> I, a foreign entity, have sold something to an american and now have 10 dollars and zero treasuries.
Or you sold something to a non-American entity in a dollar-based market, eg. oil. The dollars do come from America to begin with, but once they get "out there" they work as a medium of exchange for whoever wants to use them for that purpose.
Interesting - The petroyuan was not on my radar at all.
https://ipr.blogs.ie.edu/2025/06/27/geopolitics-of-oil-how-c...: This article explores case studies such as Russia, Iran, and Venezuela, illustrating how the petroyuan has been implemented to bypass sanctions and reduce dependence on US financial systems.
Or you sold something to a non-American entity in a dollar-based market, eg. oil. The dollars do come from America to begin with, but once they get "out there" they work as a medium of exchange for whoever wants to use them for that purpose.