The BRICS bloc stands at the threshold of even greater relevance, and this eighth issue of the BRICS Academic Review, evokes this liminality, as the BRICS family of members grows, and continues to grow. Expansion has arrived, and perhaps institutionalization beckons. Our news roundup of key developments [pp 8-16] considers the implications of this expanding BRICS universe for the global economy, the return of the BRICS New Development Bank to the South African bond market, amidst various interesting and relevant developments across the BRICS landscape.