Educational guide · not an official system
How BRICS+ trade could work in local currencies without USD
BRICS+ members still invoice, ship and settle like any other trade corridor. The difference this demo explores is settlement in local currencies—rupees, reais, yuan, riyals—rather than buying US dollars for every invoice.
What the walkthrough shows
You pick an importing country and an exporting partner, build a mock invoice, choose a payment route, lock an indicative rate, and watch how banks, correspondent accounts and customs documents line up. When the first trade settles, leftover balances can be reused inside the bloc, spent with an outside seller, converted to dollars, or placed in a permitted investment.
Local-currency settlement, in one sentence
The importer's authorised dealer bank pays in the importer's currency; the exporter is credited in theirs; a partner or correspondent bank holds the other side of that position so neither party has to square the invoice in USD.
Why a vostro balance appears
If the exporter's bank now holds the importer's currency, that stock is a vostro (or similar nostro/vostro) balance. It is not automatically dollars. The demo treats it as a real constraint: you can only spend what settled, and each reuse path has its own fee and FX arithmetic.
What this is not
It is not a live payment rail, not a central-bank product, and not financial advice. Rates are a 13 September 2026 mid-market snapshot. Names of banks and firms are fictional teaching props.
Common questions
How could BRICS+ countries trade without converting to USD?
In this educational model the importer pays in their home currency through authorised banks. The exporter is credited in their own currency. Correspondent or partner-bank accounts (nostro/vostro) hold the balance so neither side has to buy dollars for that invoice.
Is this an official BRICS+ payment system?
No. This is a conceptual, educational project. Names, banks, rates and flows are mock data for learning. They do not represent an official BRICS, BRICS+ or national-bank implementation.
What is a vostro balance in this walkthrough?
After a local-currency settlement, the partner bank may hold the importer's currency. That leftover balance can be reused to buy goods, converted to dollars, placed in a deposit, or spent on another BRICS+ invoice—each path is shown as a separate option.
Which countries can I try?
The demo covers BRICS+ members including Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia, plus a few outside-bloc sellers for contrast.
Are the exchange rates live?
No. Cross rates are indicative mid-market snapshots as of 13 September 2026, used only so the arithmetic stays internally consistent. They are not a live feed or a quote you can trade on.