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24 Jan 2026, 15:35

President Trump threatens 100% tariffs on all Canadian exports

President Donald Trump says he’ll slap 100% tariffs on everything Canada sells to the US if it goes ahead with its new trade deal with China. Trump posted the threat on social media, calling Prime Minister Mark Carney “Governor Carney” in what’s become his ongoing joke about wanting Canada as America’s 51st state. He said Canada was “sorely mistaken” for opening its doors to more Chinese electric vehicles. “China will eat Canada alive, completely devour it, including the destruction of their businesses, social fabric, and general way of life,” Trump wrote. He said if Canada makes a deal with China, “it will immediately be hit with a 100% Tariff against all Canadian goods and products coming into the U.S.A.” This comes after Canada and China announced a big trade agreement last week. The deal lowers trade barriers between the two countries and rebuilds ties that had fallen apart. It’s a clear break from Trump’s trade policies. Carney traveled to Beijing last Friday and met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. No Canadian leader had visited China’s capital in eight years. Carney said China expects to cut tariffs on Canadian rapeseed, also known as canola. Canada’s side of the bargain? It will let 49,000 Chinese electric vehicles into its market at a tariff rate of about 6%, scrapping a 100% surtax. China will also offer visa-free travel to Canadians. _*]:min-w-0 gap-3"> Carney takes aim at Trump in Davos Right after signing the deal, Carney gave a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. He warned against coercion by great powers; everyone knew he meant Trump, even though he didn’t say the name. Carney took aim at using “tariffs as leverage, financial infrastructure as coercion, supply chains as vulnerabilities to be exploited.” Trump didn’t take that lying down. He accused Canada of ingratitude for American military protection and said the country “lives because of the United States.” Carney rejected that claim . There’s more. Trump withdrew an invitation for Canada to join his so-called Board of Peace just a week after Carney had signed onto it. Trump said Canada opposes his planned “Golden Dome” missile-defense project, though it’s not clear if that’s actually Ottawa’s position. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said this week that Trump had asked Canada to take part in the project. At Davos, Carney called on middle powers to band together to resist intimidation from great powers. Unclear terms and trade agreement details Nobody’s quite sure what Trump means by a “deal”, the Canada-China pact was basically a trade, focused on agriculture and electric vehicles. The White House didn’t immediately respond to questions. It’s also unclear what any change would mean for goods traded under the USMCA trade deal. Right now, goods under that agreement are typically tariff free, which means most Canadian exports to the US face no tariff. The current tariff for non-excluded goods is 35%, with different rates for certain sectors like steel and aluminum. Things between Washington and Ottawa have gotten ugly since Trump’s return to the White House. His decision to raise tariffs on goods from Canada triggered widespread outrage. Many Canadians are boycotting American products and skipping travel to the US. Canada has historically routed much of its trade south to the US. Now the country is aggressively looking to increase trade ties east to Europe and west to Asia. That includes sealing this trade deal with China and seeking new links with India—two countries that openly feuded with Carney’s predecessor, Justin Trudeau, in recent years. If you're reading this, you’re already ahead. Stay there with our newsletter .

24 Jan 2026, 15:15

Singapore commits over $778 million to AI research over next six years

div]:bg-bg-000/50 [&_pre>div]:border-0.5 [&_pre>div]:border-border-400 [&_.ignore-pre-bg>div]:bg-transparent [&_.standard-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pl-2 [&_.standard-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,ul,ol,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pr-8 [&_.progressive-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pl-2 [&_.progressive-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,ul,ol,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pr-8"> _*]:min-w-0 gap-3 standard-markdown"> Singapore said Saturday it will put more than S$1 billion ($778.8 million) into artificial intelligence research over the next six years, joining a wave of governments across Asia-Pacific pouring money into the technology. The Ministry of Digital Development and Information said the money will go toward research on making AI systems work better with less power, training people from high school through university level, and helping businesses put AI to work. The announcement, as reported by Reuters, continues a pattern of AI spending that started picking up speed in 2023. Last year, Singapore put aside S$500 million for powerful computers needed to run AI programs in both government offices and private companies. The government also committed another S$500 million to AI Singapore, a program meant to build up the country’s AI skills from the ground up. Back in 2023, researchers working through AI Singapore built a language model called Sea-Lion, short for Southeast Asian Languages in One Network. As reported by Cryptopolitan earlier, the project cost S$70 million, and companies like Indonesia’s GoTo started using it. The team put out an updated version in October 2025 that works with Qwen, a system from China’s Alibaba, and handles languages spoken across the region, including Burmese, Filipino, Indonesian, Malay, Tamil, Thai, and Vietnamese. Region-wide push for AI dominance Australia put out its National AI Plan 2025 in December, setting up an AI Safety Institute and laying out plans to build more infrastructure and train workers. Japan moved earlier, passing a law in May 2025 to encourage AI research and development. The law created an AI Strategic Headquarters led by the prime minister. India joined in during November 2025, publishing official guidance on AI that marks the country’s shift toward formal rules on how the technology should be used. The rush of government action comes as companies worldwide spend heavily on AI. American firms, not counting the ones building AI systems, spent about $86 billion on the technology in 2025, according to market research. That number is expected to jump to $131 billion in 2026. But investors are getting pickier about where they put their money. They’re starting to see a difference between companies spending billions to build AI and companies selling the equipment and services those builders need. The ones providing infrastructure are starting to look like safer bets. Claim your free seat in an exclusive crypto trading community - limited to 1,000 members.

24 Jan 2026, 14:59

Fake AI video of Nepal politicians sparks disinformation fears ahead of snap election

In front of the nation’s impending snap election on March 5, a fake movie featuring three prominent politicians from Nepal has revealed how AI is being used as a weapon. The video, which was entirely computer-generated, depicted former Kathmandu mayor Balendra Shah, former head of the electricity sector Kulman Ghising, and leader of the Rastriya Swatantra Party Rabi Lamichhane walking together. Many people thought a new political alliance was emerging when the video went viral on the internet. However, because the entire encounter was computer-generated, the three politicians never really met. Audio forgeries spread through social networks The fake video represents just one example of AI-manufactured content now saturating Nepal’s digital spaces as the vote approaches. The election takes place merely six months after violent demonstrations led by young people demanding an end to corruption. Those protests forced out then-prime minister K.P. Sharma Oli and left the nation’s political system in turmoil. Digital forgeries targeting well-known individuals have flourished as a result of this crisis of confidence. The Rastriya Swatantra Party’s vice president, Swarnim Wagle, has filed a complaint with the Nepal Police Cyber Bureau. A phony audio tape was made to give the impression that he had a discussion with the prime minister of India, which never took place. These audio fakes pose unique risks in Nepal, as demonstrated by Poynter’s fact-checking efforts . Voice messages travel quickly through family chat groups and social media, often reaching receivers who are unable to confirm their legitimacy. The unreliability of tools used to identify altered audio means that ordinary people have limited means of distinguishing between falsehoods and the truth. Attempts by the government to control the issue have frequently made matters worse. Due to their failure to register with regulators, Facebook, X, and YouTube were blocked by authorities during the demonstrations in September. The ban triggered more violence instead of calming tensions. Reuters documented at least 77 deaths and thousands of injuries during the chaos that followed. Officials eventually lifted the restrictions, but the incident showed why heavy-handed blocking doesn’t work. False information simply moved to harder-to-monitor channels. Nepal’s Election Commission has tried addressing these challenges through policy. Their 2021 “Policy on the use of social media in Electoral Management ” set initial guidelines. A new draft code of conduct for the upcoming vote specifically bans false information and fake accounts intended to sway voters. However, specialists warn that these rules need immediate updates for the age of generative AI. Questions remain unanswered: What exactly constitutes synthetic media? Should campaigns disclose content created with AI assistance? Who is held accountable when fake information spreads? Experts call for a coordinated response Without perfect regulations in place, specialists and monitoring groups are pushing for broader solutions. Poynter and similar media organizations recommend several steps: news organizations and fact-checkers should investigate every viral video like a crime, tracing its origin and demonstrating how they verified it. Political parties and candidates should promise not to use deepfakes and clearly label any AI-created material. Social media companies should establish quick-response teams familiar with Nepal’s languages and politics. Regular citizens should take a “ten-second triage” approach, stopping, checking, and confirming before they share shocking claims. The Nepal Police Cyber Bureau is already preparing for more advanced attacks on the technical side. SP Ray, an official with the bureau, said, “AI is getting bigger and being used in more ways. Soon we may see crimes and cyberattacks that AI makes easier. ” Ray also noted the technology’s relative newness might provide some breathing room. He believes AI tech is still in its infancy and is just being adopted by the public, so it may take a little longer to use it as a tool of destruction. “We are well-equipped to fight these crimes and threats, and we should be,” Ray said. He added reassurance: “Nepal Police can look into any action. The only thing that will take time to look into is attacks from foreign soil. “ Sharpen your strategy with mentorship + daily ideas - 30 days free access to our trading program

24 Jan 2026, 14:05

Self-Taught Analyst to XRP Holders: Take Note of This Trend of Developments

Market cycles often blur the line between noise and signal, but certain periods reveal a clearer narrative for those paying attention. Over the past year, Ripple has advanced through regulatory, institutional, and infrastructure milestones that collectively reshaped how XRP fits into global finance. These changes did not rely on speculation or promises. They emerged from executed deals, formal approvals, and expanding real-world use cases that now demand closer examination. A recent timeline shared by Cryptoinsightuk on X brings these developments into sharp focus, tracing Ripple’s strategic progress from mid-2025 through early 2026. The timeline highlights how legal clarity, acquisitions, and institutional integrations converged to redefine XRP’s market position. Take note $XRP holders https://t.co/bBhdUzqIJD pic.twitter.com/kya84rprcw — Cryptoinsightuk (@Cryptoinsightuk) January 23, 2026 Legal Resolution Removes the Primary Constraint In August 2025, Ripple secured the final resolution of its long-running SEC lawsuit. This outcome eliminated the most significant regulatory barrier facing XRP in the United States. With legal uncertainty resolved, regulators moved forward on spot XRP ETF applications. By November 2025, multiple spot XRP ETFs launched across major exchanges, opening compliant access for institutional and traditional investors and shifting XRP into a regulated investment category. Ripple Expands Through Targeted Acquisitions Ripple paired regulatory progress with aggressive expansion. In September 2025, it acquired Rail for $200 million , integrating approximately 40 additional payment licenses into Ripple Payments. This move unified cross-border payments, FX, and stablecoin settlement under a single compliant infrastructure. The company followed with a $1 billion acquisition of G Treasury in October 2025. This deal pushed Ripple into corporate treasury management, adding cash management and FX hedging tools designed for enterprise clients. Ripple also strengthened its custody stack by acquiring Palisade, extending wallet-as-a-service technology for institutional users. We are on X, follow us to connect with us :- @TimesTabloid1 — TimesTabloid (@TimesTabloid1) June 15, 2025 RLUSD Becomes a Settlement Layer for Tokenized Assets RLUSD emerged as a central pillar of Ripple’s strategy in 2025. In September, institutions such as Franklin Templeton, DBS, and Securitize integrated RLUSD as a settlement asset. This enabled its use in tokenized funds, including BlackRock’s BUIDL and Franklin Templeton’s on-chain products. These integrations positioned RLUSD as a functional settlement infrastructure rather than a passive stablecoin. By December 2025, Ripple expanded RLUSD into Ethereum Layer-2 networks, including Optimism and Base, using standardized cross-chain frameworks to support high-frequency transactions and liquidity. Institutional Capital and Banking Ambitions Take Shape Institutional confidence deepened when Fortress and Citadel participated in a $500 million investment round into Ripple, bringing major Wall Street firms directly into its ownership structure. In early 2026, Ripple advanced its banking ambitions by filing for a U.S. OCC bank charter and securing UK regulatory approvals from the FCA. These steps positioned Ripple to operate closer to the core of traditional financial systems. Taken together, the developments outlined by Cryptoinsightuk point to a consistent pattern. Ripple has methodically aligned XRP with regulated finance, institutional capital, and tokenized asset infrastructure. For XRP holders, the message is clear. The conversation has shifted from potential to positioning. Disclaimer : This content is meant to inform and should not be considered financial advice. The views expressed in this article may include the author’s personal opinions and do not represent Times Tabloid’s opinion. Readers are urged to do in-depth research before making any investment decisions. Any action taken by the reader is strictly at their own risk. Times Tabloid is not responsible for any financial losses. Follow us on Twitter , Facebook , Telegram , and Google News The post Self-Taught Analyst to XRP Holders: Take Note of This Trend of Developments appeared first on Times Tabloid .

24 Jan 2026, 14:00

Grayscale Files Spot BNB ETF Application With US SEC — Report

In an interesting development, Grayscale has applied to the United States Securities and Exchange Committee to launch a spot exchange-traded fund (ETF) linked to BNB, the Binance Ecosystem’s native token. This move marks a power play by the asset management firm to further establish itself in the cryptocurrency space. Grayscale Looks To Add To List Of Crypto-Linked ETFs On Friday, January 23, Grayscale filed an S-1 registration statement with the SEC to launch a spot BNB exchange-traded fund in the US. According to the SEC filing, the proposed Grayscale ETF would hold the Binance ecosystem’s native token directly and issue shares designed to track the token’s market value. This Grayscale investment product, if approved, would offer US investors exposure to the BNB token without having to own or hold the asset themselves. The asset manager’s registration statement also revealed that the exchange-traded fund would trade on the Nasdaq exchange under the ticker symbol GBNB, subject to regulatory approval. It is worth mentioning that Grayscale is not the first asset manager to file for a spot BNB ETF, as VanEck applied as far back as April 2025. However, this latest filing reflects the firm’s resolve to expand its list of crypto-linked investment products, especially after the successful launch of the Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs. It was always only a matter of time before BNB, the fourth-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, received extra attention from institutions focused on exchange-traded products. As such, this move by Grayscale has caught the attention of the cryptocurrency market, including former Binance CEO Changpeng ‘CZ’ Zhao. In a Friday post on the social media platform X, CZ said that Grayscale’s submission of its S-1 filing to the SEC represents a small step toward making the United States the capital of crypto. “A small step in helping to make America the Capital of Crypto, by giving access to the 3rd largest crypto,” the Binance co-founder wrote on Friday. Meanwhile, Bloomberg ETF expert James Seyffart concurred that a spot ETF approval could mean that the BNB token will be classified as a commodity rather than a security. This is because the approval of an exchange-traded fund is often an indication that the SEC views the underlying asset as a commodity rather than as a security. BNB Price At A Glance After making a play for $900 on Friday afternoon, the price of BNB now stands at around $890. According to data from CoinGecko, the fourth-largest cryptocurrency is down by nearly 5% in the past seven days.

24 Jan 2026, 13:32

Tokenized U.S. Treasuries ride strong institutional interest to $10 billion total value record

The total value of tokenized U.S. Treasuries has surpassed $10 billion for the first time, following a strong week of interest in modern real-world asset instruments. On-chain data from RWA.xyz showed that the total value has increased by around 7.59% over the past seven days. The data revealed that the total value of U.S. Treasuries now stands at $10.13 billion. Across 64 assets, there are nearly 59,000 holders, and the average 7-day APY is 3.28%, down from 5.28% a week earlier. Tokenized U.S. Treasuries lead growth across networks Tokenized U.S. Treasuries are digital representations of U.S. government debt, an asset that has long supported the contemporary economy. The money invested by an institution or, less frequently, an individual purchasing a tokenized U.S. Treasury is subsequently used to buy actual U.S. Treasury notes or short-term loans backed by Treasuries. In exchange, the investor receives a token that yields. According to the latest treasury product metrics, Circle USYC from Circle International was the most popular tokenized U.S. Treasury product, with a $1.69 billion market capitalization and a 7-day annual percentage yield of 3.01%. Ondo U.S. Dollar Yield (USDY) owned $1.20 billion, and BlackRock USD Institutional Digital Liquidity Fund ( BUIDL ) held $1.68 billion. Franklin OnChain U.S. Government Money Fund (BENJI), at $892 million, and Ondo Short-Term US Government Bond Fund (OUSG), at $733 million, were two other noteworthy products. According to market cap by network, most tokenized U.S. Treasury products (and similar digital assets) were held in Ethereum , totaling around $5.6 billion. BNB Chain followed with $2.1 billion, while Stellar took third place with $698.7 million. Solana, Aptos, and Avalanche C-Chain held $510.8 million, $331.3 million, $238.4 million, respectively. Arbitrum held the lowest with $199.1 million. Regarding net flows, over the last 30 days, Ondo’s USDY led with $567 million, followed by Centrifuge’s JTRSY with $240 million. Franklin’s BENJI and Spiko’s USTBL earned $71 million and $51 million, respectively, while Circle’s USYC contributed $164 million. Tokenized treasuries drive blockchain access for diverse investors Tokenized U.S. Treasury instruments continue to draw significant attention from institutional and high-net-worth investors, but their high minimum investment requirements and screening procedures remain a challenge. BlackRock’s BUIDL, for example, has a $5 million minimum investment requirement, which reflects its focus on institutional investors. Other products similarly maintain eligibility requirements to guarantee participation by qualified buyers. On the other hand, some products, such as Ondo’s USDY, which currently has over 17,000 individual holders, target retail investors, especially those outside the United States. According to Arkham Intelligence research, these products offer several key advantages to holders, including the ability to be exchanged and redeemed 24/7, since they are on-chain. The U.S. government and reputable investment management companies such as BlackRock also back them. Additionally, they can be used as collateral in DeFi. These features, however, are making tokenized U.S. Treasuries more popular, which appeals to both institutional and individual investors. Building on this trend, investment giant BlackRock has identified tokenization and cryptocurrency as the “themes driving markets” in 2026. In the 2026 Thematic Outlook, BlackRock pointed out that tokenization, or the digital representation of real-world assets like stocks and real estate, is gaining traction. According to the investment firm, this shift is part of a change in how investors access markets. An early example of a tokenized asset is a stablecoin, such as one backed by the U.S. dollar. “In our view, as tokenization continues to rise, so will the opportunity to access assets beyond cash and U.S. Treasuries via the blockchain,” the report stated. It specifically mentioned the Ethereum blockchain as a potential beneficiary of tokenization expansion, given its widespread use in developing decentralized apps and token infrastructure. The smartest crypto minds already read our newsletter. Want in? Join them .