The hottest Monetary Systems Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics

@adlrocha - Money and collateral in an AI-first society

@adlrocha Weekly Newsletter • 129 implied HN points • 08 Mar 26
💰 Finance Monetary Systems
  1. Compute, energy, and AI tokens will become the new scarce commodities and collateral, so access to PFlops, MWh, and tokenised intelligence will be treated like money and hedged accordingly.
  2. Two parallel economies are likely to emerge: a fast, tokenised, agent-to-agent market running on stablecoins and tokenised assets, and a slower human-facing economy that uses fiat and stablecoins for everyday needs.
  3. The ultimate economic advantage will be inference efficiency — getting the most useful intelligence per unit of energy — so smaller, more efficient models and edge deployments will capture the most value.

Would Lenin have approved of the IMF?

Global Inequality and More 3.0 • 1328 implied HN points • 16 Nov 24
💰 Finance Monetary Systems
  1. The IMF has a specific role in ensuring countries maintain fiscal discipline and avoid excessive borrowing. This role is seen as necessary for economic stability, regardless of whether the system is capitalist or socialist.
  2. Critics often misunderstand the IMF's core mission, which is about discipline and accountability in fiscal matters. Austerity measures taken by the IMF are not inherently bad; they are meant to promote responsible economic behavior.
  3. If Lenin were alive today, he might actually support the IMF for its emphasis on fiscal responsibility and international trade management. He believed in the need for structured economic governance, similar to what the IMF provides.

De-dollarization is about more than currencies: As dollar system declines, what comes next?

Geopolitical Economy Report • 378 implied HN points • 03 May 23
🌍 World Politics Monetary Systems
  1. De-dollarization is a shift away from the US dollar system towards a new economic system based on reducing imbalances and promoting balanced economic growth.
  2. The current crisis in the dollar system is exposing vulnerabilities, such as declining capital inflows and the need for central bank intervention to prop up asset markets.
  3. The future economic system may involve a mixed public-private economy, government intervention in strategic sectors, and capital controls to prevent financialization and promote productive expansion.

Top Links 630 Flexible exchange rates, fear of floating, Goldfinger & the reality of the global exchange rate system.

Chartbook • 414 implied HN points • 26 Jan 25
💰 Finance Monetary Systems
  1. Flexible exchange rates can cause uncertainty, which some countries try to avoid, leading to a 'fear of floating'.
  2. The discussion around the realities of the global exchange rate system helps us understand how it impacts economies worldwide.
  3. Lessons from past conferences on floating exchange rates are valuable for grasping their long-term effects and challenges.

ONE YEAR (& SIXTEEN YEARS) AGO ON GRASPING REALITY: The Panic of 1825

Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality • 169 implied HN points • 29 May 25
💰 Finance Monetary Systems
  1. The 1825 Panic marked a key moment in the development of modern central banking. It showed how banks can turn to a central authority for help during financial crises.
  2. The Bank of England stepped in during the 1825 financial turmoil to prevent a collapse of the banking system. This was a major shift, highlighting the importance of central banks in managing economic stability.
  3. The actions taken during the panic helped restore confidence in the financial system. When people began to trust that banks were safe again, the economy slowly recovered.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

Money as Addiction

Altered States of Monetary Consciousness • 864 implied HN points • 15 Mar 24
💰 Finance Monetary Systems
  1. Addiction can distort our sense of agency, making us act out of instinct rather than choice.
  2. Solutionism creates a narrative that presents our dependencies as voluntary choices, leading to a cycle of justification for those dependencies.
  3. Monetary systems, like addiction, can create a state of involuntary dependence presented as a state of voluntary choice, reshaping our societies and individual lives.

The Case for Fiat

The Dollar Endgame • 159 implied HN points • 23 Sep 23
💰 Finance Monetary Systems
  1. The fiat system's survival doesn't depend on morality, as history shows evil systems have persisted. People may feel powerless against organized evil but may also become complicit in it.
  2. The fiat system, flawed as it is, has worked to lift many out of poverty and fuel innovation. Everyday citizens often lack the financial and political knowledge to make informed decisions about the system.
  3. Bitcoin's adoption faces hurdles as the majority may not share the beliefs of its proponents. Transitioning to a new system might lead to short-term pain and disparities, impacting various demographics differently.

"Failed To Gain Traction": CBDC Lessons From The Caribbean

QTR’s Fringe Finance • 14 implied HN points • 25 Jul 25
💰 Finance Monetary Systems
  1. Central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) in Jamaica and The Bahamas have not become popular with people or businesses. They mostly function as tools for the government to distribute money during giveaways.
  2. In Jamaica, using the CBDC requires a bank account, which makes it harder for many people to access. The app has limited use, as it often requires converting CBDC back to regular cash for payments.
  3. Both countries have seen more activity in CBDC use when government payments are involved, showing that people may not want to use these currencies on their own. For a CBDC to succeed, it needs to bring real value to users.

Zero is the Future of Money

Altered States of Monetary Consciousness • 5 HN points • 26 Jun 23
💰 Finance Monetary Systems
  1. Mainstream money system is hierarchical and dynamic, with layers of players issuing, transferring, and redeeming money.
  2. Crypto tokens offer a rigid decentralization approach and fixed supply, but struggle to compete with the flexibility and dynamism of fiat money.
  3. A synthesis could involve blending the dynamism of credit money systems with the decentralized approach of crypto to create a more dynamic and liquid decentralization.

It's All About the Khans, Baby!

Homo Ludens • 0 implied HN points • 17 Apr 24
💾 History Monetary Systems
  1. Late medieval Chinese were advanced in creating financial tools like paper money, prevalent in China but unfamiliar in medieval Europe.
  2. Gold and silver weren't always the main forms of currency in history; many medieval economies relied on virtual currency or silver over gold.
  3. The gold standard was a socially constructed system whose significance varied by context, with silver being more significant than gold for much of ancient and medieval times.