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The solution in such a scenario, however, is simple. You need a neutral and mutually trusted asset in between. Gold could serve this role, and has done so historically, but it is inconvenient and expensive to send gold around physically. Oil could also be used, but is not divisible enough and is expensive to store and protect. Lastly, one could imagine small neutral countries like Switzerland acting as intermediaries, but they are likely to come under too much pressure from the larger centers of power. Bitcoin, however, is in many ways designed for the job.