China Gold Panda Coin
(Photo via Wikipedia)

The BRICS nations continue to work on ways to bypass the US dollar.

RT reported the following:

China sets new monthly record for Russian gold purchases – media
22 December 2025
China bought a record amount of gold from Russia in November, with shipments rising to almost $1 billion, RIA Novosti reports, citing Chinese customs data.
Russia’s gold sales to China were valued at $961 million in November, following October’s total of $930 million, the outlet said on Saturday, as Moscow steps up efforts to reroute precious-metal exports away from Western markets due to the sweeping sanctions against Russia, and as China emerges as a key destination. …
The Financial Times reported in November that China’s unreported gold buying could be more than ten times its official figures, as the country quietly diversifies away from the US dollar. Data compiled by the World Gold Council shows China bought 23.95 tons of gold from January to September this year, but analysts argue that actual purchases are much larger as China reduces its reliance on dollar-denominated reserves.
Russia and China have intensified cooperation since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022. The two nations describe relations as a strategic partnership “without limits,” with trade turnover exceeding $200 billion for a third consecutive year. Moscow and Beijing have essentially eliminated the use of Western currencies in trade, with almost all payments now conducted in rubles and yuan. https://www.rt.com/business/629867-china-russian-gold/+

Russia and China are founding members of the BRCIS+ alliance. Here is a report related to that group:

Gold Becomes A Strategic Tool In The BRICS Plan
December 22, 2025
While geopolitical fractures weaken the global monetary order, a silent upheaval is taking place. The BRICS, supported by their allies, are taking control of gold. By concentrating nearly 50 % of global production and strengthening their reserves, they move from contestation to action. This realignment is no longer speculation, as it marks the emergence of a financial counter-power capable of challenging the supremacy of the dollar and redefining global balances. Gold once again becomes a strategic weapon. …
China, Russia, India and Brazil accelerate the accumulation of gold reserves in a dedollarization logic.The bloc adopts a coordinated strategy aimed at reducing its dependence on the US dollar.A prototype of a common currency, the “Unit”, partially backed by gold, has been launched by the BRICS. …
This year, the BRICS and their allies, including Kazakhstan, Iran, and Uzbekistan, hold about 50 % of global gold production, while many experts predict the launch of a common currency in 2026.
Such a breakthrough is based on a coordinated strategy of extraction and reserve accumulation. China and Russia lead this movement with impressive production volumes and massive storage of physical gold. …
Beyond the mere accumulation of metal, the BRICS are now moving to concrete experimentation of a common monetary tool.
On October 31, the group launched a prototype currency called “Unit”, backed by 40 % physical gold and 60% national currencies of the BRICS. 100 Units were issued, each indexed to 1 gram of gold, laying the foundation for an instrument that could, in the long term, partially replace the dollar in inter-bloc exchanges.
For Yevgeny Biryukov, an economics expert interviewed by Russian media on December 13, “gold is a protection tool against sanction risks, a response to the instability of traditional partners, and a real asset recognized for millennia”.
This dedollarization strategy does not stop there. Russia and China now settle almost all their mutual exchanges in yuan and ruble. The Eurasian Economic Union has followed the same path. https://www.cointribune.com/en/gold-becomes-a-strategic-tool-in-the-brics-plan/

This should not come as a surprise to long-time readers of this COGwriter Church of God page. Notice, for example, the following posted here 8 years ago:

Russia, China and BRICS: A New Gold Trading Network
December 2, 2017
Sergey Shvetsov, First Deputy Chairman of Russia’s central bank, the Bank of Russia … provided an update on an important development involving the Russian central bank in the worldwide gold market, and gave further insight into the continued importance of physical gold to the long term economic and strategic interests of the Russian Federation.
Firstly, in his speech Shvetsov confirmed that the BRICS group of countries are now in discussions to establish their own gold trading system. As a reminder, the 5 BRICS countries comprise the Russian Federation, China, India, South Africa and Brazil.
Four of these nations are among the world’s major gold producers, namely, China, Russia, South Africa and Brazil. Furthermore, two of these nations are the world’s two largest importers and consumers of physical gold, namely, China and Russia. So what these economies have in common is that they all major players in the global physical gold market.
Shvetsov envisages the new gold trading system evolving via bilateral connections between the BRICS member countries, and as a first step Shvetsov reaffirmed that the Bank of Russia has now signed a Memorandum of Understanding with China (see below) on developing a joint trading system for gold, and that the first implementation steps in this project will begin in 2018.
Interestingly, the Bank of Russia first deputy chairman also discounted the traditional dominance of London and Switzerland in the gold market, saying that London and the Swiss trading operations are becoming less relevant in today’s world. He also alluded to new gold pricing benchmarks arising out of this BRICS gold trading cooperation.
BRICS cooperation in the gold market, especially between Russia and China, is not exactly a surprise, because it was first announced in April 2016 by Shvetsov himself when he was on a visit to China.
At the time Shvetsov, as reported by TASS in Russian, and translated here, said:
“We (the Central Bank of the Russian Federation and the People’s Bank of China) discussed gold trading. The BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) are major economies with large reserves of gold and an impressive volume of production and consumption of the precious metal. In China, gold is traded in Shanghai, and in Russia in Moscow. Our idea is to create a link between these cities so as to intensify gold trading between our markets.”
Also as a reminder, earlier this year in March, the Bank of Russia opened its first foreign representative office, choosing the location as Beijing in China. At the time, the Bank of Russia portrayed the move as a step towards greater cooperation between Russia and China on all manner of financial issues, as well as being a strategic partnership between the Bank of Russia and the People’s bank of China. https://www.bullionstar.com/blogs/ronan-manly/russia-china-new-gold-trading-network/

The following was also posted here in 2017 (see December 2, 2017 COGwriter posted titled: Russia, China and BRICS: A New Gold Trading Network):

We are currently in the time of Anglo-American dominance–peoples that were prophesied to take on Jacob’s name in Genesis 48. We have been in that time since around the start of the 19th century.
Yet, now we are getting closer to the final Time of the Gentiles.
Notice the following prophecies from the Old and New Testaments:
23 ‘Make a chain,
For the land is filled with crimes of blood,
And the city is full of violence.
24 Therefore I will bring the worst of the Gentiles,
And they will possess their houses;
I will cause the pomp of the strong to cease,
And their holy places shall be defiled.
25 Destruction comes;
They will seek peace, but there shall be none. (Ezekiel 7:23-25)
23 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people. 24 And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. (Luke 21:23-24)
2 But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months. (Revelation 11:2)
This will happen during a period that “it is the time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jeremiah 30:7) and that the “Gentiles” are dominating. This means those that are descended from Israel or have the name of Jacob (cf. Genesis 48:14-16) will be mainly the ones who are trampled on. One of the peoples that God says He will use to punish the descendants of Israel, Assyria (Isaiah 10:5-11), are a Gentile people–they will normally lead during the time of the Gentiles. This will be a terrible time.
For the final time of the Gentiles to arise, the Gentiles will need to cooperate together against the USA and its Anglo-Saxon descended allies. The BRICS, EAEU, SCO, and Silk Road arrangements are all intended to do that and are all taking steps which align with properly understood biblical prophecies. Even the European Union is working on this. The Bible also shows that a block of nations from North Africa and the Middle East will also be involved (cf. Daniel 11:27, 40-43)–this is something that US President Donald Trump and others have encouraged (see How Will Middle East Peace be Brought About?).
Yet, most in the USA, Canada, UK, Australia, and New Zealand do not understand what is now happening on the world scene and how they will be affected.
The world will be transformed into a Gentile image. An image that those in the Anglo-American nations will dread!
What about gold?
Gold will be used during the time of the Gentiles:
43 He shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt; (Daniel 11:43)
10 … Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour your judgment has come.’
11 “And the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, for no one buys their merchandise anymore: 12 merchandise of gold and silver, precious stones and pearls, fine linen and purple, silk and scarlet, every kind of citron wood, every kind of object of ivory, every kind of object of most precious wood, bronze, iron, and marble; 13 and cinnamon and incense, fragrant oil and frankincense, wine and oil, fine flour and wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and bodies and souls of men. 14 The fruit that your soul longed for has gone from you, and all the things which are rich and splendid have gone from you, and you shall find them no more at all. 15 The merchants of these things, who became rich by her, will stand at a distance for fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, 16 and saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city that was clothed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls! (Revelation 18:10-16)
We are getting closer to that time.

Since that time, gold prices have more than doubled. The BRICS alliance has grown. And more and more countries want to bypass the USA dollar–and more steps to bypass the USA dollar have occurred.

The end of USA dollar dominance is coming.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

The Plain Truth About Gold in Prophecy. How Should a Christian View Gold? What About Silver? What do economists and the Bible teach about gold? Gold and silver may drop in value. Inflation/deflation? What do Christians need to know about gold and silver? Two videos of related interest may be: Germany, Gold, and the US Dollar and Silver, Science, and Scripture.
The End of US Dollar Dominance Is the USA losing its economic status?
Lost Tribes and Prophecies: What will happen to Australia, the British Isles, Canada, Europe, New Zealand and the United States of America? Where did those people come from? Can you totally rely on DNA? Do you really know what will happen to Europe and the English-speaking peoples? What about the peoples of Africa, Asia, South America, and the islands? This free online book provides scriptural, scientific, historical references, and commentary to address those matters. Here are links to related sermons: Lost tribes, the Bible, and DNA; Lost tribes, prophecies, and identifications; 11 Tribes, 144,000, and Multitudes; Israel, Jeremiah, Tea Tephi, and British Royalty; Gentile European Beast; Royal Succession, Samaria, and Prophecies; Asia, Islands, Latin America, Africa, and Armageddon; When Will the End of the Age Come?; Rise of the Prophesied King of the North; Christian Persecution from the Beast; WWIII and the Coming New World Order; and Woes, WWIV, and the Good News of the Kingdom of God.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing. It is available in over 1,500 languages at ccog.org. Here are links to four kingdom-related sermons: The Fantastic Gospel of the Kingdom of God!, The World’s False Gospel, The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.