Sat. AM-PM Seeds of Wisdom News Update(s) 12-20-25

(Note: If you’re looking for more news regarding cryptocurrency, please visit our website Bitcoin Commando. All crypto news will be posted there. ~ Dinar Chronicles)

Seeds of Wisdom

ECB Affirms Banks Will Be Central in Distributing Digital Euro

Policy makers aim to preserve banking intermediation and financial stability as digital currency design advances

Overview

• European Central Bank officials reaffirmed that banks and payment intermediaries will distribute the digital euro, maintaining their key role in the financial system and credit intermediation. 
  
• The digital euro is being designed to avoid bank disintermediation, with holding limits, non-remuneration, and links to commercial accounts. 
  
• The ECB is progressing toward potential issuance, with regulatory approval and pilot phases targeted in the coming years. 

Key Developments

• ECB executives restated that banks will distribute the digital euro and manage customer interfaces, integrating digital euro wallets into existing banking services. 
  
• Safeguards to preserve credit intermediation include non-interest design, holding limits, and linked commercial accounts, preventing destabilising deposit outflows. 
  
• Technical design measures aim to ensure banks retain revenue from transactions and benefit from digital euro adoption through fee savings and compensated services.
  
• The ECB continues public outreach and legislative engagement, while broader EU institutions work on legal frameworks and functionality (e.g., online/offline use). 
  
• Blockchain/DLT settlement preparations and cross-border ambitions are advancing, potentially reinforcing banks’ roles within a robust payments ecosystem. 

Why It Matters

This emphasis by the ECB reflects policymakers’ desire to modernise the euro area’s payment systems without undermining traditional banking functions. By anchoring digital euro distribution through banks, the ECB aims to uphold the transmission of monetary policy, deposit-credit intermediation, and financial stability even as central bank money goes digital.

Why It Matters to Foreign Currency Holders

The design choices for the digital euro — including banks as distribution partners — will influence how digital currencies compete with cash, commercial deposits, and emerging stablecoins globally. A digital euro that preserves bank roles may stabilize demand for euro-area financial assets, support banking credit flows, and shape foreign portfolio allocations toward euro-denominated instruments.

Implications for the Global Reset

• Pillar: Public-Private Financial Integration
  Embedding a digital euro within the existing banking network bridges central bank money with private financial intermediation, supporting continuity in credit markets.
  
• Pillar: Monetary Stability & Sovereignty
  A European CBDC designed to complement banks strengthens the euro area’s monetary order while mitigating fragmentation and foreign payment dependencies.

This is not just finance — it’s how digital money will integrate with the global banking system.

Seeds of Wisdom Team
Newshounds News™ Exclusive

Sources

• ECB – The future of money: a central bank perspective
• ECB – The digital euro: maintaining the autonomy of the monetary system
• Reuters – EU Council backs digital euro with both online and offline functionality

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Russia and China Expand Joint Bomber Patrols as Strategic Pressure Builds

Evolving military cooperation signals deeper alignment against U.S.-led security architecture

Overview

• Russia and China have steadily expanded joint bomber patrols since 2019, including aircraft capable of carrying nuclear weapons.
• Patrols have moved beyond East Asia, extending into the Pacific and near Alaska, signaling a broader strategic reach.
• The cooperation reflects a deepening “partnership without limits”, aimed at counterbalancing U.S. and allied military influence.

Key Developments

• The 10th joint air patrol was conducted on December 9 near Japan, under an annual military cooperation plan between Moscow and Beijing.
  
• Russian Tu-95MS bombers (nuclear-capable) and Chinese H-6K bombers participated, operating within Japan’s and South Korea’s air defense identification zones but outside sovereign airspace.
  
• Patrol routes have expanded over time, moving from the Sea of Japan into the Philippine Sea, the Chukchi Sea, and the Bering Sea near Alaska.
  
• Patrol frequency increased starting in 2022, with Russia and China conducting two joint missions per year for the first time.
  
• Reciprocal landings at each other’s airfields in 2022 marked a milestone in operational trust and coordination.
  
• The 2024 patrol near Alaska prompted interceptions by U.S. and Canadian fighter jets, underscoring heightened geopolitical sensitivity.

Why It Matters

These patrols reinforce a visible shift toward multipolar security dynamics as Russia and China coordinate military signaling beyond their immediate regions. Even if largely symbolic, the operations challenge U.S. strategic dominance in the Pacific and normalize joint power projection outside traditional theaters.

Why It Matters to Foreign Currency Holders

Escalating military coordination between major nuclear powers increases geopolitical risk premiums across global markets. Heightened security tensions often accelerate capital movement toward neutral reserves, commodities, and alternative settlement systems—placing added pressure on fiat currencies exposed to geopolitical instability.

Implications for the Global Reset

• Pillar: Security Realignment
  Coordinated military presence weakens unilateral enforcement power and supports a multipolar balance of deterrence.
  
• Pillar: Financial Risk Repricing
  Rising geopolitical friction increases volatility, reinforcing the shift toward hard assets and non-dollar trade mechanisms.

This is not just politics — it’s global finance restructuring before our eyes.

Seeds of Wisdom Team
Newshounds News™ Exclusive

Sources

• Newsweek – “Russia and China’s Nuclear Bomber Cooperation Is Evolving”
• Independent — “US nuclear-capable bombers carry out joint drill with Japan in response to China-Russia patrols”

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BRICS Ditches Dollar for Gold as Bloc Tightens Control Over Global Supply

Gold accumulation accelerates as de-dollarization reshapes monetary power

Overview

• BRICS nations now control roughly 50% of global gold production through combined output from member and aligned countries.
  
• Russia and China lead a multi-year gold accumulation drive, systematically reducing exposure to U.S. dollar assets.
  
• Central banks purchased over 1,000 tons of gold annually from 2022–2024, marking the longest sustained buying streak in modern history.

Key Developments

• BRICS and aligned producers—including China, Russia, Brazil, South Africa, Kazakhstan, Iran, and Uzbekistan—now dominate global gold supply, shifting pricing influence away from Western markets.
  
• Collective BRICS gold reserves exceed 6,000 tons, with Russia holding approximately 2,336 tons, China 2,298 tons, and India 880 tons.
  
• Brazil resumed gold buying in September 2025, adding 16 metric tons—its first purchase since 2021—raising reserves to 145.1 tons.
  
• A BRICS gold-backed settlement instrument (“Unit”) has entered pilot phase, combining 40% physical gold and 60% member currencies, with each unit pegged to one gram of gold.
  
• Russia and China now settle nearly all bilateral trade in local currencies, accelerating de-dollarization across Eurasian trade networks.
  
• BRICS is developing a separate gold pricing benchmark, challenging dollar-based price discovery in global precious metals markets.

Why It Matters

This shift signals a structural reordering of global finance as monetary trust moves from fiat systems toward tangible reserves. By anchoring trade and reserves to gold, BRICS nations are insulating themselves from sanctions risk, dollar volatility, and Western financial leverage—undermining long-standing pillars of U.S.-led monetary dominance.

Why It Matters to Foreign Currency Holders

Foreign currency holders face rising exposure as reserve systems evolve away from dollar dependency. As gold-backed settlement mechanisms expand, currencies lacking hard-asset backing may experience declining demand, reduced liquidity, and long-term valuation pressure—particularly during future financial stress events.

Implications for the Global Reset

• Pillar: Monetary Realignment
  Gold accumulation and gold-linked settlement tools mark a transition away from fiat trust toward asset-backed credibility.
  
• Pillar: Financial Sovereignty
  Independent pricing systems and local-currency trade weaken dollar enforcement mechanisms and reshape global capital flows.

This is not just politics — it’s global finance restructuring before our eyes.

Seeds of Wisdom Team
Newshounds News™ Exclusive

Sources

• Watcher Guru – “BRICS Ditches Dollar for Gold, Bloc Now Controls 50% of Global Supply”
• World Gold Council – “Central Bank Gold Reserves and Purchasing Trends”

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Source: Dinar Recaps

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Global Trade Set to Break Records in 2025 as Flows Surge Past $35 Trillion

Goods and services expansion underscores resilience amid global restructuring

Overview

• Global trade in goods and services is on track to exceed $35 trillion in 2025, marking the highest level on record.
  
• Trade flows are expected to rise by approximately $2.2 trillion, or 7%, compared with 2024, reflecting continued expansion through the second half of the year.
  
• Services trade is growing faster than goods, highlighting structural shifts in global commerce.

Key Developments

• Trade in goods is projected to contribute roughly $1.5 trillion to overall growth, supported by resilient supply chains and continued demand.
  
• Services trade is expected to expand by about $750 billion, nearly 9%, reinforcing its rising importance in global trade flows.
  
• UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) forecasts continued growth into the fourth quarter of 2025, though at a slower pace.
  
• Quarterly growth is expected to moderate to 0.5% for goods and 2% for services, signaling stabilization rather than contraction.
  
• The sustained expansion reflects adaptive trade networks, even as geopolitical fragmentation and policy realignment persist.

Why It Matters

Record-breaking global trade levels suggest that despite geopolitical tensions, sanctions, and supply chain reconfiguration, the global economy continues to function through diversified trade corridors. This resilience supports economic activity but also masks underlying shifts in trade settlement, currency use, and regional alignment.

Why It Matters to Foreign Currency Holders

As trade volumes expand, currency demand increasingly follows trade settlement preferences rather than legacy reserve norms. Growth in services and diversified trade routes may accelerate the use of non-dollar currencies, increasing volatility and repricing risk for foreign currency holders tied to traditional trade settlement systems.

Implications for the Global Reset

• Pillar: Trade System Resilience
  Record trade volumes demonstrate that global commerce is adapting rather than collapsing, even as structures are redesigned.
  
• Pillar: Currency Realignment
  Expanding trade flows create pressure for alternative settlement mechanisms and regional currency usage beyond the dollar-centric system.

This is not just politics — it’s global finance restructuring before our eyes.

Seeds of Wisdom Team
Newshounds News™ Exclusive

Sources

• UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) – “Global Trade Update (December 2025): Global trade poised for a record-breaking 2025 as flows expected to surge past $35 trillion”
• UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) – Global Trade Updates

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Industrial Metals Rally on Tight Supply and Demand Dynamics

Copper near record highs underpins bullish industrial metals narrative

Overview

• Copper prices are trading within striking distance of all-time highs amid renewed tight supply concerns and structural demand growth. Benchmark copper on the London Metal Exchange rose to about $11,837 per ton, approaching the record $11,952 level set recently. 
  
• Bullish outlook persists even as the U.S. dollar strengthens slightly, with week-to-date gains and continued year-to-date strength (up ~35% in 2025). 

Key Developments

• Analysts from Goldman Sachs highlighted unique supply constraints as a core driver of the rally and reiterated long-term structural demand, citing copper as a favored industrial metal. 
  
• Aluminium reached multi-year highs, supported by both energy transition and infrastructure demand, while other base metals including tin and lead saw upward pressure. 
  
• Nickel prices climbed modestly after Indonesia proposed output cuts, tightening markets for battery and alloy metals.
  
• A stronger U.S. dollar capped further gains, highlighting currency dynamics in commodity pricing. 

Why It Matters

Copper’s sustained rally signals deeper shifts in global industrial demand — particularly for electrification, renewable infrastructure, and data-center capacity — while constrained mine supply underscores structural inflexibility in raw materials that are critical to the energy transition.

Why It Matters to Foreign Currency Holders

Rising real asset prices like copper often reflect weakening confidence in fiat currencies, driving investors toward tangible commodities. For holders of foreign currencies, such strength can signal inflation hedging behavior and reallocation of capital into hard assets.

Implications for the Global Reset

• Pillar: Transition-Asset Realignment
  Surge in critical industrial metals reflects fundamental rebalancing towards energy transition priorities and infrastructure buildout.
  
• Pillar: Monetary Risk Hedging
  Persistent metals strength amidst currency dynamics highlights deepening investor preference for real assets over sovereign debt.

This is not just markets — it’s structural demand shaping future global capital flows.

Seeds of Wisdom Team
Newshounds News™ Exclusive

Sources

• Reuters – Copper nears record high as supply tightness back in focus
• Reuters/Commodity price data wrap – Copper prices rise as tight supply is in focus

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Fed Withdraws Crypto Banking Ban, Opening Door for Digital Asset Innovation

Regulatory shift empowers state-chartered banks to engage with digital asset services

Overview

• The U.S. Federal Reserve Board has officially withdrawn its 2023 policy statement that restricted state-chartered banks from engaging in certain cryptocurrency and innovative banking activities. The action marks a significant pivot toward enabling responsible financial innovation. 
  
• The withdrawn guidance had effectively limited state member banks, including uninsured banks, by tying them to the same narrow activity set as national banks.
  
• The new policy framework creates a pathway for both insured and uninsured state-supervised banks to pursue novel activities — including digital asset services — so long as they satisfy supervisory and risk-management standards. 

Key Developments

• The 2023 policy statement — rescinded in December 2025 — had been viewed as a de facto barrier to crypto-related services by state-chartered banks, including payments, stablecoin support, and brokerage functions. 
  
• Under the new framework, state member banks may seek approval to offer innovative activities not previously permissible, provided they meet safety and soundness requirements. 
  
• Uninsured state banks particularly benefit, as the previous regime limited their access to Federal Reserve membership and payment infrastructure. 
  
• The Board’s shift reflects an evolved understanding of financial technologies and a desire to balance innovation with systemic stability. 
  
• Industry leaders have framed the move as a major regulatory pivot that could expand institutional participation in digital assets through the regulated banking system. 

Why It Matters

This withdrawal of restrictive guidance signals a meaningful shift in the U.S. central bank’s approach to digital finance. By carving out an explicit route for state-chartered banks to engage in digital asset activities, the Fed is potentially integrating blockchain-based services more directly into the regulated financial system — a move that could reshape market structure and institutional participation in crypto-related markets.

Why It Matters to Foreign Currency Holders

The integration of digital asset capabilities into mainstream banking has implications for currency holders globally. As traditional financial institutions begin to support crypto and tokenized services under regulated frameworks, demand patterns for alternative settlement mechanisms, cross-border payments, and digital liquidity pools may evolve, pressuring established currency systems and reserve assets.

Implications for the Global Reset

• Pillar: Regulatory Integration of Digital Finance
  Enabling banks to engage in digital asset services under supervision bridges the divide between traditional finance and emerging technologies.
  
• Pillar: Financial System Evolution
  The policy shift accelerates the normalization of digital asset markets within regulated banking systems, potentially influencing global capital flows and monetary treatment of crypto-based instruments.

This is not just policy — it’s the structural integration of digital finance into the global banking architecture.

Seeds of Wisdom Team
Newshounds News™ Exclusive

Sources

• Federal Reserve Board – Federal Reserve Board withdraws 2023 policy statement and issues new policy statement regarding the treatment of certain Board-supervised banks
• Yahoo Finance – Fed scraps 2023 crypto banking policy, opens access to digital asset activities

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EV Metals Complex Under Strain as Battery Materials Lose Charge

Oversupply and tech shifts reshape metals trade and supply chains

Overview

• Battery metals like lithium, nickel and cobalt are facing a third consecutive difficult year despite strong EV adoption, as oversupply and shifting battery chemistries weigh on prices and demand. 
  
• EV sales rose ~21% year-over-year, yet not all metals are benefiting equally due to evolving battery technology preferences. 

Key Developments

• Chinese companies advancing LFP and sodium-ion battery tech are displacing traditional nickel-cobalt chemistries, reducing demand pressures for those metals. 
  
• Nickel and cobalt markets are oversupplied, with elevated LME warehouse stocks and lagging demand growth compared to early-cycle forecasts. 
  
• Lithium remains dominant but is facing emerging competition from new chemistries, challenging traditional demand assumptions.
   
• Copper and aluminum stand out as enduring winners, vital for wiring, infrastructure and vehicle construction even as battery mix shifts. 

Why It Matters

The disconnect between EV sales momentum and lagging battery-metal pricing highlights how technological shifts and supply imbalances are redefining commodity demand patterns, with implications for producers, national export strategies and capital allocation.

Why It Matters to Foreign Currency Holders

Oversupplied metal markets amid evolving demand can temper inflationary pressures on input costs while signaling deeper structural shifts in trade flows for critical minerals — influencing currency valuations in commodity-dependent economies.

Implications for the Global Reset

• Pillar: Strategic Resource Realignment
  Technology-driven demand patterns force a rethinking of mineral investment and supply chain strategies globally.
  
• Pillar: Trade Flow Reconfiguration
  Oversupply in traditional battery metals may redirect flows toward alternative critical commodities and produce new geopolitical dependencies.

This is not just technology — it’s a new blueprint for industrial commodities in a post-transition economy.

Seeds of Wisdom Team
Newshounds News™ Exclusive

Sources

• Reuters – EV revolution rolls on but battery metals lose their charge
• Reuters – Commodities Market Headlines: battery metals under pressure

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Source: Dinar Recaps

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