In 2025, BRICS was quietly laying the vital “cables”—building practical payment systems and harmonizing trade rules—to forge a more resilient and equitable future for the Global South.
The year 2025 marked a pivotal phase in the evolution of BRICS, transitioning from a period of dramatic expansion to one of strategic consolidation. Under Brazil’s rotating presidency, the bloc, now representing a “Big BRICS” of over a dozen nations, focused on building the tangible frameworks and shared narratives needed to solidify its role as a cornerstone of the Global South .
The central theme, championed by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, was a steadfast commitment to revitalizing multilateralism. As Lula stated, in the face of global polarization, “the consistent defense of multilateralism is the only path we must follow” . This was not merely rhetorical. The year’s efforts were channeled into three interconnected pillars: advancing a practical alternative financial architecture, deepening substantive economic integration, and managing the institutional complexities of a greatly enlarged coalition.
The Pillars of Progress in 2025
- The Financial Architecture: Beyond “De-dollarization” to Function
The most concrete advancements came in the realm of finance, moving from concept to operational reality.
· Bilateral Breakthroughs: Brazil and China fully operationalized their agreement to settle bilateral trade in yuan and reais, with major commodities like soybeans, iron ore, and oil now flowing through this channel . This built upon existing frameworks like the Russia-China yuan/ruble trade mechanism.
· Systemic Tools: The development of BRICS Pay, a payment messaging system designed to facilitate local currency transactions and reduce reliance on Western networks like SWIFT, progressed through pilot stages .
· The Data Story: The impact is measurable. Within intra-BRICS trade, the yuan’s share surged to around 50% of transactions, a dramatic leap from just a few years prior . While the US dollar remains globally dominant, these steps created a viable, parallel system for member states, enhancing strategic autonomy.
- Economic Integration: Building the “Plumbing” of Cooperation
Beyond finance, 2025 focused on creating the practical “plumbing” for deeper collaboration.
· Trade Corridors: China’s trade with other BRICS members and partner countries grew to 6.11 trillion yuan in the first half of the year, accounting for 28.1% of its total trade . Cooperation expanded in industrial chains (electronics, metals), agriculture, and crucially, green infrastructure like solar power plants in desert regions .
· Special Economic Zones (SEZs): A landmark dialogue in China produced a comprehensive report mapping BRICS SEZ policies. It laid out concrete cooperation models in AI, green tech, and agriculture, moving from general principles to actionable industry partnerships .
- Institutional & Thematic Consolidation
Managing a larger, more diverse group was a key test.
· Agenda Setting: Brazil successfully prioritized issues of broad Global South concern, including global health, climate financing, and artificial intelligence governance, on the BRICS agenda . A key high-level discussion at the Brazil summit united members around principles for “accessible AI” that serves humanity .
· Defining the “Big BRICS”: An official Chinese think-tank report framed the expanded bloc not just as bigger, but as an upgraded model characterized by being Boosting (growth-oriented), Reformative (seeking global governance change), Inclusive, Cooperative, and Sustainable .
A Personal Perspective: The Foundation of Future Autonomy
From my viewpoint, the true significance of BRICS in 2025 lies not in a single headline-grabbing achievement, but in the deliberate and foundational work it accomplished. The bloc consciously moved to build what I would call “strategic optionality.”
For a Brazilian soybean farmer or a Russian energy exporter, the benefit is not the immediate end of the dollar, but the option to conduct business through alternative, less politically exposed channels. For an Indian tech firm or a South African manufacturer, it is the option to tap into aligned supply chains and investment pools within the Global South’s own networks. The meetings, reports, and pilot systems of 2025 were all geared towards making these options more reliable, efficient, and real.
This year demonstrated that BRICS is evolving from a loose coalition united by shared grievances into a more structured platform capable of slow, patient institution-building. It proved that the group could not only admit new members but also begin the harder work of integrating them around common, forward-looking projects in technology and sustainability. The handover of the 2026 chairmanship from Brazil to India at year’s end was smooth, signaling an emerging institutional rhythm .
Looking Ahead: The Challenges on the Horizon
The path forward is not without hurdles. Internal economic disparities and geopolitical rivalries, notably between major powers, persist. The vision of a common BRICS currency remains a distant prospect, with most progress occurring through bilateral agreements . Furthermore, the bloc’s economic narrative, while compelling, operates from a position of catching up. The combined GDP of BRICS+ members is estimated at $31.72 trillion, still significantly behind the G7’s $51.45 trillion, though growing at a faster rate (4.2% vs 1.7%) .
In conclusion, 2025 was the year BRICS got down to business. It was less about grand declarations and more about laying cables, signing operational protocols, and building consensus on the rules of a new, multipolar game. It solidified the bloc’s role as the principal architect of an alternative world order centered on the Global South. The foundation poured this year will define the scope and speed of what can be built in 2026 and beyond.
NASIR KAZEROUN
BRICS FEDERATION