Day: 25 March 2024

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The World’s largest pension fund explores Bitcoin as an investment option

Japan and Bitcoin

Japan’s Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF), the world’s largest pension fund, is reportedly considering Bitcoin as a potential investment.

With an impressive $1.4 trillion in assets under management, the GPIF’s exploration of Bitcoin represents a notable departure from its conventional investment approach.

This development occurs during a significant increase in Bitcoin’s value, showcasing its potential as a profitable asset, despite its volatility. The GPIF is gathering information on Bitcoin, seeking academic research, analytical tools, and examples of investments. This inquiry demonstrates the GPIF’s willingness to consider innovative financial tools.

It is important to appreciate that although the GPIF is researching Bitcoin, it is not certain that they will invest in it. The decision will likely hinge on various elements, such as risk evaluation, market fluctuations, and regulatory factors.

The GPIF’s actions may influence other institutional investors to contemplate including cryptocurrencies in their portfolios. This event could significantly impact the global financial scene. With the world’s largest pension fund examining Bitcoin, the debate over cryptocurrencies as valid investments continues.

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EU launches probe into Meta, Apple and Alphabet

EU flag

On Monday, 25th March 2024, the European Union initiated its first investigation under the new Digital Markets Act, targeting Apple, Alphabet, and Meta for potential tech legislation breaches.

Statement

“Today, the Commission has opened non-compliance investigations under the Digital Markets Act (DMA) into Alphabet’s rules on steering in Google Play and self-preferencing on Google Search, Apple’s rules on steering in the App Store and the choice screen for Safari and Meta’s ‘pay or consent model” – the Commission said in a statement.

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New guidelines from China reportedly blocks U.S. chips in government computers

U.S. China trade microchip trade battle

China has reportedly prohibited the use of U.S. processors from both AMD and Intel in government computers and servers. The directive is designed to encourage the use of domestic alternatives.

Chinese government agencies are now required to choose ‘safe and reliable’ domestic alternatives for these chips. The sanctioned list features processors from Huawei and the state supported firm Phytium, both of which face bans in the U.S.

In addition to processors, China is now also restricting Microsoft Windows on government devices, opting instead for domestically produced operating systems.

These guidelines are part of a broader tech trade battles between China and the U.S. While the impact on Intel and AMD remains to be seen, it’s clear that China is taking aggressive steps to reduce reliance on U.S. built technology.

The global tech landscape continues to evolve, and these decisions have far-reaching implications for both countries and the industry as a whole.

U.S. and China trade tensions are unlikely to recede anytime soon.