How does financial architecture shape the world order? In this conversation with Chris, I explained why finance is not just a backdrop to geopolitics but one of its driving forces. The evolution of the US dollar, the rise of China, and the disruptive force of digital currencies all point to how power is being contested not only by states, but increasingly by markets, platforms, and even individuals.
Our discussion covered:
✔️ Why the US dollar became dominant through accidents of history, not design.
✔️ How Trump-era tariffs hurt US corporations more than rivals.
✔️ China’s embrace of productivity and innovation — and its governance challenges.
✔️ Why small, nimble states may thrive in an AI-driven world.
The coming shift from markets to networks as the organising principle of global finance.
This exchange with Chris was especially valuable because it bridged his perspective from geopolitics with mine from finance — two worlds that too often talk past each other.
