The systemic financial importance of emerging powers

Economic turmoil in advanced industrial economies since the 2008–9 crisis has intensified perceptions of rising global multipolarity. Several indices of the relative material capabilities of countries exist, yet few address a state's potential for financial influence abroad. We analyze indicators of a country's importance as a financial asset owner and participant in globalized financial markets, examining 180 countries during 1995–2010. The United States displays a high and stable systemic importance. An increase in the share of the BRICS countries, especially China, mirrors a strong decline in the global weight of Japan (still a senior financial power), and to a lesser extent, most other advanced industrial countries, with the exception of Germany.