A New ‘Bretton Woods’ Moment?
The IMF has said it’s time to re-evaluate the global economic order, but what does that really mean?

The IMF has said it’s time to re-evaluate the global economic order, but what does that really mean?
For more episodes and free early access before our regular 3 p.m. Eastern time releases, subscribe with Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocketcasts, Google Podcasts, Castbox, Stitcher, RadioPublica, iHeartRadio or RSS.
This episode is sponsored by Crypto.com, Nexo.io and Elliptic.
Today on the Brief:
- Chinese citizens less than impressed with DCEP trial
- Is Filecoin the “Titanic” of ICOs?
- Mnuchin, Pelosi go one more round on stimulus
Our main discussion: A new Bretton Woods moment?
In a recent speech, the International Monetary Fund argued that the time to fundamentally re-evaluate the global economic order is here. Goldbugs see the potential to return to the gold standard, bitcoiners anticipate ever-growing stimulus and macro observers are betting on massive disruptions in the wake of central bank digital currencies.
See also: Major Meeting of Central Banks Produces Same Old ‘Evaluating’ CBDCs Refrain
For more episodes and free early access before our regular 3 p.m. Eastern time releases, subscribe with Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocketcasts, Google Podcasts, Castbox, Stitcher, RadioPublica, iHeartRadio or RSS.
Note: The views expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of CoinDesk, Inc. or its owners and affiliates.
More For You
KuCoin Hits Record Market Share as 2025 Volumes Outpace Crypto Market

KuCoin captured a record share of centralised exchange volume in 2025, with more than $1.25tn traded as its volumes grew faster than the wider crypto market.
What to know:
- KuCoin recorded over $1.25 trillion in total trading volume in 2025, equivalent to an average of roughly $114 billion per month, marking its strongest year on record.
- This performance translated into an all-time high share of centralised exchange volume, as KuCoin’s activity expanded faster than aggregate CEX volumes, which slowed during periods of lower market volatility.
- Spot and derivatives volumes were evenly split, each exceeding $500 billion for the year, signalling broad-based usage rather than reliance on a single product line.
- Altcoins accounted for the majority of trading activity, reinforcing KuCoin’s role as a primary liquidity venue beyond BTC and ETH at a time when majors saw more muted turnover.
- Even as overall crypto volumes softened mid-year, KuCoin maintained elevated baseline activity, indicating structurally higher user engagement rather than short-lived volume spikes.
More For You
As bitcoin miners cut unprofitable production, Hash Ribbon metric points to BTC price rebound

The hashrate shock from extreme weather in the U.S. revives a historically bullish onchain indicator.
What to know:
- A 20% drop in Bitcoin hashrate has pushed the Hash Ribbon deeper into capitulation.
- In the past, including the FTX collapse and mid-2024 yen carry trade unwind, that's signaled a strong price recovery once the hashrate reverts.











