HSBC CEO Georges Elhedery urged a selective approach to data-centre investment, saying not every facility will prove attractive even as AI spreads. He called AI a major investment theme and a core technology that can help redesign banking, but said infrastructure funding should be judged by contract structure and profitability, including the quality and pricing of leases. His comments come as AI and cloud demand fuel a surge in data-centre spending and raise concerns about rising debt issuance.

South Korea’s National Tax Service said it is preparing to issue detailed criteria for taxing digital assets around November, as questions persist over staking, airdrops, hard forks and DeFi. Lawmakers urged preparations on the assumption the current system will take effect unless the National Assembly decides to delay it. Separately, discussions continue on phase-two legislation under the Digital Asset Basic Act, including stablecoins. Markets also tracked bitcoin’s stalled push above $87,000 and Ethereum’s next major upgrade.