Taiwan’s September Export Orders Surge 30.5% on Soaring Global AI Demand

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Taiwan’s export orders surged far beyond expectations in September, climbing 30.5% year-on-year to $70.22 billion, as booming global demand for artificial intelligence (AI) technology continued to drive growth. It marked the eighth consecutive monthly increase, reaffirming Taiwan’s central role in the global semiconductor and tech supply chain.

The results, released by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, easily beat analysts’ forecasts of a 17.8% gain. The ministry credited the island’s expanding importance in AI and high-performance computing, sectors anchored by leading chipmakers such as TSMC, the world’s largest contract semiconductor manufacturer.

While global trade uncertainties and newly imposed 20% U.S. tariffs have weighed on outlooks, Taiwan’s government said the measure is temporary as negotiations continue with Washington for more favorable trade terms. The ministry expects momentum to remain strong through the fourth-quarter holiday season, traditionally a peak period for electronics and consumer technology exports.

Orders for electronic products jumped 45.9%, while telecommunications equipment rose 33.1%. By region, orders from the United States soared 40.2%, China climbed 11.6% after a brief decline in August, Europe gained 16.9%, and Japan increased 22.8%.

The ministry projected export orders for October to rise between 23.7% and 27.3%, adding that total full-year export value could reach a record high if AI-related demand remains strong.

Dutch Regulator Warns Voters Against Using AI Chatbots for Election Guidance

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The Dutch Data Protection Authority (AP) has urged voters not to rely on AI chatbots for election advice, warning that the systems deliver unreliable and biased recommendations ahead of the October 29 national election. The regulator found that chatbots frequently directed users toward just two major political parties — the far-right Freedom Party (PVV) and the Labour-Green Left coalition — despite the Netherlands’ highly fragmented political landscape.

According to the AP’s tests, chatbots advised users to vote for one of those two blocs in 56% of cases, even when provided with the campaign programs of smaller parties. “Chatbots may seem like clever tools, but as a voting aid, they consistently fail,” said Monique Verdier, the watchdog’s vice-chair, adding that their internal operations are “unclear and difficult to verify.”

While the watchdog did not identify the four chatbots tested, it warned that their underlying algorithms may be inadvertently promoting political polarization by amplifying dominant parties on opposite ends of the spectrum. Current polls predict around 20% support for the Freedom Party and 16% for the Labour-Green Left coalition, highlighting their strong influence in public discourse.

The Dutch election follows the collapse of a right-wing coalition earlier this year, leaving the country under a caretaker government and setting the stage for a contest between conservative and centrist forces. Although it is unclear how many citizens are turning to AI tools for political guidance, the regulator said their use is “growing,” noting that more than 13 million voters are eligible to participate.

Coinbase Acquires Crypto Investment Platform Echo in $375 Million Deal

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Coinbase has announced the $375 million acquisition of Echo, a crypto investment platform designed to simplify fundraising and investment within the digital asset ecosystem. The cash-and-stock deal marks another strategic expansion for the U.S.-based exchange as it aims to integrate token sales and real-world asset fundraising tools into its platform.

The move comes amid a resurgence of crypto industry dealmaking, encouraged by what analysts describe as a more crypto-friendly U.S. policy environment under the Trump administration. Just last week, rival exchange Kraken revealed a $100 million acquisition of Small Exchange, signaling a wave of consolidation and innovation in the American crypto market.

Echo’s Sonar platform allows projects to raise capital through public and private token sales, making investment opportunities more open and transparent for the broader crypto community. Since its launch two years ago, Echo has facilitated over $200 million in fundraising for blockchain projects.

Coinbase said the acquisition will start with integrating crypto token offerings through Echo’s infrastructure but will eventually expand to tokenized securities and real-world assets, underscoring its ambition to bridge traditional finance with digital markets.

Echo was founded by crypto trader Jordan Fish, better known in the digital asset world as “Cobie.” The deal follows Coinbase’s earlier $2.9 billion purchase of crypto options platform Deribit in May, which strengthened its global derivatives portfolio.