Taiwan's cabinet has approved next year's central government budget including a NT$10,000 cash handout to every citizen, good news for households but with no promise it becomes an annual habit.

• The cabinet signed off on the 2027 budget, which includes President Lai Ching-te's "AI dividend" payout of NT$10,000 per person.
• Repeat handouts in future years would need three things: no new debt, welfare and big infrastructure spending still fully funded, and no need to dip into leftover money from earlier years.
• The NT$235.7 billion set aside still has to clear the legislature, so the timing of the payments depends on how fast lawmakers approve the budget.
• There is no income cap — everyone gets it, the same as the two previous handouts, since it is framed as sharing AI gains with the whole public.

Outlook: Payments cannot start until the legislature passes the budget, and any future handouts hinge on the government keeping its finances in the black.