Taiwan is preparing a second universal cash payout, and the total bill is a bit smaller this time — not because the payment shrank, but because there are fewer people to pay.

• President Lai announced a NT$10,000 cash handout for everyone, framed as sharing the gains from the AI boom.
• The total cost is NT$235.7 billion in next year's central government budget, about NT$300 million less than last year's version.
• The drop comes from Taiwan's shrinking population — the island lost more than 100,000 people over the past year.
• Roughly 23.5 million people are expected to qualify, with the payment itself taking nearly all the money and only a small slice going to bank fees, ATM changes, and admin.
• Eligibility rules for next year have not been published yet, but last year's covered residents, permanent residents, foreign and Hong Kong/Macau spouses, and officials posted abroad.

Outlook: The budget still has to clear the legislature, and eligibility details are the next thing to watch.