Wealth Formula Podcast

If you've ever wondered why the U.S. seems to play by a different set of financial rules than the rest of the world… this is it. It all comes down to the U.S. dollar being the world's reserve currency. Now what does that actually mean? After World War II, at the Bretton Woods conference, the global financial system was essentially rebuilt—with the U.S. at the center. The dollar was tied to gold, and other currencies were tied to the dollar. Even after we went off the gold standard in 1971, something interesting happened… The world didn't move on. Instead, it doubled down on the dollar. Today, the majority of global trade—oil, commodities, international contracts—is still priced in U.S. dollars. Central banks around the world hold dollars as reserves. When countries do business with each other, even if the U.S. isn't involved, they often still settle in dollars. That creates an extraordinary dynamic. Because the entire world needs dollars, the U.S. can essentially export its currency—and in doing so, fund its