ECONOMICS

Reto Fierz

Director, CIRAS Center for Economics

At the CIRAS Center for Economics, Reto leads initiatives that:

• Explore inclusive and decentralized economic models,
• Integrate blockchain and digital assets into research on financial justice and transparency,
• Develop frameworks for sustainable investment, community wealth-building, and equity-driven innovation,
• Advance education on economic systems that balance prosperity with planetary stewardship.

Reto’s work supports CIRAS’s mission to create future-fit economic infrastructures, aligning finance with social responsibility, regenerative development, and ethical technology.

A former professional rower and Olympian, Reto brings discipline, resilience, and high-performance leadership to every project. His strategic foresight and deep understanding of financial ecosystems position the CIRAS Economics Center as a catalyst for global economic rethinking in the era of transition and complexity.

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VISION for the Economics Sector:
A thriving humanity on a healthy planet, truly free to meet our own needs, to exchange voluntarily, to build prosperity, and to take care of each other and the environment without coercion or aggression.

Overview:
The Economics sector within the CIRAS Department is dedicated to creating a future where economic systems serve all of humanity, not just a privileged few. The current global economy, which is driven by debt, centralized banking, and monopolistic control, has led to a world where wealth is concentrated in the hands of a small elite, while billions are left in poverty and environmental destruction accelerates.

In this vision, economics is no longer about exploitation or accumulation at any cost; rather, it becomes a system that respects human dignity, freedom, and the natural world. The CIRAS Department seeks to explore and implement decentralized economic models based on voluntary exchange, resource equity, and sustainability. These new models can replace the existing global economy, which is teetering on the brink of collapse, with a regenerative, inclusive, and transparent system designed to allow all people—and the planet itself—to thrive.

Danger:
The current economic system has been overtaken by a rigged structure that benefits a small minority at the expense of the vast majority. Centralized banking, fiat currency, and debt-based economics have enslaved people around the world, trapping them in cycles of poverty, inequality, and economic servitude. Should this system collapse—an event that many believe is imminent—it would drag billions into suffering, leaving a world where basic needs cannot be met, and environmental devastation continues unchecked.

Opportunity:
The global economy is at a critical turning point. The CIRAS Department Economics sector identifies this moment as an opportunity to transform the world’s financial systems in a way that works for everyone. By exposing the flaws in the current system—particularly the creation of money out of nothing by central banks—and replacing it with honest, open, and decentralized systems, we can build a future where individuals and communities are empowered, rather than oppressed, by their economies.

Decentralized finance (DeFi), blockchain technology, and local currency systems offer a pathway to this future. These technologies and models enable people to exchange value freely, transparently, and securely without the need for centralized authorities or corrupt intermediaries. In such systems, resources can be managed sustainably, debts reduced, and economic power returned to the people.

Key Research Areas:

• Decentralized Finance (DeFi): By using blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies, we can create financial systems that bypass traditional banks, allowing for peer-to-peer transactions that are transparent and free of manipulation.
• Circular Economy: This model eliminates waste by ensuring that resources are continuously reused and recycled. It encourages local production and reduces dependency on extractive global supply chains that exploit labor and the environment.
• Resource-Based Economies: A system that focuses on meeting human needs sustainably, rather than on profit maximization, allowing resources to be distributed based on the needs of people and the planet, rather than financial gain.
• Economic Freedom and Voluntary Exchange: By promoting free, voluntary exchange without coercion or monopolistic control, individuals and communities can engage in trade that benefits all participants equally, fostering mutual prosperity.

World Impact:
Transforming the economic system will have profound implications for every aspect of society. A decentralized, equitable economic model will empower individuals by freeing them from the chains of debt and inequality. It will allow communities to be self-sufficient, reducing reliance on exploitative global markets. Such a system will promote environmental sustainability by valuing ecological balance over the extraction of natural resources for profit. Ultimately, by aligning human prosperity with environmental health, we can build an economy that serves both people and the planet.

Deep Impact:

• Ending Debt Slavery: A transition away from debt-based economies will liberate billions from financial oppression, allowing people to live free from the constant pressure of economic survival.
• Environmental Stewardship: In an economy that values sustainability, people will be incentivized to protect the environment, ensuring that economic activity works in harmony with natural systems rather than depleting them.
• Economic Empowerment: Decentralized economic models will empower local communities and individuals, allowing them to control their resources and wealth rather than being subject to the whims of distant corporations or central banks.
• Resilient Societies: A decentralized, sustainable economic system will be more resilient in the face of global shocks, such as climate change, pandemics, or financial crises, ensuring that communities can continue to thrive even in challenging times.

Conclusion:
By transforming the global economy into one that values freedom, sustainability, and voluntary exchange, we can create a system that works for everyone, not just the powerful elite. The CIRAS Department Economics sector is dedicated to bringing these transformative ideas to life, building a world where humanity thrives on a healthy planet, free from the shackles of debt and economic exploitation. technology continues to mature, it will offer unprecedented transparency in global trade, governance, and finance.