President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping each locked down wins in the global AI leadership race this week, using executive orders and the launch of a new initiative called WAICO. Crypto markets are paying attention — Bitcoin and the AI-focused token FET are both up.
Trump's executive orders
Trump signed a fresh set of executive orders aimed at accelerating domestic AI development. The orders, which came out Wednesday, focus on cutting red tape for AI research and boosting federal investment in compute infrastructure. The White House framed the move as a direct response to China's rapid progress in the field.
Xi's WAICO launch
On the same day, Xi unveiled WAICO, a new AI collaboration platform designed to pool resources across state-backed labs and private firms. The launch was widely seen as Beijing's answer to U.S. efforts to centralize AI oversight. WAICO's exact structure remains vague, but the message is clear: China isn't slowing down.
Crypto's AI bet
Markets are reading the developments as a bullish signal for AI-related crypto assets. FET, the token powering the Fetch.ai network, has climbed alongside Bitcoin. The rally suggests traders see a direct link between government AI pushes and demand for decentralized AI infrastructure. Whether that link holds is another question — but for now, the momentum is real.
Neither the White House nor Beijing has commented on the crypto market reaction. The next concrete milestone is a planned AI summit in September, where both sides are expected to present their progress.
