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While the volatility of digital currencies like Bitcoin has kept it out of traditional banking systems, stablecoin is gaining ground in the race for a suitable digital counterpart to fiat currency. Dante Disparte heads strategy and global policy at Circle, which issues two of the world's most widely traded stablecoins. In this podcast, he says stablecoin money can help overcome some of the inefficiencies of the traditional banking system.

Sub-Saharan Africa is holding its own despite a deteriorating global trade and aid landscape. The latest outlook projects growth to remain steady at 4.1 percent this year with a modest pickup in 2026. In this podcast, IMF economist Athene Laws says removing barriers to private firm growth is crucial for providing the jobs needed by the region’s young and rapidly expanding labor force.

It’s not unusual for countries to reevaluate trade relationships as the global economy evolves. However, the persistent uncertainty brought on by tariffs has prompted entire regions to reconsider long-established alliances and rethink new ones that were unimaginable only a year ago. In this podcast, Harvard Professor Gordon Hanson says we need to reinvigorate the process of building new trade agreements that reflect the new world, and middle- and newly high-income countries should play a leading role.