The Catalysts - by Amanda Wick (Paperback)

About the Book

The Catalysts: The Accelerating Forces Forging the New World Financial Order could not have arrived at a more critical moment. Amanda Wick clearly explains how to prepare for the vastly different world rapidly approaching.

Book Synopsis

Since the end of WWII, America has dominated the global economic stage. Not coincidentally, the US dollar has served as the world's default currency. America has routinely rattled its saber to wage wars, leverage its soft power, and nudge its allies. Enemies who have opposed it have borne the brunt of America's stifling economic sanctions.

No dynasty lasts forever though, and the US is no exception to this rule. Today, a diverse set of powerful catalysts is forging a new, dramatically different world financial order. These forces include America's profound dysfunction, decentralized finance, social engineering, the rise of nationalism, and the erosion of institutional trust.

But what will this new, world order look like? Where are the minefields and opportunities? How can a nation, its elected officials, and its regulators navigate this chaotic milieu? Policymakers, regulators, and the concerned citizens they represent lack answers to these critical questions.

No one is more qualified to answer them than Amanda Wick. As Senior Investigative Counsel for the US House of Representatives January 6th Committee, she witnessed how a once-great nation attempted to whitewash an insurrection. On the global stage, she has advised a diverse group of organizations and spoken frequently about how the rise of cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology is affecting geopolitics.

Wick's debut book, The Catalysts: The Accelerating Forces Forging the New World Financial Order, could not have arrived at a more opportune moment. Insightful, timely, and essential, The Catalysts clearly explains what's really happening, why, and what we can do to prepare for the vastly different world rapidly approaching.

Review Quotes

"A riveting wake-up call for anyone who still thinks the global financial system is stable. With the clarity of a prosecutor and the urgency of a frontline witness, Amanda Wick unpacks how political chaos, technological disruption, and eroding trust are rewriting the rules of money and power. The Catalysts isn't just a book about finance-it's a roadmap to understanding the forces reshaping our world."

-The Honorable Stephanie Murphy, former US Representative from Florida

"As economic centers of gravity shift and global trust in institutions wavers, the U.S. dollar faces new pressures on all sides. Amanda Wick offers a sharp analysis of these converging trends, exploring what's at stake for the dollar's dominance and the broader economic and political order. The Catalysts is essential reading for policymakers, investors, and anyone trying to make sense of a world in flux."

-Dante Disparte, Chief Strategy Officer and Head of Global Policy, Circle

"Few people have seen the levers of financial and political power up close like Amanda Wick. In The Catalysts, she delivers a sober assessment of what ails the global financial system, and the social and technological forces hastening its decline. A must-read for policymakers and students alike."

-Chris Brummer, Agnes Williams Sesquicentennial Professor of Financial Technology, Georgetown University Law Center