G20

G20

Explore the Atlantic Council’s expert commentary, in-depth research, and comprehensive analyses on the G20’s efforts to tackle global economic challenges.

Atlantic Council at the G20

The G20 brings together the world’s 20 largest economies to address the most pressing challenges facing the global economy. In 2026, the United States assumed the G20 presidency for the first time in 17 years.

Transatlantic Forum on GeoEconomics

December 11, 2026

The Atlantic Council and Atlantik-Brücke, in partnership with Bloomberg, will host the fifth annual Transatlantic Forum on GeoEconomics in Miami, Florida, on the eve of the G20 Leaders’ Summit. This special event will convene senior policymakers and business leaders to reimagine transatlantic coordination, competition, and cooperation at the nexus of trade, national security, and technology. 

History of the G20

The Group of Twenty (G20) is the premier forum for international economic and financial cooperation. Founded in 1999 after a series of crises rippled through the global economy, the G20 originally served as a platform for finance ministers and central bank governors to discuss the governance of an increasingly globalized world economy and promote financial stability.

During the global financial crisis in 2008, the G20 was elevated to a leaders level summit, and took swift, coordinated action was taken to rescue the global economy. Past G20 summits have resulted in landmark agreements including the creation of the Financial Stability Board (FSB) in 2009.

In 2026, the US will chair the G20 for the first time since 2009. As the chair, the US is prioritizing three core themes: unleashing economic prosperity by limiting regulatory burdens, unlocking affordable and secure energy supply chains, and pioneering innovations in AI and emerging technologies.

Featured Research

How much money is the G20 spending?

Issue Brief Apr 1, 2026

Global payment systems are fragmenting. Here’s what the G20 can do.

By Greg Brownstein

Fragmentation is reshaping global payment systems, driven by technological change, regulatory divergence, market dynamics, and rising geopolitical tensions. While innovation have long-term benefits, the near-term risks to efficiency, inclusion, and financial stability are mounting, demanding a more implementation-focused G20 agenda.
Digital Currencies Economy & Business
How much money is the G20 spending?

Report Nov 12, 2024

Avoiding entanglement: G20 responses in a Taiwan crisis

By Matthew Mingey, Laura Gormley, and Logan Wright

This report identifies China’s likely goals for interactions with G20 nations under a Taiwan contingency, as well as each case country’s respective economic and policy reactions.
Brazil China

Featured analysis

How much money is the G20 spending?

Econographics Aug 20, 2026

Faster, cheaper, safer? The G20 should address the tradeoffs in cross-border payments.

By Ruth Goodwin-Groen and Louis de Koker

The tensions between inclusion and speed on the one hand, and safety and security on the other, are becoming increasingly difficult to ignore
Economy & Business Financial Regulation
How much money is the G20 spending?

Econographics Mar 7, 2025

Charting the path for women’s economic security in the G20

By Alisha Chhangani, Jessie Yin

For International Women’s Day this year, here are five charts about gender gaps in the G20. Closing these gaps would boost economic benefits for everyone.
Economy & Business G20
How much money is the G20 spending?

Econographics Mar 5, 2025

Has the G20 become the G19?

By Hung Tran

The US has chosen to boycott the kick-off of South Africa’s G20 presidency. But a G20 without the United States or its constructive engagement will be much weaker.
Economy & Business Macroeconomics

Past events

Public Event Wed, July 24, 2024 • 12:30 pm ET

Shaping the global economy: From food security to digital transformation

Shaping the global economy conference will develop a blueprint for the G20 to address the range of challenges facing its member states from global economic governance and digital transformation to food security and hunger. 
Brazil China Digital Policy Energy Markets & Governance

Dispatches

How much money is the G20 spending?

New Atlanticist Nov 25, 2025

Dispatch from South Africa: The G20’s center of gravity continues to shift

By Alisha Chhangani

Emerging markets are building coalitions, designing financial tools, and articulating visions for multilateral reform with growing clarity and confidence.
Economy & Business International Financial Institutions
How much money is the G20 spending?

New Atlanticist Jul 30, 2024

Dispatch from Rio: Can Brazil set up the G20 leaders’ summit for success?

By Ananya Kumar, Mrugank Bhusari

Brasília has sought to acknowledge fundamental disagreements on geopolitics between some members, and then to sidestep them entirely at the ministerial level. How long can this approach last?
Brazil Economy & Business

Explore the program

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.

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Content

EconoGraphics

Mar 10, 2021

How much money is the G20 spending?

By GeoEconomics Center

Our new fiscal firepower heat map, updated through March 2021, shows how G20 COVID-19 crisis spending now compares to the Global Financial Crisis. While nearly every country is deploying its fiscal firepower significantly more than a decade ago, China is still spending less.

China Economy & Business

In the News

Feb 9, 2021

Borghard at T20: Cyber threats to global financial stability

By Atlantic Council

On February 9, Erica Borghard participated in the first full meeting of Task Force 4: Digital Transformation for the Think20 (T20). The T20 is the official engagement group of the G20, bringing together leading think tanks and research center worldwide. At the meeting, Borghard presented her policy brief on cyber threats to global financial stability. […]

Cybersecurity G20

In the News

Aug 17, 2020

Burrows and Manning in The National Interest: What happens when America is no longer the undisputed super power?

By Atlantic Council

China Europe & Eurasia

New Atlanticist

Jul 15, 2020

The G20 needs to do more to address the human toll of COVID-19

By Jeremy Mark

If the wealthy countries cannot support measures to stave off a humanitarian crisis, the damage will run deeper than the resurgence of hunger and disease. The political repercussions will take the shape of civil strife, extremism, and mass migration. The G20 will do irreparable damage to social cohesion and international cooperation if it fails to act decisively.

Coronavirus G20

Issue Brief

Jul 15, 2020

United G20 must pave the way for robust post-COVID-19 recovery

By Phil Thornton

The world is facing unprecedented health and economic crises that require a global solution. Governments have locked down their economies to contain the mounting death toll from the COVID-19 pandemic. With this response well underway, now is the time to move into a recovery effort.

China Coronavirus

Shaping the Post-COVID World Together

Jul 7, 2020

What world post-COVID-19? Three scenarios

By Mathew Burrows, Peter Engelke

A preliminary look at the geopolitical implications of the pandemic and possible directions for the global system after the still-unfolding crisis.

Coronavirus G20

In the News

May 23, 2020

Mathew Burrows and Bob Manning in The Hill about a global “Manhattan Project” to end pandemics

By Atlantic Council

Coronavirus English

New Atlanticist

May 5, 2020

Democratic solidarity and the road ahead

By Ana Palacio and Daniel Fried

The United States needs to lead in devising both immediate and systemic responses to the coronavirus challenge, but not alone. Leadership means neither diktat nor incantation of old formulas. It means using American convening power to adapt tested principles to new challenges, crystalizing friends and allies—transatlantic, transpacific and not forgetting hemispheric—around a common agenda.

Coronavirus G20

New Atlanticist

Apr 24, 2020

What the world can learn from regional responses to COVID-19

By Anastasia Kalinina

Regional integration projects around the world could be the first step to help countries jointly meet the challenges of COVID-19. In recent weeks we have witnessed many of them coming together to establish collective measures.

Coronavirus G20

In the News

Apr 22, 2020

The role of tech, data, and leadership in pandemic geopolitics and recovery post-COVID

By Atlantic Council

On April 22, 2020, Vint Cerf, Sue Gordon, Melissa Flagg, and Terry Halvorsen participated in a Webit virtual panel titled "Pandemic geopolitics and recovery post-COVID," moderated by David Bray, the Director of the Atlantic Council's GeoTech Center, on the role of tech, data, and leadership in the global response to and recovery from COVID-19.

Civil Society Coronavirus
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Experts

Fellow

Emilie Bel

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Africa Center

Africa Economy & Business

Staff

Alisha Chhangani

Associate Director

GeoEconomics Center

Digital Currencies Digital Policy

Advisory Council member

Helga Flores Trejo

Vice President, Special Envoy Multilateral & Sustainability Affairs, Bayer

Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center

Brazil Economy & Business

Fellow

Paul Klimos

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Freedom and Prosperity Center

Entrepreneurship G20

Staff

Josh Lipsky

Vice President & Chair, International Economics

GeoEconomics Center

China Digital Currencies

Fellow

Barbara C. Matthews

Nonresident Senior Fellow

GeoEconomics Center

Americas China
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Events

Online Event Mon, October 12, 2026 • 9:00 am ET

Atlantic Council’s 2026 IMF-World Bank Annual Meetings in Thailand

The Atlantic Council’s Geoeconomics Center will be broadcasting live from the IMF–World Bank official campus in Bangkok, bringing the meetings to a global audience.
Americas Digital Currencies Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia