The post Singapore’s bold budget bets on AI and market surge despite shrinking surplus appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com.

Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong laid out a spending plan on February 12 that puts artificial intelligence and financial market growth as the country’s future, as the government eyes a smaller budget surplus this year compared to last. The government expects to end the coming financial year, which starts in April, with a surplus of SG$8.5 billion. That is well below the SG$15.1 billion surplus recorded in 2025. Wong said last year’s figure was higher than anticipated as the economy grew faster than forecast, bringing in more corporate tax money, along with stronger sales of private vehicles and properties that pushed vehicle tax and stamp duty collections up. A smaller but steady surplus Even with a lower surplus, the government says it is on solid ground. The projected surplus works out to roughly 1% of the country’s GDP, enough to fund targeted programmes without drawing on the country’s reserves. Singapore has only drawn on those reserves twice before: once during the 2008 global financial crisis and again during the COVID-19 pandemic. With trade tensions and rapid technological change shaking up industries, Wong said the 2026 budget is focused on making Singapore more competitive over the long run. A large part of that plan centres on getting more companies and workers to use AI. Wong announced the creation of a “national AI council” that he will personally chair. “AI is a powerful tool, but it is still a tool. It must serve our national interests and our people,” he said. The council will oversee four focus areas: advanced manufacturing, connectivity, finance, and healthcare, with the aim of pushing Singapore toward becoming a leading AI hub. Singapore will establish a national AI council | Source: @MOFsg To help businesses make the shift, the government is launching a “Champions of AI” programme. It…

---

Filed under: News - @ February 12, 2026 5:20 pm