Iran, China seek to loosen dollar’s grip on global markets

A small but growing number of countries are stepping up efforts to wean themselves off the dollar, aiming to chip away at the U.S. currency’s decadeslong dominance.

Iran last week became the latest when it pledged to replace the dollar with the euro in its foreign-currency accounting.

China introduced the world’s first yuan-denominated oil contracts last month, part of a continuing effort to raise its currency’s global profile, while Venezuela launched a bitcoin-like cryptocurrency earlier this year. Russia has ramped up its gold reserves to diversify away from the dollar. Still, none of these new efforts has threatened the dollar’s global role.

Some analysts say the governments moving against the dollar may be trying to capitalize on growing unease among many nations, including U.S. allies, over recent or perceived shifts in U.S. trade policy, Washington’s approach to global alliances, and conflicting signals from the Trump administration about its preference for a strong dollar.