Taiwan's government is sticking with a plan to give every citizen NT$10,000 in cash next year, rejecting a business lobby's push to use spending vouchers instead — good for families who want flexibility, less so for shops hoping to capture the money.

• The head of the national chamber of commerce wants vouchers, arguing cash will just sit in bank accounts instead of boosting spending.
• The Cabinet says cash is better because people can use it for school fees, elderly care, or children — whatever they need most.
• The payout is being sold as an "AI dividend," money the government says it can hand out without new borrowing.
• Defense spending, local government support, and a planned NT$5,000 monthly child allowance for under-18s all stay untouched.
• The plan still needs approval from the legislature, which cannot legally vote to increase government spending on its own.

Outlook: The Cabinet is pressing lawmakers to clear the budget in the coming session so payouts can start, using the same process as Taiwan's two earlier cash handouts.