The US dollar IS the world currency if you round up from about 65%: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Reserve_currencies.svg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:R

The US dollar IS the world currency if you round up from about 65%: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Reserve_currencies.svg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Reserve_currencies.svg Financial institutions buy dollars and sell the others when there is the slightest panic. Chinese buy Argentinean wine with US dollars. The USD holds a unique title, an exorbitant privilege. Furthermore, money operates outside of the law very often -- even dollars -- just look at criminal activities, both low-brow and complicated, e.g. off-shore accounts.