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On May 28, the Shenzhen Stock Exchange 2026 Global Investors Conference opened in Shenzhen. The theme of the conference was "Capital Markets and Innovative Growth – Chinas Opportunities under the 15th Five-Year Plan." Liu Haoling, Vice Chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC), stated that the CSRC will resolutely implement the decisions and deployments of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, continuously deepen the comprehensive reform of capital market investment and financing, and systematically plan and launch more powerful reform and opening-up measures to address the "variables" of the international environment with a "constant" approach of coordinated development and win-win cooperation.On May 28, the 2026 Global Investors Conference, hosted by the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, was held in Shenzhen. Liu Haoling, Vice Chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC), stated in his address that Chinas comprehensive reforms to investment and financing in the capital market have been progressing steadily and effectively, with overall market valuations remaining within a reasonable range, and foreign investors willingness to allocate to high-quality Chinese assets continuously increasing.On May 28th, the 2026 Global Investors Conference, hosted by the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, was held in Shenzhen. Liu Haoling, Vice Chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC), stated in his address that China is a major contributor to and a stabilizing force for global economic growth, and a fertile ground for foreign investment. Since the beginning of this year, foreign capital has steadily flowed into the Chinese stock market through various channels. As of now, overseas investors hold over 4 trillion yuan in A-share market capitalization, becoming significant participants in Chinas capital market.On May 28th, European Central Bank Chief Economist Lane stated on Thursday that even if the Middle East conflict is resolved quickly, the resulting energy shock could still have a lasting impact on inflation. While historically, oil prices tend to fall back to their original levels after a surge, the current situation may be different as countries replenish their inventories or adjust their energy mix, potentially keeping energy costs high. Lane stated, "Global oil supply experienced a fairly rapid and significant drop overnight, a situation previously masked by inventories. Even as the initial energy shock begins to subside, the second wave of effects will continue for some time." Lane indicated that some policy lessons can be learned from past energy shocks, such as how rising energy costs can suddenly push up inflation and trigger "various non-linear" mechanisms, thus broadening the scope of price increases. "But this is different from the non-linear situation four years ago," when supply disruptions caused by the war in Ukraine and strong demand from the economic reopening following the COVID-19 pandemic jointly pushed up inflation. Lane stated that central banks must face any major shocks and their potential impact on inflation, but should avoid overreacting when formulating monetary policy.On May 28, the 2026 Global Investors Conference, hosted by the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, was held in Shenzhen. Liu Haoling, Vice Chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC), stated in his address that since the implementation of the "Trial Measures for the Administration of Overseas Issuance and Listing of Securities by Domestic Enterprises" in 2023, the management of overseas listing registration has been generally stable and orderly. As of April 2026, the CSRC has processed 418 initial public offering (IPO) registration applications from domestic enterprises, supporting companies in making good use of both domestic and international markets and resources.

Bitcoin Lightning Network-Based Strike Can Rival Visa – MS

Cory Russell

Apr 25, 2022 09:49

Morgan Stanley is optimistic about the bitcoin Lightning Network's potential as a consumer payment option.


They believe Strike, a Lightning Network-based payment technology, can compete with or even outperform Visa in the digital payments market.


Strike has partnered with Shopify and NCR, the world's leading supplier of point-of-sale payment solutions.


Morgan Stanley published a new analysis on the Lightning Network, bitcoin's Layer 2 fast payment system, and its potential to enable a "long-term move towards payments and settlements utilizing digital and cryptocurrencies rather than fiat currencies like the US dollar."


Morgan Stanley's positive analysis on the Lightning Network's potential for broader adoption comes after Strike, a US-based digital payments platform built on top of bitcoin's Lightning Network, announced earlier this month a new integration agreement with e-commerce giant Shopify.


Customers who paid in bitcoin will now be able to receive payments in US dollars from US Shopify businesses. Strike has announced collaborations with NCR, the world's leading supplier of point-of-sale (PoS) payment services.

Morgan Stanley Believes That Lightning Network Will Be Able to Compete With Visa

Morgan Stanley outlined why it believes Strike, a Lightning Network-based digital payment network, can compete with or perhaps exceed Visa in its recent study.


Morgan Stanley observes that "in essence, Strike is directly competing with Visa Direct, which provides real-time settlement," adding that "the primary distinction for merchants will be paid a significantly lower transaction cost."


"The customer advantage is that they may, if they choose, host their bitcoin on a private, secure network, enabling an element of secrecy connected with their transaction," the bank says.


Morgan Stanley emphasizes the importance of Strike's cooperation with NCR. "NCR software is used by one in every six PoS devices worldwide," the bank says, "so this news is important even if just a tiny percentage of retail businesses opt to add crypto capabilities."

Cons of Making Bitcoin Payments

The Morgan Stanley analysis points out some of the disadvantages of utilizing a bitcoin-based payment system, such as the cryptocurrency's underlying volatility on a day-to-day basis, which makes forecasting future buying power problematic.


Meanwhile, Morgan Stanley says that existing tax regulations, which require users to pay capital gains taxes on cryptocurrencies they sell, are a barrier to greater acceptance of bitcoin as a widely used means of exchange.


The bank, on the other hand, mentions the Virtual Currency Tax Fairness Act, which has been introduced in the US Congress. If passed, the law would exclude personal bitcoin transactions from taxation as long as the profits are less than $200.


Morgan Stanley, on the other hand, cautions that this plan may meet criticism, particularly from anti-crypto members of Congress, since it serves to establish bitcoin (and other cryptocurrencies) as credible alternatives to the US currency.


The Morgan Stanley analysis "suggests we are at the beginning of an age when more and more people may opt to pay for items using Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies over time," according to Alex Gladstein, who summarized it on Twitter.

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