BlackRock 2026 Outlook Report: Digital Assets as the Foundation of Payment and Settlement Infrastructure, Bullish on AI-Related US Stocks
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**
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Binance Alpha Points Rule Update: Placeholder Tokens will be counted towards Alpha Balance Points
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.
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Thai Prime Minister Orders Tightening of Gold Trading and Digital Asset-Related Regulations
**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.**
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The Nigerian government has passed a new tax law that allows for the traceability of cryptocurrency transactions and their inclusion in the tax declaration system.
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.
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New York City former Mayor Eric Adams launches "NYC Token," which quickly surged and then retraced after the initial spike
Per Fortune, ex-New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced the launch of a cryptocurrency called “NYC Token” following his departure from office, noting the project’s goal is to raise funds to fight anti-Semitism, anti-American sentiment, and expand blockchain education for kids. Adams unveiled the token publicly in Times Square but didn’t disclose partners, an issuance date, how funds will be used, or specific token mechanics—only noting regular New Yorkers can invest in it.
During his term, Adams was a vocal supporter of the crypto industry but faced heavy controversy over ethics and conflict-of-interest issues. New York’s new mayor, Zohran Mamdani, has explicitly stated he won’t buy the token.
**Per Eric Adams’ X account, the NYC Token reportedly launched on the Solana network roughly an hour ago—its market cap briefly spiked to $200 million before quickly falling back to $93.98 million.**
BlockBeats is warning users the token’s authenticity remains unconfirmed, celebrity-bac
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