News

Glonghui, April 28｜The global capital market is undergoing an epic realignment driven by “silicon-based life” consumption. According to the latest data from Bloomberg and several financial institutions, the British stock market, long a leading financial center in Europe, is facing a severe challenge: in just one month, its total market capitalization has been surpassed by Taiwan and South Korea, two major Asian semiconductor hubs.In mid-April, the Taiwan stock market’s capitalization reached approximately $4.13 trillion to $4.3 trillion, officially overtaking the UK and rising to become the world’s seventh-largest market. On April 28, during trading hours, the Korea Composite Stock Price Index surged to 6,712.73 points, reaching a new all-time high, with a year-to-date increase approaching 60%. Its market cap soared to $4.04 trillion, successfully exceeding the UK’s $3.99 trillion and entering the global top eight.At the end of 2024, the size of the UK stock market was twice that of South Korea. In just over a year, the “machine demand” represented by AI infrastructure has completely erased this exponential gap. This historic shift reflects capital’s renewed vote in the underlying logic of industry. The rise of Asian markets relies heavily on AI hardware giants: TSMC accounts for about 45% of Taiwan’s market capitalization, while Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix together contribute nearly 40% of South Korea’s. In contrast, the UK stock market is dominated by traditional sectors such as AstraZeneca, HSBC Holdings, and Shell. Against the backdrop of sluggish “carbon-based consumption” and accelerating aging, the growth prospects of these traditional heavyweights pale in comparison to the AI boom.Currently, investors are embracing “silicon-based consumer products” with unprecedented premiums. As South Korea and Taiwan continue to catch up, the rankings of the world’s top five markets may see further volatility during the AI supercycle.

Golden Ten Data reported on April 28 that Fukuoka Financial Group Chief Strategist and former Bank of Japan official Tohru Sasaki said that the three dissenting votes are precisely the reason for the current appreciation of the yen. The market's attention is on the CPI, and since most members have already raised their inflation expectations, this is another reason why this decision is viewed as hawkish. The term of one of the dissenting members, Junko Nakagawa, will expire in June, and she will be replaced by a very dovish person (Ayano Sato). Therefore, this may be the last time we see three dissenting members at the same time. But in any case, three votes are three votes, so I think this is a hawkish outcome.

Foresight News reports that renowned Silicon Valley investor and Bitcoin advocate Tim Draper stated at the "Bitcoin 2026" conference that the evolution of money may progress from fiat currencies to stablecoins, ultimately converging on Bitcoin. According to him, it is irresponsible for enterprises with significant cash reserves not to allocate funds to Bitcoin. He recommends that companies allocate at least 5% to 15% of their assets to Bitcoin, families should hold at least six months' worth of living expenses in Bitcoin, and governments should retain sufficient Bitcoin reserves to address monetary crises. Citing the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank as an example, he pointed out that once a systemic banking crisis occurs, enterprises need assets independent of the banking system to ensure salary payments and maintain operations. He also noted that he once lost Bitcoin in the Mt.Gox incident but was later motivated to re-enter the market after seeing Bitcoin used for cross-border remittances among unbanked populations in Africa and Southeast Asia. The adoption of Bitcoin has far exceeded expectations, with banks and governments now rolling out the red carpet for this asset. Humanity, he said, stands on the threshold of an anthropological transformation comparable to the invention of money itself.