Taiwan

2026全球名家瞭望／穩定幣創新迷思與金融風險

United Daily News | Local Language | News | Jan. 23, 2026 | UndeterminedFinancial System Problems

Cryptocurrencies remain controversial, divided between unsecured types like Bitcoin and Ether, which depend solely on public belief, and stablecoins, which are backed by real-world assets such as dollars or Treasury bills. Both face critical questions of viability and societal benefit, with the consensus that cryptocurrencies generally do not provide public benefits and contribute to issues like tax evasion, money laundering, illicit financing, and lack investor protections.

Stablecoins assert full backing by reserves and promise the efficiency of digital tokens with traditional money's stability. However, doubts persist about compliance with these claims, potential investments in riskier assets, and political tensions surrounding regulation, especially between the United States' light-touch approach and stricter rules elsewhere. Risks such as massive runs on stablecoins due to doubts about collateral or liquidity remain significant, and a shift of deposits from traditional banks to stablecoins raises concerns about the future of bank lending.

Despite these challenges, stablecoins meet a real demand for faster, cheaper, and programmable payment systems. Three competing digital currency models aim to serve this market: decentralized cryptocurrencies, privately issued corporate currencies, and state-guaranteed digital fiat currencies. The latter may be implemented through public-private partnerships or central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), with key principles including inclusiveness, low cost, API openness for innovation, privacy protection, avoidance of disintermediation, and insured deposit status with holding limits.

Public oversight, prudential regulation, and accountability are crucial to ensure innovation strengthens economic fundamentals and prevents financial instability. Unsecured tokens and loosely regulated stablecoins must be curtailed before they integrate into the shadow banking system. The future of money should balance private innovation with public purpose, aiming for digital currencies that serve society rather than perpetuate risky speculation.

Taipei Times | English | News | Jan. 23, 2026 | Political Scandal or Corruption

Taipei prosecutors have launched an investigation into Taiwan People’s Party Chairman Huang Kuo-chang following allegations that he leaked state secrets by taking classified documents related to a special defense budget out of a closed-door Legislative Yuan committee meeting. The complaint was filed by political commentator Chang Ming-yu, a Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate, accusing Huang of violating the National Security Act and the Criminal Code. The documents in question pertain to Taiwan’s NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.52 billion) defense budget, including US arms procurement and weapons development.

DPP legislators disputed Huang's claim that he returned the documents to the meeting room on his own initiative, citing surveillance footage showing he remained outside for over a minute and that aides might have photographed the documents during a period not covered by security cameras. The committee chair reportedly instructed a military officer to retrieve the documents. Huang admitted to being careless and accidentally mixing confidential papers with others but denied the documents were highly classified, saying they would soon be disclosed by the US government. Huang also indicated he plans to propose his own version of the defense budget.

晶片攻入3D堆疊、埃米製程 經部研發「透視眼」X光量測技術提升良率

Liberty Times Net | Local Language | News | Jan. 23, 2026 | UndeterminedTech Development/Adoption

The Ministry of Economic Affairs’ Standards Bureau, through the Measurement Technology Development Center of the Industrial Technology Research Institute, has developed advanced X-ray critical-dimension measurement technology to address resolution limitations of traditional optical inspection in semiconductor manufacturing. This X-ray technology can accurately measure nanoscale chip parameters, supporting the industry's shift from planar designs to complex heterogeneous 3D stacking and from nanometer to ångström scales.

At a press conference on January 21, the Standards Bureau highlighted its role in providing over 5,000 standard calibration services annually and supporting more than 4 million testing services across industries, generating NT$20 billion in testing output value. The Bureau also showcased innovations such as the SUPERSIZER online monitoring system, capable of detecting minute contaminants to improve material purity and chip yield, and emphasized the strategic importance of developing proprietary measurement methods as domestic semiconductor firms advance.

Additional technological advancements introduced include a self-calibrating temperature sensor shortening calibration from 12 days to 30 minutes, digital linear-rail calibration reducing assembly time by two-thirds, and AI-enhanced sound inspection for wind turbine blades that cuts inspection time from 30 to 5 minutes while maintaining over 90% accuracy. These innovations reflect ongoing efforts to enhance precision measurement across various sectors.

Looking ahead, the Standards Bureau intends to maintain national measurement standards aligned with international benchmarks while continuing to pioneer forward-looking measurement technologies, supporting industrial upgrading, and fostering public trust through precise and reliable measurements. The Bureau currently holds the highest national measurement standards in 17 fields with 133 sets, recognized mutually by 102 global economies.