No, but the USD wouldn't be on loan, right? If so, then... yes, maybe that would be a short?
Here's how I understand what a short is:
Short selling is the sale of a security that is not owned by the seller, or that the seller has borrowed. Short selling is motivated by the belief that a security's price will decline, enabling it to be bought back at a lower price to make a profit.
bitUSD's in my example are created via borrowing.
I think the whole borrowing angle comes from stocks. As unlike futures markets you need to borrow stocks from long term holders in order to short.
Taking a currency on margin, is different to borrowing a stock.
In my head there's something very different to a security and a currency.
If you buy something with dollars, even margined, borrowed dollars .. I don't think it's shorting dollars unless what you're buying is another currency or something 'big' rather than just a small asset.
Can you see that perspective?
Which is the case here, yes? Unless cryptocurrencies are not currencies?
I see that perspective, but what I'm describing seems much like what I find when I Google what it means to short a currency. Either way, thanks for clarifying your perspective.