The Yuan's Two-Track Ascent: A Trade Juggernaut, A Reserve Laggard

Beijing's push to internationalize the yuan is achieving notable success in global trade, but the currency's broader ambitions to challenge the US dollar as a premier investment and reserve asset are hitting a wall. An analysis from Oxford Economics reveals a story of two distinct paths: one of rapid ascent in commerce, and another of stagnation in global finance.

A Geopolitical Boost for Trade Settlement

The yuan's role as a settlement currency in international trade has surged, a shift attributed to the "dramatic change in the global geopolitical landscape over the past few years," according to Betty Wang, head of North Asia research at Oxford Economics. In the first three quarters of , cross-border yuan settlements hit , up . This now accounts for of the country's goods trade—a four-fold increase from the level in .

The High Wall of Global Finance

Despite its success in trade, the yuan's broader global footprint remains limited. Cross-Border Interbank Payment System (CIPS) handles about in daily transactions. While sizeable, it's dwarfed by the nearly routed each day through the US dollar-based Clearing House Interbank Payments System (CHIPS).

On the investment and reserve fronts, the picture is even starker. Yuan-denominated debt issuance accounts for just of the global market. Furthermore, IMF data shows the yuan's share of global reserves actually slipped from . Over the same period, the US dollar’s share also fell, from , but it remains the world's undisputed primary reserve currency.