Money is a product of human imagination based on universal trust in the system.
For over 5,000 years, humans have used some form of money. In the last 50 years, though, our trust in it has reached new heights. This shift began in 1971 when Nixon ended the Bretton Woods system, and the way we see money changed forever.
These days, money isn’t backed by anything real (like gold or silver). All currencies in the world operate as fiat money, meaning their value is based on trust in governments and economies rather than tangible assets. And that’s understandable, especially since the total value of all mined gold today is $20 trillion. Honestly, that’s simply not enough to keep the modern economy moving at the pace it needs.
Here’s an interesting fact: over $129 trillion circulates in the global economy today. But how much of that is physical? Just 10%. Only a small portion of the world’s money exists as paper bills and coins. The other 90% is digital—stored as numbers in bank databases. It’s fascinating when you think about it.

I find it insane how this system works. People who don’t trust each other daily trust money just because everyone else does. It’s a shared belief that keeps the system running.
Well. It may not feel sustainable in the long run, but for now, it’s the best tool we have for cooperation and trust between strangers.. sometimes even enemies.