US Dollar Reserve Currency Status and Economic Threats

Author: Ian C. Langtree - Writer/Editor for Disabled World (DW)
Published: 5 Sep 2010 - Updated: 8 Sep 2026
Publication Type: Informative

Table of Contents:
Synopsis - Definition - Overview - FAQs - Insights, Updates - Related Content

Synopsis

This research examines critical economic factors threatening the U.S. dollar's position as the world's primary reserve currency following the 2008 financial crisis. The analysis draws on expert commentary from Nobel laureates Paul Krugman and Joseph Stiglitz, along with prominent investors Warren Buffett and George Soros, to establish its authoritative foundation. By documenting record budget deficits exceeding $1.4 trillion, mounting national debt obligations approaching $90 trillion when unfunded liabilities are included, persistent unemployment above 9%, and costly international military operations, the piece provides valuable context for anyone concerned about long-term financial stability. This information proves particularly relevant for people with disabilities and seniors who depend on social security, Medicare, and other government programs funded through deficit spending, as currency devaluation and inflation directly impact fixed-income households and the purchasing power of disability benefits.

At a Glance

• 1 - The economy lost 36,000 jobs in February 2010 while unemployment held at 9.7%. Gallup measured underemployment at nearly 20% of the workforce, close to 30 million Americans.
• 2 - A February 2010 law raised the public debt ceiling from $12.394 trillion to $14.294 trillion. It was the second increase in under two months to avoid default.
• 3 - Analysts described unusual growth in stock and commodity markets as a flight from the dollar. The trend appeared over eleven months despite no significant inflation data at the time.
• 4 - Total US obligations were estimated above $90 trillion once unfunded liabilities were counted. With those included, total debt plus obligations reached 625% of GDP, the highest ranking measured.

Topic Definition

Reserve Currency

A reserve currency is a foreign currency that central banks and governments around the world hold in large quantities as part of their official reserves, and use to settle international trade, price globally traded commodities such as oil, and back their own monetary systems. The U.S. dollar has served as the dominant reserve currency since the mid twentieth century, which lets the United States borrow at lower cost and gives it outsized influence over global finance. That status depends heavily on confidence: nations keep holding a currency only while they trust it will retain value and remain stable. When a country runs persistent budget deficits, accumulates heavy debt, or is seen as likely to inflate its way out of obligations, holders may begin shifting into other currencies or hard assets, gradually weakening the currency's reserve role and the economic advantages that come with it.

Overview

The World is concerned that the U.S. dollar cannot play the role of the main reserve currency any longer after the financial crisis sparked by the collapse of the U.S. mortgage market led to the worst global recession since the 1930s.

Although there is still no significant inflation data in the United States international stock and commodity markets grew abnormally within the last eleven months. Analysts called it the "flight from the dollar" or "diversifying risks."

There are many factors evidencing against the future of the dollar as a global reserve currency. The present article pays attention to several crucial points of analysis after conducting extensive research on the topic.

Weak Fundamentals of the U.S. Economy

Nobel Prize winner Paul Krugman states that "a country whose fundamentals are persistently and predictably deteriorating will necessarily have a [currency] crisis at some point." (1)

National Debt

In the middle of February 2010, President Obama signed into law the bill increasing the public debt ceiling from $12.394 trillion to $14.294 trillion. This is a second increase in the upper limit on the national debt in less than two months.

Last time, in December, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer commented that the Congress simply had no other choice: otherwise the United States would have to default on their debt obligations what would be another catastrophe for financial markets. (2)

"The Financial Management Services of the U.S. Treasury estimated that the total obligations of the U.S. government exceeded $90 trillion," David Ross from Radiant Asset Management indicated in his research. (3) They include hospital insurance, supplementary medical insurance, and social security. "[T]he collected money (which Treasury has borrowed and Congress spent) falls far short of what is required to fulfill the long-term obligations of those programs, even if it had not already been spent. Almost all of the $90 trillion are promised obligations with no established method of payment." (4)

"Including unfunded obligations, the U.S. moves to 1st, well above Taiwan and Zimbabwe, for the highest debt to GDP ratio. U.S. total debt plus unfunded obligations total 625% of GDP." (5)

The Peterson-Pew Commission on Budget Reform stated that:

"The United States would almost certainly experience a debt driven crisis," that "could unfold gradually or it could happen suddenly, but with great costs either way." (6)

Unemployment

This past February, the economy lost 36,000 jobs after losing 26,000 jobs in January and 109,000 jobs in December, and the unemployment rate held at 9.7%. (7)

In January, the unemployment rate fell from 10.0 to 9.7% in January. According to Reuters:

"A sharp increase in the number of people giving up looking for work helped to depress the jobless rate. The number of 'discouraged job seekers' rose to 1.1 million in January from 734,000 a year ago." (8) The number of discouraged workers rose to 1.2 million in February. (9)

Gallup reported in the end of February 2010 that:

"19.9% of the U.S. workforce was underemployed during the month of January, translating to close to 30 million Americans who are working less than their desired capacity." (10)

Budget Deficit

The United States reached a record budget deficit of $1.415 trillion in fiscal year 2009 that ended in September. (11) The deficit will probably again exceed one trillion dollars in the current fiscal year as it is already over $651 billion.

The excess of spending over revenue in the U.S. was $220.9 billion in February 2010, as opposed to a deficit of $193.9 billion in February 2009, the Treasury Department announced in its monthly budget statement. It was the 17th straight month in which the government posted a deficit, CNN Money said. (12)

In the beginning of February 2010 Obama transmitted a $3.8 trillion budget for 2011 to the Congress with a record $1.6 trillion deficit. (13)

During the debate on the national debt the Senate "rejected a proposed bipartisan commission to recommend ways to reduce the U.S. budget deficit," Bloomberg reported. "The legislation would have required that the panel's recommendations be voted on by Congress without being amended." (14)

Instead of the initial idea of the commission discussed by Congress, President Obama is trying to establish a government-based deficit commission that would lack any requirement for Congress to act on its advice. Specialists consider it a symbolic rather than a concrete step.

Economic Impact of U.S. International Military Operations

The cost of conducting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan pushed the budget into the red during the presidency of George W. Bush. The situation deteriorated after the beginning of the financial crisis when the government adopted measures such as stimulus packages, financial bailouts, the need to support liquidity in Treasuries, etc. Moreover, early in December 2009 it has increased its nonproductive expenses by approving 30,000 troops to be sent to fight in Afghanistan.

All economists agree that one of the basic non-monetary reasons of inflation is the existence of significant nonproductive government expenses such as military expenses.

However important goals of the war could be, military operations are, undoubtedly, very costly for U.S. citizens especially at the time of the financial crisis and growing deficits. Moreover, the situation is not getting better considering that around 40 percent of the war financing has been borrowed from abroad, Joseph Stiglitz, the Nobel Prize Winner, shows in his research "The Three Trillion Dollar War: The Real Cost of the Iraq Conflict."

"The Obama administration has just asked Congress for a defense budget of more than $700bn- almost 5% of GDP - for next year," The Guardian reported in the end of February 2010. This is exactly 1/3 of total budget receipts for the FY 2009.

"If we try to stay the course, we are going to spend more and more money," Stiglitz stresses. "The fact that we financed the war totally by deficits means that when 10 years from now we decide we want to repay that, which I don't know if we will, the amount that we will have to raise our taxes will be that much larger because the debt will be that much larger."

Lack of Confidence

Defining major reasons of currency crises Paul Krugman states that the most important is a lack of confidence. The "investor lack of confidence - is a defining feature of a currency crisis," he argues. (15)

Below are opinions of a number of people from different parts of the world whom many of us know quite well. Their opinions concern the U.S. dollar and the U.S. economy.

Nouriel Roubini, the New York University professor who predicted the financial crisis, said that the greenback may weaken for the next three years. (16)

Warren Buffett, a successful international investor: "There is the likelihood of significant inflation down the road." (17)

Robert B. Zoellick, the World Bank President: "There is little the United States can do about the sinking value of the dollar except restore growth in its economy." (18)

George Soros, a successful international investor: "Irrespective of the situation in the stock markets or condition of the economy we shall see further shift from the dollar into real assets in a long run." (19)

Jim Rogers, a successful international investor: "Printing money to help the U.S. economy will weaken the greenback and Treasuries in a long run." (20)

Joseph Stiglitz, Nobel Laureate in Economics: "The greenback will continue to head downward for the time being, given the huge U.S. trade deficit and global trade imbalance." (21)

Billions of people around the World, will have to live with the future consequences of the current global crisis provoked by short-sighted politicians. We wish as many people as possible were aware of such consequences.

Frequently Asked Questions

References

(1) Paul Krugman, Currency Crises, 1997
(2) Reuters, December 17, 2009
(3) David Justin Ross, The Future of the Dollar and China: The Threat of Collapse and the Move Towards a New Reserve Currency, October 27, 2009, Radiant Asset Management, LLC
(4) Ibid.
(5) Ibid.
(6) budget reform, December 14, 2009
(7) U.S. Department of Labor, May 7, 2010
(8) Los Angeles Times, April 2, 2010
(9) Ibid.
(10) ETFGuide, April 2, 2010
(11) Gallup May 4, 2010. Gallup classifies respondents as underemployed if they are unemployed or working part-time but wanting full-time work
(12) The ADP National Employment Report, April, 2010
(13) The Beige Book, April 14, 2010
(14) Ibid.
(15) Market Watch, March 10, 2010
(16) Principles of Macroeconomics by N. Gregory Mankiw, fifth edition, 2008, p. 321
(17) Ibid.
(18) IMF, January 31, 2010
(19) The Department of the Treasury
(20) BBC News, March 10, 2010
(21) Bloomberg, February 1, 2010

What is the difference between a reserve currency and a national currency

A national currency is legal tender issued for use within one country, while a reserve currency is held in bulk by many foreign governments and central banks for trade and reserves. A currency can be both, as the US dollar is used domestically and held worldwide.

Which currencies compete with the US dollar as reserve assets

The euro, Japanese yen, British pound, and Chinese yuan are the main currencies held alongside the dollar in global reserves. Gold and other hard assets are also used by governments seeking to diversify away from any single currency.

Why does reserve currency status benefit the United States

Strong global demand for dollars lets the United States borrow at lower interest rates and run larger deficits than most nations could sustain. It also gives the country influence over international finance and trade settlement.

How does inflation affect people living on fixed incomes

Inflation reduces the purchasing power of each dollar, so fixed benefits such as pensions and disability payments buy less over time. Households that cannot easily increase their income are hit hardest when prices rise.

What does flight from the dollar mean

Flight from the dollar describes investors moving money out of dollar holdings and into other currencies, commodities, or real assets. It often reflects worry about future inflation or declining confidence in the currency.

How is national debt different from a budget deficit

A budget deficit is the shortfall in a single year when spending exceeds revenue, while national debt is the total accumulated amount the government owes over time. Repeated annual deficits add to the overall national debt.

What are unfunded liabilities in government accounting

Unfunded liabilities are promised future obligations, such as social security and Medicare benefits, that lack a dedicated source of money to pay them. They are often excluded from headline debt figures but represent real long term commitments.

Can a country lose its reserve currency status

Yes, history shows reserve currency status can shift, as it did from the British pound to the US dollar in the twentieth century. Such transitions usually happen gradually and follow sustained economic decline or loss of confidence.

Insights, Analysis, and Developments

Editorial Note: While written over a decade ago, the fundamental economic principles explored in this analysis remain strikingly relevant today. The concerns raised about mounting debt, deficit spending, and international confidence in the dollar have only intensified since 2010, making this examination a prescient warning that deserves renewed attention. For individuals living on fixed incomes - whether from disability benefits, social security, or pensions - understanding these macroeconomic trends isn't merely academic; it's essential for financial planning and advocacy. When governments accumulate debt and print money to manage crises, those least able to hedge against inflation often bear the heaviest burden through eroded purchasing power and reduced access to essential services.

Author Credentials: Ian is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Disabled World, a leading resource for news and information on disability issues. With a global perspective shaped by years of travel and lived experience, Ian is a committed proponent of the Social Model of Disability, a transformative framework developed by disabled activists in the 1970s that emphasizes dismantling societal barriers rather than focusing solely on individual impairments. His work reflects a deep commitment to disability rights, accessibility, and social inclusion. To learn more about Ian's background, expertise, and accomplishments, visit his full biography.