I’ve been closely monitoring the economic and monetary developments in Iraq, and there’s a concerning possibility that could significantly impact us foreign holders of IQD.
My concern is about a potential demonetization move by the Government of Iraq, similar to India’s massive cash currency overhaul in 2016.
A recent article from Al-Alam Al-Jadid Newspaper highlights two significant strategies aimed at strengthening the Iraqi Dinar (IQD): deleting zeros from the currency and motivating Iraqi citizens to move their cash holdings into banks.
These initiatives are seen as pivotal steps towards economic stability and international reinforcement of the Dinar.
The proposals outlined in the Iraqi news article involves redenominating the Dinar by removing zeros from the currency notes. This process simplifies the currency’s face value without affecting its actual worth.
The article also addresses the problem of motivating Iraqi citizens to use bank accounts.
A large portion of the Iraqi population prefers to store their cash IQD at home rather than in banks, limiting the money’s active participation in the economy.
If Iraq follows a demonetization process similar to what India did in 2016, our IQD held outside of Iraq could become worthless overnight.
What Happened with the Indian Rupee?
In 2016, India made a sudden move. The government declared its higher denomination notes – the 500- and 1,000-rupee bills – invalid overnight. This represented a massive 86% of rupee cash supply at the time.
They introduced new notes, but here’s the catch: foreign holders of the old rupee notes found themselves stuck with worthless paper.
India’s demonetization was aimed at curbing black market money (the parallel market) and encouraging the use of citizen bank deposits, but it left foreigners with no option to exchange the old Rupee notes outside of India.
What This Means for Us Foreign Dinar Holders
Now, imagine Iraq taking the same path.
If Baghdad decides to demonetize the Dinar, especially in the context of deleting zeros from their currency, we could face a similar situation.
Our holdings of old Dinar notes might turn into mere collectibles, with no financial value.
This is not just speculation. With the global shift towards digital transactions and Iraq’s ongoing economic reforms, such a move could be on the horizon.
Stay tuned to GCR Real-Time News for the latest updates and insights on this developing story.
