
- The prototype uses a 40% gold and 60% BRICS-currency basket that adjusts daily.
- The pilot signals a structural move toward de-dollarization and strengthens long-term global demand for gold.
Why are the BRICS doing this?
Regarding bullet point two, CCN says public interest in dollar debasement has reached a new peak. It cites Google Trends data shared by Bloomberg Opinion that shows an unprecedented spike in searches for the term during the last quarter of 2025.
There are several reasons why the BRICS created the Unit to trade without the dollar. Members face sanctions, high dollar borrowing costs, and volatility tied to US monetary policy.
The Unit would allow them to settle trade without using US banks; store value using gold instead of foreign currency reserves; reduce exposure to dollar liquidity shocks and build a monetary framework independent of Western systems.
Macro trends driving the initiative include US deficit spending, with heavy borrowing raising doubts about the dollar’s long-term strength; geopolitical fragmentation, with rival blocs seeking options beyond dollar-based systems; elevated inflation which is pushing capital into more stable assets; declining purchasing power, with many currencies losing value faster than wages or savings can keep up; and rising gold demand, with central banks continuing to increase their reserves.
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