U.S. CPI: +2.9% YEAR-OVER-YEAR (EST. +2.9%); U.S. CORE CPI: +3.2% YEAR-OVER-YEAR (EST. +3.3%)

January 13 (FXStreet) — New York Federal Reserve President John Williams said Monday he expects the U.S. economy to sustain healthy growth in 2026 and suggested there’s no near-term need to cut interest rates. Williams described himself as “quite optimistic” about the economic outlook. He projects 2026 U.S. GDP growth will land between 2.5% and 2.75%. For unemployment, he expects the rate to stabilize this year before declining in the years ahead. On inflation, Williams noted price pressures are likely to peak in the first half of this year at 2.75% to 3%, then ease to 2.5% for the full year. He forecasts inflation will return to the Fed’s 2% target by 2027.

Jan. 13 — President Trump said large U.S. tech companies must “bear the cost themselves” amid skyrocketing data center operating expenses. He noted Microsoft will be the “first,” with a “major change” from the firm expected this week. Analysts project Trump’s next target will be electricity prices.

January 13 – BlackRock has released its 2026 Global Outlook report, highlighting massive AI infrastructure investment driving the "micro is macro" trend, alongside challenges like rising leverage and the "diversification mirage." The firm maintains a pro-risk stance, overweighting U.S. stocks (notably AI-related names) and bullish on active investment opportunities. ### Three Core Themes 1. **Micro is Macro** A handful of firms dominate AI buildout, with capital expenditure (capex) on a scale to impact the global macroeconomy. Investment could hit $5–$8 trillion (2025–2030), boosting U.S. 2026 growth (investment contribution 3x historical average) even as the labor market cools. Uncertainty remains over whether revenue will match expenditure and how much flows back to tech giants. While AI may accelerate innovation, the report notes 150 years of major tech shifts haven’t broken the U.S.’s 2% long-term growth trend—but a "growth breakout" is now plausible. 2. **Leveraging Up**

January 13 — Per an official statement, effective 8:00 AM on January 13, 2026, all receipt-type tokens for Binance Booster Earn (including tETH, miBNB, maUSDT, zkUSDT, bwUSDT) — plus those from upcoming Booster Earn campaigns — will count toward users’ Binance Alpha Balance Points.

**January 13 – Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has officially launched a sweeping operation targeting “grey money” and illegal fund flows, per *The Nation Thailand*. The initiative includes stricter regulations on gold trading and digital assets.** **In the digital asset space, the government will strictly enforce the Travel Rule—mandating verified sender and receiver identities for all wallet-to-wallet transfers to eliminate anonymity.** **Additionally, Thailand will establish a National Data Bureau to centralize financial data, enabling regulatory bodies to track suspicious transactions in real time.**

On January 13, TechCabal reported that Nigeria’s government will link cryptocurrency transactions to real identities via a new tax law, using Tax Identification Numbers (TINs) and National Identity Numbers (NINs). This allows crypto transactions to be traced and integrated into the tax reporting system without compromising the underlying blockchain. Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs) are required to collect and report customers’ TINs/NINs, names, addresses, and other details. They must submit mandatory monthly transaction reports to tax authorities, and notify law enforcement of large or suspicious transactions.