Economy & Business

Programs

At the intersection of economics, finance, and foreign policy, the GeoEconomics Center is a translation hub with the goal of helping shape a better global economic future.

Learn more

Featured Analysis

Will digital money belong to democrats or despots?

Econographics Jun 6, 2025

The search for safe assets

By Hung Tran

The deterioration of the US fiscal outlook has put international investors, especially foreign central banks, in a quandary. There is no good alternative to US Treasuries as safe reserve assets.

Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia

Econographics May 29, 2025

After partial relief, what’s next for Syria sanctions?

By Alex Zerden

Syria remains a high-risk jurisdiction due to years of conflict, endemic corruption, state institution collapse, narcotrafficking of captagon, insufficient anti-money laundering efforts, and inadequate financing of terrorism controls.

Economic Sanctions Economy & Business

Sinographs Jun 2, 2025

Hong Kong highlights China’s policy of decoupling from US financial markets

By Jeremy Mark

The political benefits of an international financial center with Chinese characteristics will outweigh the pain that decoupling inflicts on China’s private sector.

China Economy & Business

New Atlanticist May 27, 2025

What’s the Trump administration’s dollar strategy? It depends on who you ask.

By Alisha Chhangani

Within the White House, there appear to be competing and fractured views of the dollar’s role. This dissonance could result in harm to the currency’s long-term dominance.

Digital Currencies Economy & Business

Issue Brief Jun 6, 2025

How Japanese economic statecraft has shifted from promotion to protection

By Charles Lichfield

Japan is in a geopolitically challenging neighborhood and is witnessing the basic tenets of its foreign policy—from alignment with the United States to fostering a rules-based environment—come under unprecedented stress.

East Asia Economic Sanctions

New Atlanticist Jun 6, 2025

Even as courts step in, Trump still has plenty of tariff options. US trading partners should intensify negotiations.

By Brian Janovitz

Section 301 may entail more work for the White House, but it could provide a relatively straightforward pathway to broad-based tariffs.

Economy & Business Politics & Diplomacy

In-Depth Research

In the News Nov 15, 2024

Avoiding Entanglement: G20 Responses in a Taiwan Crisis report cited by the Wall Street Journal on how China would respond to trade restrictions from the West

Read the full article here

Brazil China

Report Oct 22, 2024

The economic and social costs of the war in Gaza

By Perrihan Al-Riffai

After a year of war, Israel, the Palestinian territories, and neighboring countries need a permanent ceasefire. But with development gains erased, billions of dollars in infrastructure damaged, and skyrocketing unemployment, the Middle East also urgently needs a solid reconstruction plan.

Conflict Israel

Report Oct 9, 2024

End of the line: The cost of faltering reforms

By Atlantic Council GeoEconomics Center and Rhodium Group

The China Pathfinder project examines whether China’s economy is converging or diverging with the world’s leading open market economies.

China Digital Policy

Issue Brief Sep 20, 2024

Toward a financial inclusion agenda for the global majority

By Nicole Goldin

Policymakers, investors, and innovators must advance a new financial inclusion agenda designed for the global majority.

Economy & Business Fiscal and Structural Reform

Report Sep 9, 2024

Sharing the post carbon economy means building a resilient EV supply chain

By Sarah Bauerle Danzman

In this report Sarah Bauerle Danzman advances the policy discussion by compiling trade, investment, and EV industrial policy data across the G20, and offers six recommendations to the G20 to build a resilient EV supply chain.

Brazil China

Report Jun 7, 2024

Reconstructing Ukraine at war: The journey to prosperity starts now

By John E. Herbst, Olga Khakova, Charles Lichfield

Rebuilding the Ukrainian economy after Russia’s full-scale invasion will be a monumental task. Reconstruction can’t wait for peace and must be a well-coordinated, inclusive process.

Economy & Business Energy & Environment

Read the latest from the GeoEconomics Center

New Atlanticist

Jul 8, 2025

April, July, now August: Our expert guide to Trump’s latest tariff moves

By Atlantic Council experts

“Liberation Day” was nearly ninety days ago, and now the deadline for many nations to negotiate a trade deal and avoid US tariffs is extended to next month. Atlantic Council experts explain what’s behind the moving calendar.

Economy & Business Politics & Diplomacy

Fintech Frontlines

Jul 8, 2025

Stablecoins are trending, but what frictions and risks are getting overlooked?

By Ashley Lannquist

Stablecoin usage is complex for consumers, and large-scale adoption could introduce new challenges for financial stability and regulatory oversight.

Digital Currencies Economy & Business

Econographics

Jul 7, 2025

Building BRICS

By Bart Piasecki

Fifteen years after its founding, BRICS has evolved into a formidable counterweight to Western dominance in global economic governance. Yet despite its growing influence, the bloc’s ability to translate bold rhetoric into concrete results remains uncertain.

Brazil China

Content

New Atlanticist

Aug 20, 2021

Will digital money belong to democrats or despots?

By Arjun Bisen

As democracies engage in long and robust debates about the tradeoffs and risks of CBDCs, authoritarian governments continue to push forward with a simpler, centralized vision that strengthens their grip on power with significant geopolitical and human rights implications.

China Digital Currencies

UkraineAlert

Aug 19, 2021

Making the most of Ukraine’s tech talent

By Constantine Yevtushenko

Ukraine's IT sector is playing an increasingly important role in the country's economic growth. The key now is to build the right ecosystem to allow Ukraine's tech talent to flourish, says Constantine Yevtushenko.

Digital Policy Economy & Business

In the News

Aug 19, 2021

O’Toole quoted in Time about sanctions on the Taliban

By Brian O’Toole

Read the whole article here.

Afghanistan Economic Sanctions

In the News

Aug 19, 2021

Lipsky interviewed on NPR about denying the Taliban access to funds

By Josh Lipsky

Listen to the interview here.

Afghanistan Economic Sanctions

In the News

Aug 18, 2021

Lipsky quoted in Bloomberg on the Afghan economy

By Josh Lipsky

Read the whole article here.

Afghanistan Economy & Business

In the News

Aug 18, 2021

Lakhani joins Egomonk to discuss the gendered funding landscape in Pakistan

By Atlantic Council

Economy & Business Energy & Environment

In the News

Aug 18, 2021

Lipsky op-ed on the Taliban’s access to IMF SDRs published in Wall Street Journal

By Josh Lipsky

Read the whole article here.

Afghanistan Economic Sanctions

In the News

Aug 18, 2021

Wechsler and Lipsky in The Wall Street Journal: “Will the IMF Bankroll the Taliban?”

By Atlantic Council

"The first real test of whether the Taliban will be accepted by the international community will happen in the IMF boardroom," write Josh Lipsky and William Wechsler in the WSJ.

Afghanistan Crisis Management

New Atlanticist

Aug 17, 2021

The Taliban now controls the Afghan economy. Here’s what that means.

By Alex Zerden

The reality of a strengthened Taliban running the Afghan government creates substantial and imminent economic policy challenges for the United States and the international community.

Afghanistan Economic Sanctions

In the News

Aug 17, 2021

Friedlander interviewed by South China Morning Post about Hong Kong’s anti-sanctions law

By Julia Friedlander

Read the full article here.

Anchor, CNBC

Millennium Leadership Program

Economy & Business Energy & Environment

Events

Online Event Fri, July 11, 2025 • 10:30 am ET

Share

Programs

Featured Analysis

The search for safe assets

After partial relief, what’s next for Syria sanctions?

Hong Kong highlights China’s policy of decoupling from US financial markets

What’s the Trump administration’s dollar strategy? It depends on who you ask.

How Japanese economic statecraft has shifted from promotion to protection

Even as courts step in, Trump still has plenty of tariff options. US trading partners should intensify negotiations.

In-Depth Research

Avoiding Entanglement: G20 Responses in a Taiwan Crisis report cited by the Wall Street Journal on how China would respond to trade restrictions from the West

The economic and social costs of the war in Gaza

End of the line: The cost of faltering reforms

Toward a financial inclusion agenda for the global majority

Sharing the post carbon economy means building a resilient EV supply chain

Reconstructing Ukraine at war: The journey to prosperity starts now

Read the latest from the GeoEconomics Center

April, July, now August: Our expert guide to Trump’s latest tariff moves

Stablecoins are trending, but what frictions and risks are getting overlooked?

Building BRICS

Content

Will digital money belong to democrats or despots?

Making the most of Ukraine’s tech talent

O’Toole quoted in Time about sanctions on the Taliban

Lipsky interviewed on NPR about denying the Taliban access to funds

Lipsky quoted in Bloomberg on the Afghan economy

Lakhani joins Egomonk to discuss the gendered funding landscape in Pakistan

Lipsky op-ed on the Taliban’s access to IMF SDRs published in Wall Street Journal

Wechsler and Lipsky in The Wall Street Journal: “Will the IMF Bankroll the Taliban?”

The Taliban now controls the Afghan economy. Here’s what that means.

Friedlander interviewed by South China Morning Post about Hong Kong’s anti-sanctions law

Experts

Kate Dunbar

Jeanette Quick

Jasneet Hora

Gabriela Santos

Devon Long

Dan Murphy

Events

What comes next for transatlantic trade

Book talk: A portrait of ‘the man who would be king’

2025 Transatlantic Forum on GeoEconomics

Oops...

It looks like we're having a technical issue.