Journalists from 13 countries effortlessly made online payments with... a single click using e-CNY during their visit to Chengdu's famous "trunk economic zone" - Sanse Road. The journalists enjoyed Sichuan Opera performances, savored local delicacies, participated in interactive games, all while using e-CNY payment. Ali Abbas, Senior Investigative Reporter at in Pakistan, was particularly amazed by the convenience of e-CNY payment. "It is very convenient. With it, you can pay for everything," he said. E-CNY, the first digital currency issued by a major economy, is a central bank digital currency issued in China. After undergoing public testing in 2021, it is now being implemented in 17 provinces as pilot areas. China's leadership in online payment development has greatly improved residents' lives, making everything more convenient. The Sanse Road Block is a vibrant spot along the Jinjiang Lohas Greenway in Chengdu, China. Completed by CCCC-Tianjin Dredging CO., Ltd. in 2021, the greenway has become a bustling "trunk economic zone" where locals flock to the flea market and unwind. #TravelogueofChinashow more

CARNEY’S DIGITAL ID TROJAN HORSE FIRST THE TRADES. THEN... WHO? Carney’s digital ID Trojan horse has arrived and it is being rolled in through the trades. It was not introduced with a sweeping national announcement. It slipped in quietly under the practical-sounding label of “digital verification for tradespeople.” Months after Carney said there were “no current plans” for a common digital identification, he now says, “we agreed,” and that negotiations are underway. That is what makes the Trojan horse so effective. It does not look threatening. It is presented as convenient, efficient and limited to one group. But once the infrastructure is inside the gates, it can be expanded to link credentials, employment, government services, and access to more parts of everyday life. First the trades. Then who? The danger is not that digital ID arrives by force. It is that Canadians welcome it as convenience before realizing what was hidden inside. #MarkCarney #DigitalID #CdnPoli #CanadianPolitics #DigitalFreedomshow more

The US just voted to block a digital dollar,... with Elizabeth Warren helping The Senate has passed a bill that bars the Federal Reserve from issuing a retail digital dollar through 2030. The CBDC ban rode inside the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, which cleared in an 85 to 5 vote late Monday. The move turns standing policy into law. Trump's executive order had already frozen CBDC work, but an order can be undone by the next president. A statute is far harder to unwind, and after 2030 the Fed would need explicit approval from Congress to revive one. The irony is in who helped. Elizabeth Warren, who in 2021 called central bank digital currencies a matter of "great promise," co-advanced the package that now freezes one. The ban was a bipartisan price baked into the housing deal.show more

“There is a tension between what the users of... a currency want – and the users of a currency tend to like freedom, autonomy, and discretion as to what they spent their money on – and what the issuers of a currency want; and bluntly, the issuers of a currency want control. Control of monetary policy, and control of you.” The Bank of England’s consultation papers make very clear the level of control that they wish to exercise over you, and over your supposed financial autonomy, if you were to use their #DigitalPound. (1) You’ll need to provide ID in order to use the #DigitalPound: “For the digital pound, tiered access would allow for different levels of user access and functionality based on the amount of identification (ID) a user is willing or able to provide.” (2) The Bank will dictate how much you can hold: “The Bank would place some limits on holdings of digital pounds, at least during its introductory period.” (3) The digital pound will be programmable, if not by the Bank itself then by third party providers: “Programmability, delivered by Payment Interface Providers, could also enable the use of smart contracts, which carry out specific actions based on pre-defined terms and conditions.” Quotes are from from the Bank of England’s Digital Pound consultation paper: Whatever the #DigitalPound will be, it won’t be cash. Cash does not require me to show ID to use it. I can hold as much cash as I want or need. And, along with #Bitcoin, cash is a bearer instrument whose title is freely transferrable upon delivery, which is very difficult for a central bank to control. And long may it stay this way. A huge shout out and thank you to Lyn Alden, who made this point much more eloquently than I did in her excellent book #BrokenMoney. Thank you! Also I’m aware that my hand gestures in this clip are reminiscent of Richard Hendricks manipulating ‘datas’ on stage at TechCrunch Disrupt in #SiliconValley, and for this I can only apologize: #BitcoinConference #Amsterdam #NoToCBDCsshow more

Visa and Mastercard are moving deeper into stablecoin payments.... Banks are testing tokenized settlements. Fintech teams are building the next payment rails in real time. To some this feels like everyone else is already ahead. But the truth is the opposite. These signals show where global finance is heading. Multicurrency accounts, real time settlement, digital dollars as a default payment layer and seamless payments between crypto and fiat. Exactly the direction we have been building toward. In our recent update we highlighted that the 149 billion dollar neobank market is projected to grow to 5.5 trillion dollars by 2033. This transformation has only just begun and the strongest growth is still ahead. The Scallop App is in its final development phase and in closed beta testing with multicurrency fiat accounts, a full crypto wallet and instant crypto to fiat swap functions. Visa debit cards are on the way. We are not late. We are aligned with the market shift that is happening right now. What we are building is not a reaction. It is part of the foundation for the next era of digital banking. The timing is right. The ecosystem is forming. And Scallop is nearing the moment where it steps into the global finance arena.show more

🚨 JUST IN: BRICS is discussing linking national fast-payment... systems and CBDCs for cross-border trade and this is where the $XRP Ledger becomes extremely relevant. The $XRP Ledger was built for cross-currency payments. It can move value from one currency or token into another within the same payment and settle the transaction atomically. The deeper $XRP connection is auto-bridging. If two currencies do not have an efficient direct market, #XRPL can automatically route the payment through XRP when XRP provides the better liquidity path: Currency A → $XRP → Currency B XRPL documentation itself uses examples such as USD → $XRP → MXN to demonstrate how XRP can function as an intermediary bridge between two different currencies. There is also a direct CBDC angle. #Ripple has previously described XRP as a neutral bridge asset that can help move value between different CBDCs and currencies, while its CBDC infrastructure has been built using technology derived from the $XRP Ledger. So imagine multiple sovereign digital currencies needing to communicate with each other: Digital Rupee 🇮🇳 → $XRP → Digital Dirham 🇦🇪 Digital Yuan 🇨🇳 → $XRP → Digital Real 🇧🇷 This does NOT mean BRICS has chosen XRP or that any of these central banks are currently routing their CBDCs through XRP. But the underlying problem BRICS is now exploring is clear: how do you efficiently connect multiple sovereign currencies, CBDCs and payment networks for cross-border settlement? That is precisely the type of interoperability problem the XRP Ledger was designed to solve. BRICS problem: Cross-border interoperability between currencies and CBDCs. XRPL capability: Native cross-currency payments and liquidity routing. $XRP’s potential role: A neutral bridge asset connecting one currency to another when it provides the most efficient path. BRICS has not announced XRP integration — but the infrastructure they are discussing moves directly into one of XRP’s strongest original use cases: bridging value across different currencies and payment systems. Liked what you just read? Follow RippleXity and never miss the $XRP deep links others overlook.show more

This isn’t Shanghai or Beijing. This is Ürümqi, the... capital of Xinjiang. A region once seen as remote is now becoming China’s rising star. Xinjiang stands as a powerful symbol of development at the crossroads of geography, strategy, and ambition. Often in the headlines for geopolitical reasons, Xinjiang is one of the most economically transformative regions in China. Geographically, Xinjiang is huge, over 1.6 million km², sharing borders with eight countries. Historically underdeveloped, it’s now becoming a key node in China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), serving as a gateway for trade routes stretching from Central Asia to Europe. Economically, China has poured billions into infrastructure in Xinjiang: 🤜 New railways and expressways connecting the region to coastal hubs 🤜 Smart agriculture in the Taklamakan Basin 🤜 Investments in renewable energy, making Xinjiang one of China’s largest producers of wind and solar power 🤜 Urbanization and digital infrastructure in cities like Urumqi and Kashgar Incomes of Uyghurs are rising, access to education and healthcare is expanding, and industrial zones are attracting businesses in textiles, logistics, and high-tech. Xinjiang’s GDP has more than doubled over the last decade. Xinjiang is a case of regional convergence policy in action, where China invests heavily to reduce the gaps of income and development between western China and the eastern seaboard. China-haters often miss something fundamental! Development in Xinjiang is a part of China’s macroeconomic vision for national resilience, cross-border trade influence, energy and strategic security. As an economist living in China for over a decade, I can say this with confidence, Xinjiang is undergoing undeniable and significant development which is inspiring.show more

🚨 HOLY SH*T, CHINA IS BUILDING A GOLD-BACKED FINANCIAL... SYSTEM And almost nobody understands how BIG this could become. China is pushing to internationalize the yuan through GOLD, new payment infrastructure, and alternatives to the U.S. dollar. Hong Kong’s government-backed gold clearing system began trial operations in July 2026, linked to the Shanghai Gold Exchange. Bloomberg Research also reports that China is developing a global network of gold vaults that could strengthen the yuan’s role in global finance. At the same time, China is building blockchain-based payment infrastructure with BRICS countries designed to reduce reliance on the U.S. dollar. And GOLD is at the center of everything. China has now bought gold for 20 consecutive months. In July, the UK, China, Japan, South Korea, and India all reduced their U.S. Treasury holdings while increasing exposure to gold. South Korea is buying gold again for the first time in 13 YEARS. Gold has now overtaken U.S. Treasuries as a more important reserve asset. Even Venezuela is moving its $4 BILLION, 31-ton gold reserves out of London after 8 years. The bigger picture is becoming impossible to ignore: GOLD → MORE U.S. TREASURIES → LESS DOLLAR DEPENDENCE → LESS China isn’t just buying gold. IT’S BUILDING AN ENTIRE FINANCIAL SYSTEM AROUND IT. And if other countries follow, the pressure on the U.S. dollar could become much bigger than anyone expects. China is moving toward gold. WHO’S NEXT? 👀show more

China's central bank has now bought gold for 19... months straight, the largest official buyer on earth. And this week, as gold broke 4,000 dollars, China's biggest banks moved to push ordinary Chinese out of leveraged gold trading, with at least one warning it will liquidate any position not closed by month-end. Both are true at once, and together they explain what this crash really is. Start with what is being banned, because the words matter. ICBC and a string of other banks are shutting down retail trading in what the Chinese themselves call paper gold, the margined, leveraged contracts where you bet on the price without ever owning a bar. Some banks lifted the margin requirement to 140 percent to choke the leverage off before closing the products outright. Physical gold, meanwhile, stays wide open. Coins, bars, savings plans, ETFs, all fine. It is only the paper, the leverage, the casino, that is being shut, the last step in a five-year retreat that the crash just finished. Officially this is about protecting small investors, and that part is real. The same kind of leverage wiped out a wave of Chinese retail in a 2020 commodity blowup. But set the ban beside what the state is doing and something larger comes into view. While its citizens are pushed out of the paper, the People's Bank of China has spent those same 19 months buying the physical metal, more than two thousand three hundred tonnes of it now, accumulating straight through a 28 percent crash that scared everyone else out. Beijing is not trading gold. It is hoarding it. That is the strategy in one frame. China looked at the two things both called gold, the paper bet and the physical bar, and made a choice no Western government would make. It is taking the metal for the state and closing the casino for everyone else. The reason sits in a single date. 2022, when Russia's reserves were frozen with a keystroke. That taught every country outside the Western system one lesson: dollars in an account can be switched off, gold in your own vault cannot. So China is building its monetary independence out of the one asset nobody can freeze, and it does not want that foundation in the hands of leveraged traders who panic-sell in a crash, or priced by a paper market it does not control. Watch this month and the two worlds split in real time. Western investors were forced out of their gold by margin calls and a rate scare. China's central bank bought that exact dip with both hands. One side treats gold as a trade. The other treats it as the floor under a currency. The West is selling paper gold and calling it a crash. China is buying physical gold and calling it a foundation. In ten years, only one of them will look like it understood what gold was for. The metal is already moving to that side.show more

🚩Indians are sharing an extract of Modhi’s speech in... Auckland yesterday where he announces that the NZ - India agreement includes connecting UPI while Luxon the stammering piglet looks on lovingly. The UPI (Unified Payments Interface) is an instant, real-time payment system developed by India for the diaspora to use to transfer funds directly between bank accounts using a UPI ID (linked to Indias Digital ID system called Aadhaaar) This will also allow remittances to increase, which hit $ US 135 billion world wide last year. Indian remittances from NZ is currently 0.25% of our GDP, this will accelerate quickly with more indians coming to NZ. Remember according to our own treasury report, this garbage FTA is only expected to increase our GDP by 0.7% …. and - AFTER 15 - 20 years ! Over the last decade India has assiduously worked to develop international payment gateways, and Modhi has made no secret of his ambition for India to be the architect of a global money network. Read the attached post for more detail on UPI’s and also the clause in the NZ- India FTA where Te Gimp has negotiated a joint venture with India to develop CBDC… yes the most corrupt nation on earth will design our dystopian Central Bank Digital Currency.show more

Iran war, day 51! Surprise attack coming? The war... with Iran isn't over yet, and "new developments" are possible soon, says Netanyahu. -Israeli and US efforts against Iran "are not yet over," per Israeli PM Netanyahu during a speech with Argentine president Milei. -"New developments could occur at any moment," Netanyahu said. "Who knows what tomorrow or the day after tomorrow will bring." Is Iran expecting an attack? Senior Iranian officials believe the U.S. and Israel may be preparing for a surprise attack even before the ceasefire expires on Tuesday – Axios In fact, -Iranian ship Touska was attacked by US forces in gulf of Oman coming from China and heading to Iran. US CENTCOM published footage showing US Navy USS Spruance intercepting and firing upon Iranian-flagged M/V Touska cargo ship at the North of the Arabian Sea! Below. This is a clear violation of the ceasefire and Trump is bragging about it. -Iranian forces attacked a number of US military ships using drones after the US attack. Meanwhile Israel continues to bomb Lebanon and Hezbollah has responded. The UAE is running out of USD! UAE to Trump Administration: "You started this war; if we run short of USDs as a result of it, either you will give us USD swap lines, or we will be forced to start transacting oil and gas in CNY and other currencies." -Total blow of the U.S. dollar! Market expectation? -INSIDERS are dumping heavily except for oil right now ahead of market opening tomorrow. -EVERY SINGLE INSIDER IS SELLING BILLIONS NONSTOP: 0 BUYS. 1,382 SELLS. $13.58 BILLION IN VOLUME. CHINA dumped ¥900.8 B IN US TREASURY HOLDINGS BEFORE THE US MARKET OPEN TOMORROW HISTORICALLY, every major dump by China has been followed by a 21% DUMP IN BTC, which has dropped to around $74k so far.show more

This is from Shenzhen. The road is full of... homeless people, while China often claims it has provided housing to 100% of its population. So maybe they are just outside enjoying some fresh air. Disclaimer: I am not anti-China. In fact, I admire China's progress and development. This post is only for those ₹2 trolls who constantly mock India by saying China is living in 2070 while India is far behind. China has done remarkably well and transformed many of its cities, no doubt about that. But trolling India is foolish. Travel a few hundred kilometers beyond the major Chinese cities and you will find many underdeveloped areas as well. China is working to reduce those problems, and India is doing the same. There is no need for this endless India vs China comparison. Both countries have their own strengths, challenges, and development journeys. #China #Indiashow more

🚨 WARNING: A MAJOR SHIFT IS HAPPENING IN THE... GLOBAL ECONOMY RIGHT NOW Japan has sold roughly $71 BILLION in U.S. Treasuries while defending the yen China has sold another $62 BILLION Combined, that is $133 BILLION moving out of U.S. debt But the real story is bigger than the number Both countries are reducing exposure to dollar assets while gold keeps becoming more important Japan is using its reserves to support the yen China is pushing the yuan deeper into global trade through gold, new settlement infrastructure, and alternative payment systems And China has now been accumulating gold for OVER 20 STRAIGHT MONTHS This is not just reserve management anymore It is a structural shift → Treasuries are being sold → Gold reserves are rising → Alternative payment systems are expanding → Dollar dependence is slowly being reduced China is also building out gold infrastructure through Hong Kong, the Shanghai Gold Exchange, and offshore vault networks The objective is obvious LESS DEPENDENCE ON THE DOLLAR And gold is becoming one of the main tools behind that move The chain reaction is simple: Treasury selling → Higher bond pressure → Currency intervention → More gold demand → Less dollar reliance China is not just stacking gold IT IS BUILDING MORE FINANCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE AROUND IT Japan is not trying to break markets either It is trying to stabilize the yen But selling large amounts of dollar assets has consequences Bond yields react Currencies react Liquidity shifts Risk assets feel it next This is how reserve systems change Not in ONE DAY Slowly Then all at once THE GLOBAL FINANCIAL ORDER IS STARTING TO MOVE!!!👀show more

Madain Saleh, also known as Al-Hijr, is a pre-Islamic... archaeological site located in the northwest of Saudi Arabia. It is one of the most important archaeological sites in the Middle East and was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2008. Madain Saleh is a place of great historical and cultural significance, and it is a must-visit destination for anyone interested in the history and culture of the Arabian Peninsula. Madain Saleh was the second city of the Nabataean kingdom, which was established in 2nd Century BC. The Nabataeans were an Arab tribe who were known for their expertise in carving tombs and buildings out of rock. They were also skilled in agriculture, trade, and commerce. The Nabataean kingdom was centered in Petra, which is located in modern-day Jordan. Madain Saleh served as a strategic outpost for Nabataeans, and it was an important stop on the trade routes that connected the Arabian Peninsula with the Mediterranean world. Archaeological site of Madain Saleh covers an area of 13 square kilometers. It is located in a remote desert region, and it is surrounded by rocky mountains and valleys. The site contains around 130 tombs, which were carved out of the sandstone cliffs. The tombs are adorned with intricate carvings and inscriptions, which provide insights into the culture and religion of the Nabataeans. The most famous tomb at Madain Saleh is the Qasr Al-Farid, which means "the lonely castle." This tomb is located on a hilltop and is surrounded by a large courtyard. It is the largest tomb at the site, and it is considered to be one of the finest examples of Nabataean architecture. The tomb was never completed, and it is believed that it was abandoned after the death of the Nabataean king who commissioned it. Another important tomb at Madain Saleh is the Tomb of Lihyan son of Kuza. This tomb is located in the southern part of the site and is carved into a rock cliff. It features a large entrance hall, a central chamber, and a series of smaller rooms. The tomb is decorated with intricate carvings and inscriptions, which provide insights into the religious beliefs of Nabataeans. Madain Saleh is not just a site of tombs; it also contains a number of other important structures. These include the Al-Khuraymat and Al-Sabika temples, which were used for religious ceremonies and rituals. The site also contains a number of houses, wells, and cisterns, which provide insights into the daily lives of the Nabataeans. Madain Saleh was abandoned in the 3rd Century AD, after decline of the Nabataean kingdom. The site was rediscovered in the 19th Century by the Swiss traveler Johann Ludwig Burckhardt. Since then, it has been studied by archaeologists from all over the world. The site is now managed by the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage, which has carried out extensive restoration and preservation work. Madain Saleh is not just a site of historical and cultural significance; it is also a place of great natural beauty. The site is surrounded by rugged mountains and valleys, and it is home to a diverse range of flora and fauna. Visitors to the site can enjoy hiking and camping, as well as exploring the ancient ruins. Madain Saleh is a site of great historical and cultural significance, and it is a must-visit destination for anyone interested in the history and culture of the Arabian Peninsula. Ancient ruins at Madain Saleh provide a glimpse into the engineering and architectural skills of the Nabataeans, as well as their religious beliefs and cultural practices. However, as the site becomes an increasingly popular tourist destination, there are concerns about its preservation and the impact of tourism on the local environment. It is important that the Saudi government and local communities work together to ensure that the site is protected and that tourism is managed in a sustainable way. 🎥© Paris Verra #archaeohistoriesshow more

As I sit here in DC this week, we... are closer to something I was not sure I would ever see. I have been working in this industry since 2015. For most of those years, the defining feature of crypto in Washington was not policy. It was the absence of it. A gray zone where serious people built serious things under a constant cloud, never quite sure which rules applied or whether the ground would move beneath them. This week the CLARITY Act sits on the Senate calendar. A federal framework for digital asset market structure, the thing this industry has wanted for the better part of a decade, is closer than it has ever been. It is not law yet, and there are real hurdles left. But the distance between where we stood a few years ago and where we are sitting today is hard to put into words. I keep thinking about the work that got us here. Over the past year I watched Chainlink move from outside these conversations to inside them. Sergey at the White House for the signing of the GENIUS Act. The Department of Commerce putting government economic data onchain. Meetings with the SEC that became real interpretive guidance. Conversations with the lawmakers now writing the rules. None of that happens by accident. It happens because people keep showing up, year after year, and make the case in rooms where it is not yet obvious. And there is something fitting in it. The entire premise of what we build is verification. Making truth provable. Removing the question of what is real. The work here in DC is the same thing in a different form. Trading a decade of ambiguity for something the industry has never actually had. We are not at the finish line. But sitting here, it is hard not to feel the weight of it. The gray zone is ending. What comes next is something this industry has never had. Clarity.show more

My friend @saschaCodes is traveling in 🇨🇳 China right... now Videos here are in Lijiang in Yunnan province which is in the south and borders on Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam, so very close to SEA! I always see Americans and Europeans talk about Asia and then only visit Japan, which is nice but there's so much more to Asia and barely anyone these days visits China anymore China is in many ways a lot like Japan, with cute little walkable traditional villages, and then these massive neon-lit mega cities with the highest speed trains in the world and extreme convenience just like in other Asian cities like Bangkok Anything you hear these days about China is highly politicized, which is sad because it's an amazing country to visit and the people are some of the friendliest I've ever met China has 8 entirely different regional cuisines, my fav being Sichuan, which is spicy and famous for the hotpot And using their high speed train (going 300-400km/h) you can essentially travel the entire country now with ease Obviously the politics is another thing but not everything has to always be about politics, and more foreigners visiting China would long term actually help their politics Politics keeps people apart while travel brings people together I thinkshow more

Watching and hearing about the stampede in Bangalore made... me wonder where we are going ! This is not a national team winning the World Cup ! It’s a mere franchise called RCB which works on commercial lines and does not have a single Hyderabad player in it !? It’s not even a #Hyderabad based team ! The night round officers were totally taken by surprise at 12 in the midnight as hordes of youngsters and revellers descended on Tank bund ,NTR marg and Necklace road and behaved in an unruly manner, sample of which you can see in the videos below, quite alarmingly. Traffic got jammed in all directions . Seeing the situation and the hooliganism , extra forces were rushed and a lathi charge done to disperse the unruly crowd.From a police officer’s perspective, this unannounced celebrations on the streets by large gatherings are a big danger to public safety and may lead to exactly what we saw in Bengaluru. What if there were some deaths in Hyderabad too ? Can anyone expect celebrations for RCB in Hyderabad city ! But with the social media playing a huge role across the country and the globe , perhaps police has to be alert for everyone and everything in future ! Is it humanely possible to do so - is what I am wondering 🤔show more