Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing will visit France from Sunday until February 12 to attend the AI Action Summit as a special representative of President Xi Jinping. The summit will bring together representatives from nearly 100 countries to discuss the safe development of AI.
A foreign ministry spokesperson, Lin Jian, said China is eager to strengthen communication and collaboration with other nations at the event. China also aims to foster consensus on AI cooperation and contribute to the implementation of the United Nations Global Digital Compact.
Vice President JD Vance is leading the US delegation to the summit, but reports suggest that the US team will not include technical staff from the AI Safety Institute.
io.net has partnered with Orbit, an AI-driven platform, to enhance transparency in AI interactions within the blockchain sector. The collaboration aims to streamline the way AI agents operate on decentralized GPU ecosystems by making their actions auditable and transparent.
The partnership will allow AI agents to run on decentralized GPU clusters, improving scalability and cost-efficiency for AI computations. Moreover, it will store AI-generated inferences on-chain, making future actions traceable and verifiable. The move addresses transparency concerns that have plagued AI decision-making in the blockchain space.
By leveraging decentralized technology, the collaboration boosts trust in both the AI and DeFi ecosystems, enabling more secure and automated financial interactions. As AI agents become increasingly autonomous, this partnership paves the way for a new era of accountable and transparent decentralized computing.
Pinterest projected first-quarter revenue exceeding market expectations, driven by AI-powered advertising tools that enhanced ad spending. Shares surged 19% in extended trading following the announcement. The platform benefited from a strong holiday shopping season, setting new records for monthly active users and revenue in the fourth quarter.
AI-driven ad solutions, including the Performance+ suite, have attracted advertisers by automating and improving targeting. Increased engagement from Gen Z users and the introduction of more shoppable content have also made the platform more appealing to marketers. Expanding partnerships with Google and Amazon further diversified revenue streams, although most ad revenue remains concentrated in North America.
Ecommerce merchants using Shopify and Adobe Commerce can now integrate their products into Pinterest more easily. Analysts suggest that while global engagement is high, expanding third-party ad integrations will be crucial for long-term growth.
The company forecasts revenue between $837 million and $852 million, surpassing analyst expectations. Adjusted core earnings are expected to range from $155 million to $170 million, also exceeding estimates. Monthly active users reached a record 553 million, reflecting an 11% year-on-year increase.
Sberbank, Russia’s largest bank, has announced plans to collaborate with Chinese researchers on AI projects. The move comes as China’s DeepSeek has disrupted the global tech industry with its low-cost AI models, challenging US rivals like Nvidia. Sberbank, which has transformed from a Soviet-era state savings bank into a major AI player under CEO German Gref, aims to leverage its network of scientists to join forces with China’s AI researchers.
Sberbank’s First Deputy CEO, Alexander Vedyakhin, confirmed the plans but refrained from naming specific Chinese partners. DeepSeek, a startup based in Hangzhou, has gained significant attention for its ability to produce advanced AI models at a fraction of the cost of American counterparts. This development could further fuel competition in the AI sector, especially amid growing tensions between the West and nations like Russia and China.
The strategic partnership between Russia and China is deepening, with both countries emphasising AI as a key area of cooperation. As Moscow faces Western sanctions due to the war in Ukraine, collaboration with China is seen as essential for advancing in AI and other technological fields. However, Russia’s AI projects remain somewhat secretive, making it difficult to assess their true capabilities. Despite this, Sberbank’s First Deputy CEO noted that DeepSeek’s models have outperformed Russia’s GigaChat in scientific tasks, though Sberbank’s model remains competitive in banking applications.
Vedyakhin also highlighted the efficiency of DeepSeek’s approach, noting that its success proves high-quality AI can be achieved without massive investments in infrastructure. This philosophy aligns with Sberbank’s strategy, which focuses on low-cost AI solutions rather than the large-scale projects seen in the US. The bank’s AI platforms, like its Kandinsky text-to-image model and GigaChat Lite, are publicly available, following the transparent approach that has made DeepSeek successful.
Blocksquare has launched a legally compliant real estate tokenisation framework in Luxembourg, marking a major step for Europe’s blockchain industry. The new framework integrates with land registries, allowing property owners to tokenize economic rights tied to real estate while ensuring investors have legally enforceable claims. The development aligns with the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA), which provides the legal certainty previously missing from tokenised property investments.
By leveraging notarised agreements, Blocksquare bridges the gap between blockchain-based assets and traditional legal protections, making real estate investment more accessible to retail investors. CEO Denis Petrovcic highlighted that what once required months of regulatory navigation can now be completed in weeks, streamlining the process for marketplace operators and property owners.
With real-world asset tokenisation reaching over $17.1 billion in onchain value, industry forecasts predict a fiftyfold increase by 2030, potentially hitting $30 trillion. Blocksquare’s initiative in Luxembourg positions it as a key player in driving real estate tokenisation adoption across Europe, making blockchain-based property investment more secure and scalable.
With pro-crypto leadership in Washington, regulatory changes may make crypto more accessible in the US. However, true mass adoption depends on real-world use cases, and emerging markets present the greatest opportunities. Many in the crypto industry still see these regions as charity cases rather than crucial drivers of adoption. Yet, Africa and other developing regions offer the perfect environment for testing and refining blockchain solutions.
Africa’s financial landscape highlights the need for decentralised alternatives. Many people remain unbanked, cross-border fees are high, and inflation erodes savings. These challenges have already pushed crypto adoption up 25-fold since 2021. If transaction fees can be lowered further, crypto could provide affordable financial tools for everyday transactions, helping small businesses and individuals.
The role of emerging markets in shaping new technology is well established. Renewable energy scaled globally after proving its viability in off-grid communities. Similarly, Africa’s urgent financial needs will accelerate crypto innovation. By solving local problems, developers can create systems that will ultimately benefit the entire world.
For crypto to thrive, both regulatory progress and grassroots adoption must move forward together. The shift in US policy is significant, but true innovation will come from where crypto is needed most. From Washington to Nairobi, a global approach will determine crypto’s future.
The Trump administration’s move to end tariff-free low-cost imports into the US is expected to impact fast fashion retailer Shein more severely than online dollar-store competitor Temu. Both companies have heavily benefited from the ‘de minimis’ rule, which exempts shipments under $800 from import duties, with a significant portion of US daily packages coming from these retailers. While the Biden administration has scrutinised the rule, Temu has been quicker to adapt, diversifying its shipping strategy to minimise reliance on this exemption.
Temu, owned by PDD Holdings, has made considerable shifts in its model, including a move to bulk shipping to US warehouses instead of directly to consumers. By late 2023, about 50% of its US sales came from local warehouses. The company has also increased sea freight for bulkier items like furniture. This strategy contrasts with Shein’s continued dependence on air freight for its fast-fashion inventory, despite opening US centres and expanding its supply chain to countries like Brazil and Turkey.
While the Trump administration’s decision is set to raise prices for American consumers ordering from Shein and Temu, analysts believe the impact will not be catastrophic for these Chinese e-commerce giants. Shein, despite its reliance on fast inventory turnover and speed, is seen as capable of adapting, though the new tariffs and regulations will accelerate the need for supply chain diversification.
Recent changes in US Postal Service policies have added further uncertainty, reversing decisions on accepting parcels from China and Hong Kong. Analysts estimate that de minimis shipments could drop by up to 60%. However, experts remain confident that both Shein and Temu will navigate the changes, given the flexibility and competitiveness of their supply chains.
Parties vying for power in Germany’s February 23 election have outlined diverging financial policies that could affect banking, taxation and cryptocurrency regulation. The conservative CDU/CSU alliance, leading in the polls, aims to strengthen Germany’s position as a financial hub, favouring tax incentives for start-ups and venture capital. Plans also include preserving the three-pillar banking system and increasing tax-free allowances while opposing a wealth tax.
The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), running second, proposes the most radical changes, calling for Germany to exit the euro and return to the Deutsche mark backed by gold. Advocating deregulation of Bitcoin and cryptocurrency trading, the party also opposes a digital euro and supports abolishing both the inheritance tax and wealth tax. Mainstream parties refuse to work with AfD, making its proposals unlikely to become policy.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democrats (SPD), currently trailing, pledge to tax the super rich and introduce a financial transaction tax. Plans also include reinstating the wealth tax and adjusting inheritance tax to increase contributions from multi-million and billion-euro estates. The Greens align with SPD on higher taxation for the wealthy and propose stricter cryptocurrency oversight, enhanced financial transparency and stronger sustainability regulations.
Polls indicate a potential shift in Germany’s financial landscape, with taxation, cryptocurrency policy and the country’s role in European finance among key issues shaping the election.
John Schulman, a co-founder of OpenAI, has stepped down from his role at Anthropic, the AI startup confirmed on Wednesday. Schulman had joined Anthropic last year after leaving OpenAI in August, aiming to focus on AI alignment and return to hands-on technical work. Anthropic’s chief science officer, Jared Kaplan, expressed regret over his departure but wished him well in his future endeavours.
Anthropic has grown into a key competitor in the AI foundation model space, with annualised revenue reaching approximately $875 million. The company provides access to its AI models both directly and through third-party cloud services such as Amazon Web Services. Schulman’s departure was first reported by The Information.
The move marks another shift in the AI industry as competition intensifies among leading companies. OpenAI, Anthropic, and other key players continue to race towards advancing AI capabilities while addressing concerns around safety and alignment.
El Salvador has reversed its historic decision to make Bitcoin legal tender, following pressure from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The law, enacted in 2021, required all businesses to accept Bitcoin alongside the US dollar, but many merchants struggled to adopt it. Widespread scepticism, technical issues, and Bitcoin’s volatility made it unpopular among the majority of Salvadorans.
While the policy brought some benefits, such as increased tourism and global attention, it failed to boost financial inclusion or significantly improve the economy. Reports show that by 2024, 92% of Salvadorans did not use Bitcoin for transactions, and only a small percentage of businesses accepted it. The Chivo wallet, launched to facilitate transactions, faced hacking incidents and technical difficulties, further eroding public trust.
The shift away from Bitcoin came after the IMF made it a condition for a $1.4 billion loan. El Salvador’s Congress agreed to remove Bitcoin’s legal tender status, ensuring that the government and businesses would no longer be required to accept it. However, Bitcoin remains legal for private trade, and the government has continued purchasing it, signalling an ongoing interest in cryptocurrency despite the policy change.
