Pre-election fiscal watch: New Zealand’s Treasury will publish its PREFU 2026 on Sept. 29, updating forecasts ahead of the Nov. 7 election, with bank economists expecting mostly incremental shifts. Crypto policy & market stance: Michael Saylor argues for five “guaranteed rights” for digital assets, while a Bitwise survey finds 15 institutions kept crypto exposure steady even after a ~50% Bitcoin drawdown. Stablecoin and exchange fallout: Bitget says it has asked THORChain to refuse service to attacker addresses after a major Bitget hack; Circle and Tether already froze related stablecoin movement. Regulators on AI accountability: The FTC’s Andrew Ferguson said developers can’t hide behind software when autonomous AI agents cause harm, signaling tougher breach-disclosure and enforcement focus. Banking sector operations: Bangladesh bankers and businesses are urging consultation before a proposed special exit facility for classified loans; in India, a Sept. 28–30 strike may disrupt cash and cheques while digital channels stay open. Central banking and gold: Central banks reported net gold purchases of about 130 tonnes through July, with reserve management and storage shifts highlighted as key considerations. Digital banking capital rules: The Philippines’ BSP set a P1 billion capital floor for thrift, rural, and cooperative banks moving toward digital-bank models. Egypt profitability: Egypt’s central bank reported H1 2026 net profits of EGP 373.133bn for banks, with the largest lenders driving most of the total.