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President Donald Trump’s new deadline for Russia to end the conflict with Ukraine is an additional ‘step towards war,’ according to former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.  

Medvedev, now the deputy chairman of the Security Council of Russia, cautioned that Trump’s announcement Monday that Russia must end the conflict with Ukraine in 10 to 12 days would not end well for the U.S. 

‘Trump’s playing the ultimatum game with Russia: 50 days or 10… He should remember 2 things: 1. Russia isn’t Israel or even Iran. 2. Each new ultimatum is a threat and a step towards war. Not between Russia and Ukraine, but with his own country,’ Medvedev said in a post on X on Monday. ‘Don’t go down the Sleepy Joe road!’

While Trump announced on July 14 that he would sign off on ‘severe tariffs’ against Russia if Moscow failed to agree to a peace deal within 50 days, Trump said Monday that waiting that period of time was futile amid stalled negotiations. 

‘I’m going to make a new deadline, of about 10 — 10 or 12 days from today,’ Trump told reporters from Scotland. ‘There’s no reason for waiting. It was 50 days. I wanted to be generous, but we just don’t see any progress being made.’

Trump’s remarks come as his frustration with Putin has grown in recent weeks amid no progress toward peace between Russia and Ukraine, and just a day after Russia launched more than 300 drones, four cruise missiles and three ballistic missiles into Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian air force.

 

Trump called out Putin for providing lip service during their discussions while not taking proactive steps to end the war. As a result, Trump said he’s grown ‘disappointed’ in the Russian leader and that he’s ‘not so interested in talking anymore’ with Putin. 

‘He talks — we have such nice conversations, such respectful and nice conversation. And then, people die the following night,’ Trump said Monday. 

Following Trump’s announcement about whittling down the deadline for a peace deal, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Trump for his ‘clear stance and expressed determination’ to resolve the conflict.

‘I thank President Trump for his focus on saving lives and stopping this horrible war,’ Zelenskyy said in a post on X on Monday. ‘Ukraine remains committed to peace and will work tirelessly with the U.S. to make both our countries safer, stronger, and more prosperous.’

Zelenskyy previously came under scrutiny from Vice President JD Vance in February during an Oval Office meeting for not voicing more gratitude for U.S. support for Kyiv as it battles Moscow.

Although Trump has historically boasted about having a solid relationship with Putin, he has publicly voiced increased frustration with Putin in recent weeks as the war rages on between Russia and Ukraine. 

‘We get a lot of bulls— thrown at us by Putin, if you want to know the truth,’ Trump said during a Cabinet meeting on July 8. ‘He’s very nice to us all the time, but it turns out to be meaningless.’

Fox News Digital’s Caitlin McFall contributed to this report.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

The Trump administration is reportedly blocking Taiwan’s president from stopping over in New York City, en route to a diplomatic meeting in Central America, following pressure from China.

The Financial Times reported Monday that the administration has denied Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te the opportunity to stop over in New York City during a planned trip to Paraguay, Guatemala and Belize — all countries that recognize Taiwan as its own independent country.

However, on Monday, the office of the president in Taiwan released a statement indicating that Lai ‘currently has no plans to go on an overseas visit,’ according to Taiwan-state media. A source familiar with the matter at the State Department confirmed that no formal travel plans for President Lai have been announced.

‘In consideration of the ongoing rehabilitation efforts in southern Taiwan following a recent typhoon and regional developments including the United States’ tariffs, the president currently has no plans to go on an overseas visit,’ the statement from President Lai said.

According to the Financial Times, which spoke with unnamed sources said to be intimately familiar with the alleged trip, Lai’s decision not to travel came after he was informed that he would not be able to stop in New York City on his way to Central America. 

Lai’s trip was also reportedly supposed to include a stop in Dallas, but it is unclear if the Trump administration was also planning to bar Lai from stopping there as well, according to the Financial Times.

The White House did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. However, a State Department source familiar with the matter indicated that the Trump administration continues to be committed to the government’s long-standing one China policy, rooted in the Taiwan Relations Act, joint diplomatic agreements with China and longstanding pledges crafted by the government in regard to Taiwan and China.

Despite being in line with longstanding government policy, the move still garnered criticism from some Asia policy experts and critics of Trump. 

Lyle Morris, a senior fellow on foreign policy and national security at the Asia Society’s Center for China Analysis, said the ‘first concrete move’ under Trump’s second term regarding Taiwan is ‘a cause for concern.’ 

‘The assumption is this decision was made in the context of ongoing US-China trade negotiations and a possible Trump-Xi meeting,’ Morris said on X. ‘Still, not a good sign for enduring US-Taiwan relations.’

‘Denying President Lai a transit is a deeply concerning break with bipartisan precedent and sends a reckless signal to Beijing that our partnership with Taiwan is on the negotiating table,’ added Democrat Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., in a post on X following the news about President Lai’s alleged travel. 

‘American leadership is now seen as deeply unreliable, with Trump’s fits and starts with Ukraine, NATO allies, and other key partners. I urge President Trump to reverse course and do what presidents of both parties have done and allow a transit, and ask my colleagues in Congress to join me in that call.’

News of the Trump administration’s decision to prohibit the Taiwanese president from stopping in New York City comes as the president is reportedly feeling out a potential trip to Beijing himself, alongside major U.S. CEOs. Nothing so far has been set in stone regarding Trump’s trip, however.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

Investor Insight

Sranan Gold offers early-stage exposure to a high-impact gold discovery in Suriname’s Guiana Shield, one of the world’s most underexplored gold belts. Backed by the same technical team behind some of the region’s largest gold discoveries, Sranan is a high-leverage discovery story in a mining-friendly jurisdiction.

Overview

Sranan Gold (CSE:SRAN,FSE:P84) is a junior explorer operating in Suriname, a South American nation producing more than 600,000 oz of gold per year. Sranan’s main asset is within Suriname’s prolific Guiana Shield, one of the world’s most underexplored gold belts.

Sample collected from the Tapanahony project’s Poeketi pit.

The company’s flagship asset, the 29,000-hectare Tapanahony gold project, overlays a historic mining belt with strong geochemical and structural indicators. Sranan’s objective is straightforward: convert local knowledge, legacy drill data and modern tools into an inaugural gold resource over a 4.5 km mineralized corridor.

Backed by one of the most credentialed gold discovery teams in Suriname, credited for the Merian, Rosebel and Saramacca deposits, the company is targeting hard-rock gold potential beneath proven saprolite zones with plans to fast-track drilling, build community partnerships and expand its concession footprint.

Company Highlights

  • District-scale land position: The 29,000-hectare Tapanahony project covers one of Suriname’s oldest and most productive artisanal mining districts, offering untested hard-rock upside within the Guiana Shield, home to numerous multi-million-ounce gold deposits.
  • Immediate drill targets: A 10,000-metre diamond drilling program is set to kick off in 2025 across the 4.5 km Poeketi-Randy trend, targeting high-grade shear zones validated by historic IAMGOLD drilling.
  • World-class discovery pedigree: The technical team has led or co-led discoveries at Merian (7 Moz, Newmont), Rosebel (13.7 Moz, now Zijin) and Saramacca (1.5 Moz).
  • Deep in-country knowledge: Geologists are locally trained at Anton de Kom University and have decades of experience in Suriname’s regolith-dominated terrain.

Key Project

Tapanahony Gold Project

The Tapanahony gold project is Sranan’s flagship asset, covering a 29,000-hectare land package in southeastern Suriname. The project lies within the Guiana Shield, a well-endowed Paleoproterozoic terrane that hosts multiple Tier-1 gold systems. The property sits at the intersection of regional NW-striking structures, the large NE-SW Tapanahony structure and older NE-SW fabric, forming a favorable setting for orogenic gold emplacement. These structural fabrics, crenulated by later deformation events, are visible in recent LiDAR and magnetic datasets and provide excellent ground preparation for high-grade shear-hosted deposits.

Local miners have long exploited the saprolite horizons here, especially around the Poeketi-Randy zone, and Sranan’s exploration strategy is to transition that surface gold production into a defined, hard-rock resource. The project has seen more than US$10 million in historical exploration, including geochemical soil surveys, auger and panning programs by the UN and Golden Star, and 4,000 metres of diamond drilling by IAMGOLD. They have confirmed the presence of extensive mineralization, including intercepts such as 4.2 grams per ton (g/t) gold over 13.5 m and 39.3 g/t gold over 2 m at the Randy pit. These results suggest steeply dipping, fault-controlled mineralization within a metavolcanic host package, drawing parallels to the structurally hosted gold at the Saramacca, Antino, Merian and Rosebel mines.

The 2025 Phase 1 program is targeting this trend with 10,000 metres of diamond drilling. It will infill and extend the 4.5 km mineralized corridor and test additional parallel shear zones revealed by LiDAR and soil geochemistry in the western lobe of the concession. Sranan plans to reprocess historical drill data, conduct soil/silt sampling, trenching and trench mapping, with field teams prioritizing locations where artisanal mining is ongoing but remains underexplored by modern methods.

Geophysical interpretation highlights a property-scale NW shear zone crosscutting a penetrative NE-SW fabric, which has led to localized folding and thickened mineralized zones. Commonly described by the team as the “double folded” system, they extend across eastern Suriname into Guyana and French Guiana. This orogenic system is thought to be analogous to the geology that underpins other major discoveries in the belt.

Sranan’s Phase 1 campaign also aims to generate new targets through high-resolution LiDAR imaging, which has already revealed three parallel mineralized corridors and topographic inversions associated with lateritic terraces, a common concealment mechanism for mineralization in this region. Pending early success, the company plans to expand drilling into the western lobe, pursue adjoining concessions, and delineate a resource.

Management Team

Oscar Louzada – CEO and Director

Fluent in Dutch and active in Suriname for over a decade, Oscar Louzada has taken two Suriname-based exploration companies to IPO (Sela Kriki and Nassau, now Miata Metals). With 25+ years’ experience in natural resources finance (Canaccord, Investec), he brings capital markets depth and local execution credibility.

John Williamson – Chairman

Geologist and co-founder of Founders Metals, John Williamson is credited with >10 Moz in gold discoveries and nearly $1 billion raised. He was an early believer in Tapanahony’s potential and a key seed investor.

Dennis LaPoint – EVP, Exploration and Corporate Development

Dennis LaPoint is a veteran geologist with 35+ years’ experience. LaPoint discovered Merian (Newmont, 7 Moz) and oversaw major exploration programs at Rosebel and Omai. He leads strategy and resource targeting, and sits on multiple boards, including ASBOG. He also teaches geology at Anton de Kom University in Paramaribo in Suriname.

Rayiez Bhoelan – VP, Exploration

A Surinamese national and key member of the Saramacca discovery team (IAMGOLD, 1.5 Moz), Rayiez Bhoelan specializes in regolith geology and shear zone mapping. He has worked across the Guiana Shield at Omai and Founders Metals, and lectures locally on geochemistry.

Mario Stifano – Director and Audit Chair

Mario Stifano is a CPA and seasoned mining executive with prior leadership roles at Cordoba Minerals, Lake Shore Gold and Galantas Gold. He led the 2020 acquisition and re-listing of Omai Gold Mines in Guyana.

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Hercules Mining (TSXV:BIG,OTC:BADEF) has entered into a transformative agreement with Barrick Mining (TSX:ABX,NYSE:B) to acquire a vast package of unpatented copper claims surrounding its Leviathan discovery in western Idaho.

Hercules will have the option to acquire a 100 percent interest in more than 74,000 acres of claims, collectively known as the Olympus belt, that flank both sides of the company’s existing Hercules property.

If exercised, the deal would expand Hercules’ total land position from 26,000 acres to over 100,000 acres, granting it control over a 73-kilometer stretch of highly prospective terrain.

The transaction is structured as an option agreement through Hercules’ US subsidiary, Anglo-Bomarc, with Barrick Gold Exploration, a wholly owned subsidiary of Barrick Mining.

In exchange for the land package, Barrick will increase its equity stake in Hercules and retain a 1 percent net smelter return (NSR) royalty on the Olympus claims. That royalty can be reduced to 0.25 percent through a US$7.5 million buyback.

Hercules will pay a total of C$8 million (around US$5.8 million) over three years—either in cash or shares, at its discretion—to complete the earn-in.

Hercules CEO Chris Paul said the consolidation of the Olympus belt marked a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” for the company’s shareholders and underscored Barrick’s confidence in the team’s exploration strategy.

“The Leviathan system hosts evidence of a rare and exceptional copper-silver enrichment event formed during a regional tectonic episode that potentially affected the entire Olympus belt,” Paul said in the company press release. “This makes it one of the most compelling new copper projects in the United States today.”

The Olympus claims are understood to contain multiple porphyry targets extending along the same trend as Leviathan. Hercules intends to apply its proprietary geological mapping and deep-penetrating geophysics to accelerate identification and testing of new drill targets across the expanded land package.

The deal continues the company’s aggressive 2025 exploration campaign at Leviathan. As of mid-July, the company had completed seven drill holes and had five more in progress, totaling over 5,500 meters of drilling so far this season.

Initial results have continued to validate a new 3D geological model announced in April, prompting the company to increase its drill rig count from three to five.

The consolidation also comes during a paradigm shift in US federal policy toward domestic mining. Streamlined permitting processes and efforts to secure critical mineral supply chains have bolstered interest in American copper projects, which are increasingly seen as strategically vital.

In that context, the company says that the Hercules project is well-positioned to deliver long-term value given declining reserves, rising prices, and possible trade restrictions on foreign copper.

Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Allied Critical Metals Inc. (CSE: ACM,OTC:ACMIF) (OTCQB: ACMIF) (FSE: 0VJ0) (‘Allied’ or the ‘Company’), which is focused on its 100% owned past producing Borralha and Vila Verde tungsten projects in northern Portugal, is pleased to announce a strategic non-brokered private placement offering (the ‘Offering’) of up to 13,333,334 units of the Company (the ‘Units’ and, each, a ‘Unit’) at a price of $0.30 per Unit to raise gross proceeds of up to $4,000,000.20. Each Unit will be comprised of one common share of the Company (a ‘Share’) and one-half of one common share purchase warrant (each whole common share purchase warrant, a ‘Warrant’). Each Warrant will entitle the holder thereof to acquire one additional Share (each a ‘Warrant Share’) at a price of $0.40 per Warrant Share and will be exercisable for a period of 24 months from the date of issuance.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the Offering for ongoing exploration and development activities on the Borralha Tungsten Project and Vila Verde Tungsten Project and for additional working capital.

The Offering is subject to approval of the Canadian Securities Exchange (the ‘CSE‘), and all Units and securities of the Company issued pursuant to the Offering will be subject to a four month hold period from the date of issuance. The Offering will not result in the creation of a new insider or control person of the Company.

The Company may pay finder’s fees in connection with the Offering to eligible finders in accordance with policies of the CSE and applicable securities laws consisting of (i) a cash commission of up to 7% of the gross proceeds of the Offering, and (ii) a number of finders warrants (‘Finders Warrants‘), equal to up to 7% of the number of Units issued under the Offering with each Finders Warrant exercisable for one additional Unit of the Company for a period of 24 months at $0.30 per Unit from the closing date of the Offering (the ‘Closing Date‘). The Offering is expected to close on or about August 13, 2025, or such other date(s) as determined by the Company.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in the United States, nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The securities being offered have not been, nor will they be, registered under the 1933 Act or under any U.S. state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the 1933 Act, as amended, and applicable state securities laws.

About Allied Critical Metals Inc.

Allied Critical Metals Inc. (CSE: ACM,OTC:ACMIF) (OTCQB: ACMIF) (FSE:0VJ0) is a Canadian-based mining company focused on the expansion and revitalization of its 100% owned past producing Borralha Tungsten Project and the Vila Verde Tungsten Project in northern Portugal. Tungsten has been designated a critical metal by the United States and other western countries, as they are aggressively seeking friendly sources of this unique metal. Currently, China, Russia and North Korea represent approximately 86% of the total global supply and reserves. The tungsten market is estimated to be valued at approximately USD $5 to $6 billion and it is used in a variety of industries such as defense, automotive, manufacturing, electronics, and energy.

Please visit our website at www.alliedcritical.com.

Also visit us at:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/allied-critical-metals-inc 
X: https://x.com/@alliedcritical/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alliedcriticalmetals/

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Per: ‘Roy Bonnell’

Roy Bonnell
Chief Executive Officer and Director

Contact Information

For further information or investor relations inquiries, please contact:

Dave Burwell, Vice President, Corporate Development
Tel: 403 410 7907 | Toll Free: 1-888-221-0915
Email: daveb@alliedcritical.com

The Canadian Stock Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains ‘forward-looking statements’, including with respect to the use of proceeds. Wherever possible, words such as ‘may’, ‘would’, ‘could’, ‘should’, ‘will’, ‘anticipate’, ‘believe’, ‘plan’, ‘expect’, ‘intend’, ‘estimate’, ‘potential for’ and similar expressions have been used to identify these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements reflect the current expectations of the Company’s management for future growth, results of operations, performance and business prospects and opportunities and involve significant known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including, without limitation, those listed in the Company’s Listing Statement and other filings made by the Company with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities (which may be viewed under the Company’s profile at www.sedarplus.ca). Examples of forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the proposed timeline and use of proceeds for exploration and development of the Company’s mineral projects as described in the Company’s Listing Statement, news releases, and corporate presentations. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results, performance or achievements may vary materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in this news release. These factors should be considered carefully, and prospective investors should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of the Company’s forward-looking statements and reference should also be made to the Company’s Listing Statement dated April 23, 2025 and news release dated May 16, 2025, and the documents incorporated by reference therein, filed under its SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca for a description of additional risk factors. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to revise forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as required by law.

Not for distribution to U.S. news wire services or dissemination in the United States

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/260385

News Provided by Newsfile via QuoteMedia

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Here’s a quick recap of the crypto landscape for Monday (July 28) as of 9:00 p.m. UTC.

Get the latest insights on Bitcoin, Ethereum and altcoins, along with a round-up of key cryptocurrency market news.

Bitcoin and Ethereum price update

Bitcoin (BTC) was priced at US$117,888, down by 0.9 percent over the last 24 hours. Its highest valuation on Monday was US$118,719, while its lowest valuation was US$117,498.

Bitcoin price performance, July 28, 2025.

Chart via TradingView

Bitcoin is now approaching a “strong resistance” level between US$119,000 and US$120,000, according to crypto analytics platform Coinank.

In a note to clients, 10x Research founder Markus Thielen described this Bitcoin bull market as defined by sudden, catalyst-driven bursts of momentum and subsequent pauses, making it crucial for traders to focus on macro triggers and react quickly to breakouts rather than relying on a calendar-driven approach.

He cited that a pullback to under US$112,000, the former resistance-turned-support level of the May high, would be the best entry point for BTC bulls. “We would prefer to see bitcoin retest its $111,673 breakout level to provide a more favorable risk/reward entry point.”

Ethereum (ETH) was priced at US$3,786.54, down by 1.1 percent over the past 24 hours. Its lowest valuation on Monday was US$3,763.07, and its highest was US$3,855.16.

Altcoin price update

  • Solana (SOL) was priced at US$185, down by 1.2 percent over 24 hours. Its lowest valuation on Monday was US$184.91, and its highest was US$191.10.
  • XRP was trading for US$3.15, down by 1.9 percent in the past 24 hours. Its lowest valuation of the day was US$3.13, and its highest valuation was US$3.19.
  • Sui (SUI) is trading at US$3.99, down 8.1 percent over the past 24 hours. Its lowest valuation of the day was US$3.97, and its highest was US$4.21.
  • Cardano (ADA) was trading at US$0.7963, down by 3.7 percent over 24 hours. Its lowest valuation on Monday was US$0.7937, and its highest was US$0.8223.

Today’s crypto news to know

Bitcoin blasts surpasses US$119,000 as Trump’s EU tariff fuels optimism

Bitcoin surged to just under US$120,000 over the weekend after US President Donald Trump announced a tariff de-escalation deal with the European Union, easing global trade tensions.

The deal cuts planned tariffs from 30 percent to 15 percent, triggering a risk-on rally across markets and slightly boosting crypto sentiment. BTC has hovered below all-time highs for weeks, but Monday’s policy shift helped break resistance, with traders eyeing a new leg higher.

Meanwhile, Ether (ETH) also climbed 3.7 percent to US$3,932, drawing strength from corporate interest and growing ETH treasury holdings by firms.

XRP followed suit, rising 2 percent to US$3.30 as ETF rumors continued to drive speculative interest.

ARK Invest chooses SOL Strategies as staking partner

ARK Invest has chosen SOL Strategies, a publicly traded Canadian company focused on the Solana blockchain ecosystem, as its exclusive Solana staking partner for the Digital Assets Revolutions Fund. This agreement means ARK Invest’s validator operations will transition to SOL Strategies’ staking infrastructure.

SOL Strategies CEO Leah Wald highlighted their focus on providing compliant, reliable access to Solana for institutional and enterprise clients through delegated staking and custom validator infrastructure.

“Cathie Wood and her team at ARK are widely respected for their crypto and tech investing. Their confidence in our validator capabilities reinforces our commitment to providing best-in-class staking solutions for institutional clients,” Wald said in a press release.

The initiative will also involve BitGo, an institutional custody platform that partnered with SOL Strategies in April.

SOL Strategies emphasized that this partnership with ARK Invest, a firm with a history of investing in various staking solutions, validates their institutional infrastructure and market position.

SOL Strategies emphasized that this partnership with ARK Invest, a firm with a history of investing in various staking solutions, validates their institutional infrastructure and market position.

Tron seeks to raise funds for treasury expansion

Tron (NASDAQ:TRON) is looking to raise US$1 billion, according to a Form S-3 filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

The filing states that Tron plans to raise funds through a combination of common stock, preferred stock, debt securities, warrants and rights. This follows the company’s reverse merger with Justin Sun’s blockchain project.

The funds will primarily be used to expand the company’s TRX treasury, which already holds over 365 million TRX tokens following last month’s reverse merger.

Tron’s SEC filing detailed a treasury strategy including cash, short-term equivalents, and TRX tokens, stating, “We view our TRX token holdings as long-term holdings and expect to continue to accumulate TRX tokens.”

PayPal to launch new crypto payment system for merchants

PayPal (NASDAQ:PYPL) is rolling out a new service, Pay with Crypto, designed to simplify international payments for merchants and reduce associated fees. The new offering will allow US merchants to accept payments in more than 100 cryptocurrencies, including USDC. Payments will be instantly converted to either stablecoin or fiat currency, providing merchants with immediate access to funds.

The service will support a wide range of popular digital wallets, such as Coinbase Global (NASDAQ:COIN), MetaMask, OKX, Binance, Kraken, Phantom and Exodus, with more integrations expected.

Pay with Crypto aims to reduce global business losses from complex banking and high cross-border transaction fees by up to 90 percent. It offers a 0.99 percent transaction rate until July 31, 2026, and merchants can hold funds in PYUSD to potentially earn a 4 percent reward.

PayPal CEO Alex Chriss emphasized that this initiative will empower businesses of all sizes to expand globally by removing barriers like high international payment costs and complex integrations. He cited an example of a merchant in Oklahoma City being able to easily accept crypto from a shopper in Guatemala, improving profit margins and accelerating fund access.

This launch follows last week’s introduction of PayPal World, a new global platform that connects five of the world’s largest digital wallets, fundamentally reshaping international money movement. Pay with Crypto is set to become available to US merchants in the coming weeks.

Metaplanet adds 780 more BTC

Tokyo-listed Metaplanet has purchased an additional 780 bitcoin, raising its total holdings to 17,132 BTC—worth roughly US$2 billion at current prices.

The company disclosed that it paid an average of ¥17.5 million (AU$118,176) per coin, continuing its aggressive treasury strategy modeled after Strategy (NASDAQ:MSTR). With an average acquisition cost of around US$99,732 per bitcoin, Metaplanet remains deeply in profit on paper.

The firm also tracks a proprietary metric called BTC Yield, which it says hit 22.5 percent in July alone and soared to 129.4 percent in Q2.

Metaplanet’s stock rose 5 percent on Monday to 1,240 yen.

Crypto still seen as risky and niche by most Americans, new poll finds

Despite surging prices and friendlier regulations, most Americans remain skeptical of cryptocurrency, according to new Gallup polling data.

Only 14 percent of adults say they own any form of crypto, and a large majority—around 60 percent—indicate they have no intention of buying in. The biggest barrier remains perceived risk, with most respondents rating crypto as either ‘very risky’ or ‘somewhat risky.’

Ownership skews heavily toward younger men aged 18 to 49, 25 percent of whom report holding crypto, while adoption among seniors and women remains minimal.

Notably, public understanding still lags: while nearly everyone has heard of crypto, only about a third say they know much about it.

The data suggests a gap between increasing institutional acceptance—spurred by new legislation like the Genius and Clarity Acts—and persistent public doubt about digital assets’ stability and utility.

Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

Securities Disclosure: I, Meagen Seatter, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Torex Gold (TSX:TXG,OTCQX:TORXF) is acquiring Prime Mining (TSX:PRYM,OTCQX:PRYM) in an all-share deal worth US$449 million, gaining full control of the Los Reyes gold-silver project in Mexico as it builds out an Americas-focused mining portfolio.

Under the terms of the deal, Torex will gain 100 percent ownership of Prime’s Los Reyes project in Sinaloa, an advanced-stage gold-silver asset with indicated resources of 1.5 million ounces of gold and 54 million ounces of silver, and inferred resources of 538,000 ounces of gold and 21.6 million ounces of silver.

“This acquisition supports our strategy to systematically build a diversified, Americas-focused precious metals producer,” Torex CEO Jody Kuzenko said in a recent press release.

“Los Reyes has multiple high-potential mineralized zones which remain open along strike and at depth, and we are confident that the project has strong untapped upside with numerous avenues for growth,” Kuzenko added.

Upon completion, Prime shareholders will own approximately 10.7 percent of Torex. About 10.5 million Torex shares will be issued to complete the deal.

Torex already operates the Morelos Complex in Guerrero, Mexico, home to its El Limón Guajes and newly commissioned Media Luna mines. The company produced more than 450,000 ounces of gold in 2024, making it Mexico’s largest gold producer that year.

It also recently announced the all-cash acquisition of Reyna Silver (TSXV:RSLV,OTC:RSNVF) a transaction scheduled for shareholder approval in August.

Torex plans to apply its in-country project development team and free cash flow from Media Luna to fund the Los Reyes buildout without requiring additional external financing.

“In addition to gaining exposure to Torex’s free-cash flowing Morelos Complex, Prime Mining shareholders can continue to realize significant value creation as Los Reyes is developed with the benefit of Torex’s operational and development experience in Mexico,” said Prime CEO Scott Hicks.

Torex will add 1.5 million ounces of gold in the indicated category and 538,000 ounces in inferred resources through the acquisition, increasing its total measured and indicated resources by 32 percent to 6.2 million ounces and inferred resources by 44 percent to 1.8 million ounces.

It also adds substantial silver exposure through Los Reyes’ combined 75.6 million ounces of indicated and inferred silver resources.

The Los Reyes land package also includes three key mineralized zones, namely Z-T, Guadalupe East, and Central, along with other several underexplored targets.

Torex expects to leverage its permitting and construction track record to advance Los Reyes efficiently. The company completed the US$800 million El Limón Guajes mine in 2015 and brought the US$1 billion project Media Luna into commercial production in May of this year.

The transaction remains subject to regulatory approvals and the approval of Prime shareholders. It is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2025.

Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

After spiking above US$20,000 per metric ton in May 2024, nickel prices have experienced a downward trend, mainly remaining in the US$15,000 to US$16,000 range.

Indonesia’s elevated production levels have been a primary factor contributing to low commodity prices, as sustained high output continues to oversupply the market. The supply surplus has had a knock-on effect, putting pressure on Western producers who have been forced to slash their production to maintain profitability.

Elevated output coincides with electric vehicle (EV) demand, which is under threat as market uptake has slowed, and policy changes in the United States are expected to increase costs for consumers and lower sentiment for the vehicles.

Nickel sinks to 2020 lows

Commodity prices crashed at the start of the quarter, with nickel falling to a five-year low, reaching US$14,150 per metric ton on April 8. However, prices quickly recovered from the rout and reached US$15,880 on April 24.

The end of April saw the price once again retreat to US$15,230 as downward trend indications began to take hold. The price through May was largely rangebound, starting the month rising to US$15,850 on May 9 before collapsing again to US$15,085 on May 27.

Nickel price chart, April 01 to July 24, 2025

via TradingEconomics

June started with a short-lived rebound to US$15,510 on June 2, before falling to below the US$15,000 mark to reach US$14,840 on June 24. Since then, the price experienced some upward momentum, reaching US$15,575 on July 23.

Supply surplus causing price pressures

In a presentation at the Indonesian Mining Conference on June 30, Ricardo Ferreira, Director of Market Research and Statistics at the International Nickel Study Group (INSG) outlined the current state of the nickel market.

He suggested that high output from Indonesian miners continued to exert downward price pressures on nickel over the last several years, resulting in a decline from an average price of US$30,425 per metric ton in 2022 to an average of US$15,000 per metric ton during the first five months of 2025.

Meanwhile, combined inventories on the London Metals Exchange (LME) and the Shanghai Futures Exchange (SHFE) have exploded from 38,200 metric tons at the end of May 2023 to 230,600 metric tons at the end of April 2025.

This coincides with a 15.1 percent increase in global nickel production in 2023 and a 2.3 percent increase in 2024. The expectation is that nickel output will surge an additional 8.5 percent in 2025, with a significant portion to come from Indonesia, whose share is forecast to grow to 63.4 percent from 61.6 percent in the previous year.

The demand outlook

However, demand has not kept pace with the increase in production. Ferreira stated that demand increased by 7.8 percent in 2023, 4.8 percent in 2024, and is expected to grow by 5.7 percent in 2025.

Stainless steel has been the primary driver of nickel demand for decades. Still, Olivier Masson, Principal Analyst for Battery Raw Materials at Fastmarkets, predicts a changing demand landscape over the next couple of years.

During his CAM Minerals Market Forecast at the Fastmarkets LBRM Las Vegas conference on June 22 to 25, Masson provided insight into why he believes the current oversupply situation will begin to shift by 2027.

Currently, nickel’s primary demand driver is in the production of stainless steel, accounting for just over 2 million metric tons per year. However, the expectation is that between now and 2035, total demand for nickel will increase by 2 million tons, with stainless production accounting for just 564,000 metric tons. A compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2 percent.

“We expect to see more end-of-life scrap being generated within China, and then that should start slowing down the growth requirements for primary nickel in the Chinese stainless-steel industry,” Masson explained.

The remaining demand is predicted to come from a 12.8 percent, or 1.4 million metric ton, increase from the EV sector.

“Most of this growth will come from pure EV, so pure battery electric vehicles, where we expect sales growth of over 30 million vehicles… But we still expect an increase in plug-in hybrids with an additional 11.5 million vehicle sales over the next decade,” Masson said.

He went on to say that over that time, supply is expected to grow at a slower rate, with the majority owed to increases in nickel sulphate destined for battery manufacturing.

“So what does that mean for the balance for the nickel market? Well, the nickel market has been oversupplied for the past couple of years. We expect that to continue this year and for the next few years. So we are in a state of structural oversupply. That said, its only by around 2027 or 2028 that we think the market will start to return to a semblance of Balance,” Masson explained

In the long term, he stated that an additional 750,000 metric tons will be needed by 2035, which he doesn’t see as a significant problem.

Production curtailments continue

With the market currently experiencing a supply glut, more producers have taken to curtailing production or shuttering operations.

Since 2024, there have been closures of significant operations, including First Quantum’s (TSX:FM,OTC:FQVLF) Ravensthorpe and Panoramic Resources’ Savannah operations in Australia and Glencore’s (LSE:GLEN,OTC Pink:GLCNF,OTC:GLCNF) Koniambo Nickel mine in New Caledonia.

Likewise, Refiners have also been under pressure as BHP (ASX:BHP,NYSE:BHP,LSE:BHP,OTC:BHPLF) suspended operations at its Nickel West refinery in Australia until 2027, and Sibanye Stillwater (NYSE:SBSW) repurposed its Sandouville nickel refinery in France to produce precursor cathode active material during the first half of 2025.

According to INSG data, 32 percent of global nickel production lines are currently offline.

One of the few companies to buck the trend was Vale (NYSE:VALE), which announced a 44 percent year-over-year increase in nickel production in its Q2 2025 report released on July 22. The report indicated that nickel output rose to 40,300 metric tons from 27,900 during the same quarter last year. The company said gains were driven by strong performance from its Canadian assets and the Onca Puma mine in Brazil.

While there was some speculation that Indonesia may reduce its output, no cuts have materialized, which has in part led Australian investment bank Macquarie to downgrade its nickel outlook to US$14,500 per metric ton by the end of the year, from the US$15,500 it predicted at the end of Q1.

The impact of trade uncertainty

Base metals were caught up as part of the fallout from Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” announcement on April 2. The move applied a 10 percent across-the-board baseline tariff to all but a handful of countries and threatened to impose more significant retaliatory tariffs starting on April 9.

However, a steep US$6.6 trillion sell-off in equity markets and a squeeze in the bond market that sent yields for 10-year Treasuries up more than half a percent caused the US administration to walk back its plans. Instead, it announced a 90-day pause on the higher tariff rate and stated that it would work to negotiate new trade agreements.

The commodity price rout came as more analysts began to speculate about a recession later in 2025, which would reduce consumer spending on steel-dependent goods, such as light vehicles and new home builds.

In statements made during S&P Global’s State of the Market: Mining Q1’ 25 webinar on May 14, Naditha Manubag, Associate Research Analyst of Metals and Mining Research, suggested that nickel is likely to experience headwinds from the evolving trade policy in the United States.

“We expect nickel prices to remain volatile in the near term as the Trump administration’s trade policies continue to evolve. Forecast for 2025 global primary nickel demand is lowered to 2.8 percent year-over-year due to the expected slowdown in global economic activity,” she said.

Manubag said the slowdown would have a negative impact on demand for Chinese consumer goods, which would come alongside a rising Indonesian mining quota in 2025. Although prices spiked in March, she explained that it was due to tight supplies from the rainy season and increased royalty rates.

Manubag suggested that S&P’s overall expectation is that the nickel market will be in a surplus of 198,000 metric tons in 2025. As a result, the organization has lowered its nickel price forecast to US$15,730 per metric ton.

It’s more than just US tariffs that are expected to weigh on nickel prices in the short term. When Donald Trump signed the “One Big Beautiful” spending bill into law on July 4, it marked an end to the federal EV tax credit and other tax credits aimed at expanding charging infrastructure, a cornerstone of the Inflation Reduction Act.

The consumer credit was meant to provide a US$7,500 rebate toward the purchase of new EVs, and is expected to have an impact on overall demand when it expires on September 30.

Although the majority of nickel’s demand comes from the production of stainless steel, the growing demand from EV battery production has provided additional tailwinds; however, a decline in EV demand could impact future demand growth.

“If and when this bill is passed, a slowdown of EV uptake is expected to lead to higher EV prices and slower rollout of charging infrastructure,” Manubag said.

The big picture for investors

Currently, the easiest way to sum up the nickel market is that it’s widely disliked. The fundamentals aren’t there. A significant portion of nickel is being produced at a loss.

“You know, nickel is hated right now. I think there’s a decent case for nickel, just like when we went into platinum, right? Platinum did nothing for a decade; it just hung around US$900 to US$1,000, and now we’ve finally broken out… You have no idea when, but buy it when it’s boring. At US$900, no one cares, and then you get to ride the wave up. So I think that would be it. Pay attention to what’s unloved and hated and buy that,” he said.

Others in the investment community have expressed a similar sentiment. Although fundamentals for nickel are currently lacklustre, demand, especially from the automotive sector, is expected to grow over the next 10 years.

Securities Disclosure: I, Dean Belder, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

‘The uranium story itself is finally getting better… the near perfect storm is here.’ he said, noting that all the factors that should drive electrical demand higher are merging, particularly electrification and AI data center needs.

‘I don’t think uranium has to go to US$200 in order to make money,” said Grandich. I just think it needs to go back to where it was a couple years ago, a little above US$100 and these stocks will quadruple.’

Watch the interview above for more from Grandich on the energy sector and gold’s 2025 performance.

Securities Disclosure: I, Georgia Williams, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com