The IMF Press Center is a password-protected site for working journalists.
When global volatility increases, so does the demand for the dollar. When countries face sanctions, they rush for gold. But while the two have been the most common reserve currencies for decades, surprising alternatives are emerging. In this podcast, economist and <a href="https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691280530/money-beyond-borders?srsltid=AfmBOoqnuAD32vbXh0CNrcH51zputaTt6RWMeZ18Qh8W52dMjewuuY4y">author</a> Barry Eichengreen and Chima Simpson-Bell discuss the changing landscape of reserve currencies. <em><a href="https://traffic.libsyn.com/imfpodcast/Eichengreen-Simpson-Bell-transcript-IMF_Podcast.pdf">Transcript</a></em>
BARRY EICHENGREEN
CHIMA SIMPSON-BELL
When esteemed economist and author Eswar Prasad set out to write his latest book, it was to be about the promise of some recent trends within the world’s economic and power structures, but he found something darker. <em><a href="https://thedoomloopbook.com/">The Doom Loop</a></em> is about what happens when the positive forces that normally bring stability begin to work against each other. In this podcast, Prasad says that the dynamics of this negative feedback loop have led to the erosion of institutions across the globe.
Eswar S. Prasad
While it is true that death and taxes are unavoidable, good tax policies can help delay the inevitable. So-called sin taxes on alcohol, tobacco, sugar, and other harmful products can raise revenues and reduce public healthcare spending. In this podcast, economist Christoph Rosenberg says sin taxes are relatively easy to collect and, done right, can nudge people towards healthier lifestyles.
CHRISTOPH B. ROSENBERG
Load More
© 2026 International Monetary Fund. All rights reserved.
