World Braces for Economic Warfare as Top Global Threat in 2026

World Braces for Economic Warfare as Top Global Threat in 2026 A new report from the World Economic Forum (WEF) has identified "geoeconomic warfare" as the most severe and immediate danger to global stability in the coming years [49991]. The warning highlights a world where nations are increasingly weaponizing trade, supply chains, and investment in their strategic rivalries, creating a volatile environment that threatens international economic growth [49991]. The WEF's latest Global Risks Report places economic confrontation between states above all other global dangers for the next two years [49991]. This shift marks a significant change in the international landscape, where geopolitical competition is directly driving economic policy [49991]. The short-term global outlook is now dominated by three interconnected threats: intense geopolitical rivalry, the rapid spread of misinformation, and severe social and political polarization [49991]. According to the report, these forces are combining to create a precarious situation where countries prioritize economic tools as instruments of national power [49991]. The findings come amid broader recognition of a significant transformation in the international order [54213]. While deep economic interdependence between nations persists, making a full-scale reversal of globalization unlikely, the rise of geoeconomic tactics represents a major fracture in how countries interact [6971]. The WEF's analysis will be a central topic at its annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, next week [49991]. Geoeconomic Warfare Named Top Global Threat for 2026 Trump's Plan to Remake the World Order Begins Globalization Shifts, But It Doesn't Reverse