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Top 5 Canadian Mining Stocks This Week: Euro Maganese Surges 82 Percent

Investing 11 Mins Read

US President Donald Trump announced a sweeping round of tariffs on Wednesday (April 2). The tariffs included 10 percent to most countries along with more specific import fees directed at specific countries in an attempt to balance trade deficits.

Canada and Mexico were spared under the USMCA deal signed by Trump in 2019, with the exception of non-USMCA-compliant vehicles, which were subject to a 25 percent tariff. This sparked a similar 25 percent retaliatory tariff from Canada.

The uncertainty over the application of tariffs caused some automakers, like Ford (NYSE:F) and Stellantis (NYSE:STLA), to announce family pricing to encourage consumers to make purchases before car prices rise. Stellantis also halted production at plants in Canada and Mexico and temporarily laid off 900 workers.

Statistics Canada released its March jobs report on Friday (April 4). Its data showed that Canada’s labor market lost 33,000 jobs during the month.

The most significant decline occurred in wholesale and retail trade, which shed 29,000 jobs, followed by information, culture and recreation, which dropped by 20,000. Meanwhile, personal and repair services added 12,000 new positions, while utilities gained 4,200 workers. Overall, the unemployment rate climbed 0.1 percent to 6.7 percent.

South of the border, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics announced a significant increase in the non-farm payroll in March.

The report indicated that the US added 228,000 jobs to the economy, significantly higher than the 117,000 jobs added in February and the 140,000 expected by economists.

The largest gains in employment occurred in the healthcare sector, which added 54,000 new jobs, while both the social assistance and retail sectors contributed 24,000 jobs each.

The report also indicated a further decline of 4,000 jobs in the federal government, following a loss of 11,000 in February. Mass layoffs of federal employees by the Elon Musk’s DOGE are not yet fully reflected in the jobs data. Many of the over 280,000 employees whose jobs are being cut are currently on administrative leave or accepted severance deals, Bloomberg reports, meaning the bureau still counts them as employed.

The unemployment rate and participation rate held steady at 4.2 and 62.5 percent respectively.

Markets and commodities react

Global equity markets were in steep decline following the Trump administration’s tariff announcements on Wednesday.

In Canada, The S&P/TSX Composite Index (INDEXTSI:OSPTX) fell 5.67 percent during the week to close at 23,277.79 on Friday, the S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index (INDEXTSI:JX) decreased 8.31 percent to 575.91 and the CSE Composite Index (CSE:CSECOMP) dropped 9.23 percent to 108.95.

US equity markets did not fare any better, with the S&P 500 (INDEXSP:INX) losing 8.21 percent to close at 5,074.09, the Nasdaq 100 (INDEXNASDAQ:NDX) dropping 7.36 percent to 17,570.21 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDEXDJX:.DJI) shedding 7.41 percent to 38,314.85.

Precious metals also closed the week in the red. Although the gold price briefly hitting a new high of US$3,167.71 per ounce on Wednesday, it plunged on Friday to close the week down 1.56 percent at US$3,038.04. The silver price declined sharply, losing 12.92 percent during the period to US$29.69.

In base metals, the COMEX copper price plunged 14.17 percent over the week to US$4.42 per pound. Meanwhile, the S&P GSCI (INDEXSP:SPGSCI) lost 6.75 percent to close at 522.69.

Top Canadian mining stocks this week

So how did mining stocks perform against this backdrop? We break down this week’s five best-performing Canadian mining stocks below.

Stock data for this article was retrieved at 4:00 p.m. EDT on Friday using TradingView’s stock screener. Only companies trading on the TSX, TSXV and CSE with market capitalizations greater than C$10 million are included. Companies within the non-energy minerals and energy minerals sectors were considered.

1. Euro Manganese (TSXV:EMN)

Weekly gain: 81.82 percent
Market cap: C$40.27 million
Share price: C$0.50

Euro Manganese is a manganese development company working to advance its Chvaletice waste recycling project. The operation is focused on extracting manganese from tailings that are part of a decommissioned mine site near Prague, Czechia. As part of the project’s scope, the company says it will carry out remediation and reclamation work to bring the site into compliance with environmental regulations.

A 2022 feasibility study for the Chvaletice project indicates that it will produce 48,000 metric tons of manganese per year and is expected to have a project life of 25 years. In the study, the company reports a post-tax net present value of US$1.3 billion with an internal rate of return of 22 percent and a payback period of 4 years.

The latest project news was announced on March 25, when Euro revealed that Chvaletice had been designated a strategic project under the European Union’s Critical Raw Materials Act. According to the terms of the act, the project will gain access to both private and public funding opportunities, as well as a more streamlined permitting process.

Shares in Euro experienced significant gains this week after the company announced on March 30 that it would proceed with a share consolidation at a ratio of five to one. The consolidation occurred on Monday (March 31), reducing the number of common shares to 80.53 million from 402.67 million, and post-consolidation shares began trading on April 2.

The company also announced on April 1 that it would be upsizing a financing round up to C$11.2 million and would include a C$3 million private placement with former Sprott (TSX:SII,NYSE:SII) Chairman Eric Sprott. Proceeds generated from the financing will be used to support development at Chvaletice.

2. DLP Resources (TSXV:DLP)

Weekly gain: 60 percent
Market cap: C$61.08 million
Share price: C$0.44

DLP Resources is a mineral exploration company focused on advancing its flagship Aurora copper-molybdenum project in Peru.

The 8,500 hectare site is located in the Central Andes. Exploration work has been performed at the site since the early 2000s, with DLP conducting drill programs in 2023 and 2024.

Shares in DLP have been rising since the release of a technical report for Aurora on February 27, which included a maiden mineral resource estimate with significant copper and molybdenum spread over two zones.

The inferred resource totals 1.05 billion metric tons of ore containing 4.65 billion pounds of copper, 1.1 billion pounds of molybdenum and 80 million ounces of silver. The resource has average grades of 0.2 percent copper, 0.05 percent molybdenum and 2.4 grams per metric ton silver.

The company said it is pleased with the size and results of the report and will continue drilling the site to upgrade the resource ahead of a preliminary economic assessment.

DLP shares also got a boost this week after it released its Management’s Discussion and Analysis for the nine months ending January 31 on Tuesday. In the release, the company discussed its activity for the three-quarter period highlighting its recent mineral resource estimate as well as the completion of a non-brokered private placement in January for proceeds of C$1.36 million.

3. Noram Lithium (TSXV:NRM)

Weekly gain: 35 percent
Market cap: C$12.08 million
Share price: C$0.135

Noram Lithium is a lithium exploration and development company focused on the advancement of its Zeus lithium project in Nevada, US. The property, located near Clayton Valley, comprises 146 placer and 136 lode claims covering 1,133 hectares in a region with existing lithium brine operations since 1967. Noram has been exploring the site since 2016.

Its most recent update came on June 11, when the company released an updated mineral resource estimate, reporting an indicated resource of 564 million metric tons (MT) at a concentration of 956 parts per million (ppm), resulting in 2.9 million MT of contained lithium carbonate equivalent. Zeus’ inferred resource stands at 1.3 million MT of contained lithium carbonate equivalent from 287 million MT grading 861 ppm lithium.

Shares in Noram rose this week, but the company did not publish any news.

4. Maple Gold Mines (TSXV:MGM)

Weekly gain: 31.82 percent
Market cap: C$34.11 million
Share price: C$0.07

Maple Gold Mines is a gold exploration company focused on the advancement of its Douay and Joutel projects located in the Abitibi Greenstone Belt in Québec, Canada.

The Douay project covers an area of 357 square kilometers. In a 2022 technical report, the company said the site hosts an indicated resource of 511,000 ounces of gold from 10 million metric tons with an average grade of 1.59 grams per metric ton (g/t) gold, with an additional inferred resource of 2.53 million ounces from 76.7 million metric tons at 1.02 g/t.

The Joutel project covers an area of 39 square kilometers and is located directly south of Douay. The site hosts Agnico Eagle’s (TSX:AEM,NYSE:AEM) past-producing Eagle-Telbel gold mine, which operated from 1974 to 1993. To date, the company has used 250,000 meters of historic drill results to create 3D models to aid in current exploration efforts.

The most recent news from the project came on Thursday when Maple announced recent exploration at Douay’s Nika zone produced a broad mineralized interval of 2.05 g/t gold over 108.6 meters, which included an intersection of 4.93 g/t over 17 meters, from a vertical depth of 490 meters.

The company said the results build on previously identified mineralization from shallower depths and defines a new high-grade, bulk-tonnage target that remains open in multiple directions.

5. Stillwater Critical Minerals (TSXV:PGE)

Weekly gain: 25 percent
Market cap: C$38.43 million
Share price: C$0.15

Stillwater Critical Minerals is an exploration company focused on advancing its flagship Stillwater West project in Montana, United States.

The brownfield project hosts several multi-kilometer exploration targets with known mineralization deposits of nickel, copper, cobalt, platinum group metals and gold.

A mineral resource estimate included in a January 2023 technical report demonstrated an inferred estimate of 1.05 million pounds of nickel, 499 million pounds of copper, 91 million pounds of cobalt, and a combined 3.811 million ounces of platinum group metals and gold from 254.8 million metric tons of ore with a nickel equivalent cut-off grade of 0.2 percent.

The most recent news from the project came on March 26 when Stillwater reported it had identified multiple large-scale targets from its 2024 geophysical survey. The company said the survey improved the resolution of known targets while identifying unknown targets occurring near surface to a depth of 1.5 kilometers.

Shares have also been bolstered by the recent executive order from President Trump that will help to speed up project permitting for critical mineral projects.

In an announcement on March 24, Stillwater President and CEO Michael Rowley commented, “The order also makes a point of listing copper and gold. This is very relevant to Stillwater because we have a very large polymetallic resource that positions us with a substantial copper inventory and the largest nickel project in an active US mining district.”

FAQs for Canadian mining stocks

What is the difference between the TSX and TSXV?

The TSX, or Toronto Stock Exchange, is used by senior companies with larger market caps, and the TSXV, or TSX Venture Exchange, is used by smaller-cap companies. Companies listed on the TSXV can graduate to the senior exchange.

How many companies are listed on the TSXV?

As of June 2024, there were 1,630 companies listed on the TSXV, 925 of which were mining companies. Comparatively, the TSX was home to 1,806 companies, with 188 of those being mining companies.

Together the TSX and TSXV host around 40 percent of the world’s public mining companies.

How much does it cost to list on the TSXV?

There are a variety of different fees that companies must pay to list on the TSXV, and according to the exchange, they can vary based on the transaction’s nature and complexity. The listing fee alone will most likely cost between C$10,000 to C$70,000. Accounting and auditing fees could rack up between C$25,000 and C$100,000, while legal fees are expected to be over C$75,000 and an underwriters’ commission may hit up to 12 percent.

The exchange lists a handful of other fees and expenses companies can expect, including but not limited to security commission and transfer agency fees, investor relations costs and director and officer liability insurance.

These are all just for the initial listing, of course. There are ongoing expenses once companies are trading, such as sustaining fees and additional listing fees, plus the costs associated with filing regular reports.

How do you trade on the TSXV?

Investors can trade on the TSXV the way they would trade stocks on any exchange. This means they can use a stock broker or an individual investment account to buy and sell shares of TSXV-listed companies during the exchange’s trading hours.

Article by Dean Belder; FAQs by Lauren Kelly.

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

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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Investing

Top 5 Canadian Mining Stocks This Week: Euro Maganese Surges 82 Percent

Investing 11 Mins Read

US President Donald Trump announced a sweeping round of tariffs on Wednesday (April 2). The tariffs included 10 percent to most countries along with more specific import fees directed at specific countries in an attempt to balance trade deficits.

Canada and Mexico were spared under the USMCA deal signed by Trump in 2019, with the exception of non-USMCA-compliant vehicles, which were subject to a 25 percent tariff. This sparked a similar 25 percent retaliatory tariff from Canada.

The uncertainty over the application of tariffs caused some automakers, like Ford (NYSE:F) and Stellantis (NYSE:STLA), to announce family pricing to encourage consumers to make purchases before car prices rise. Stellantis also halted production at plants in Canada and Mexico and temporarily laid off 900 workers.

Statistics Canada released its March jobs report on Friday (April 4). Its data showed that Canada’s labor market lost 33,000 jobs during the month.

The most significant decline occurred in wholesale and retail trade, which shed 29,000 jobs, followed by information, culture and recreation, which dropped by 20,000. Meanwhile, personal and repair services added 12,000 new positions, while utilities gained 4,200 workers. Overall, the unemployment rate climbed 0.1 percent to 6.7 percent.

South of the border, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics announced a significant increase in the non-farm payroll in March.

The report indicated that the US added 228,000 jobs to the economy, significantly higher than the 117,000 jobs added in February and the 140,000 expected by economists.

The largest gains in employment occurred in the healthcare sector, which added 54,000 new jobs, while both the social assistance and retail sectors contributed 24,000 jobs each.

The report also indicated a further decline of 4,000 jobs in the federal government, following a loss of 11,000 in February. Mass layoffs of federal employees by the Elon Musk’s DOGE are not yet fully reflected in the jobs data. Many of the over 280,000 employees whose jobs are being cut are currently on administrative leave or accepted severance deals, Bloomberg reports, meaning the bureau still counts them as employed.

The unemployment rate and participation rate held steady at 4.2 and 62.5 percent respectively.

Markets and commodities react

Global equity markets were in steep decline following the Trump administration’s tariff announcements on Wednesday.

In Canada, The S&P/TSX Composite Index (INDEXTSI:OSPTX) fell 5.67 percent during the week to close at 23,277.79 on Friday, the S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index (INDEXTSI:JX) decreased 8.31 percent to 575.91 and the CSE Composite Index (CSE:CSECOMP) dropped 9.23 percent to 108.95.

US equity markets did not fare any better, with the S&P 500 (INDEXSP:INX) losing 8.21 percent to close at 5,074.09, the Nasdaq 100 (INDEXNASDAQ:NDX) dropping 7.36 percent to 17,570.21 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDEXDJX:.DJI) shedding 7.41 percent to 38,314.85.

Precious metals also closed the week in the red. Although the gold price briefly hitting a new high of US$3,167.71 per ounce on Wednesday, it plunged on Friday to close the week down 1.56 percent at US$3,038.04. The silver price declined sharply, losing 12.92 percent during the period to US$29.69.

In base metals, the COMEX copper price plunged 14.17 percent over the week to US$4.42 per pound. Meanwhile, the S&P GSCI (INDEXSP:SPGSCI) lost 6.75 percent to close at 522.69.

Top Canadian mining stocks this week

So how did mining stocks perform against this backdrop? We break down this week’s five best-performing Canadian mining stocks below.

Stock data for this article was retrieved at 4:00 p.m. EDT on Friday using TradingView’s stock screener. Only companies trading on the TSX, TSXV and CSE with market capitalizations greater than C$10 million are included. Companies within the non-energy minerals and energy minerals sectors were considered.

1. Euro Manganese (TSXV:EMN)

Weekly gain: 81.82 percent
Market cap: C$40.27 million
Share price: C$0.50

Euro Manganese is a manganese development company working to advance its Chvaletice waste recycling project. The operation is focused on extracting manganese from tailings that are part of a decommissioned mine site near Prague, Czechia. As part of the project’s scope, the company says it will carry out remediation and reclamation work to bring the site into compliance with environmental regulations.

A 2022 feasibility study for the Chvaletice project indicates that it will produce 48,000 metric tons of manganese per year and is expected to have a project life of 25 years. In the study, the company reports a post-tax net present value of US$1.3 billion with an internal rate of return of 22 percent and a payback period of 4 years.

The latest project news was announced on March 25, when Euro revealed that Chvaletice had been designated a strategic project under the European Union’s Critical Raw Materials Act. According to the terms of the act, the project will gain access to both private and public funding opportunities, as well as a more streamlined permitting process.

Shares in Euro experienced significant gains this week after the company announced on March 30 that it would proceed with a share consolidation at a ratio of five to one. The consolidation occurred on Monday (March 31), reducing the number of common shares to 80.53 million from 402.67 million, and post-consolidation shares began trading on April 2.

The company also announced on April 1 that it would be upsizing a financing round up to C$11.2 million and would include a C$3 million private placement with former Sprott (TSX:SII,NYSE:SII) Chairman Eric Sprott. Proceeds generated from the financing will be used to support development at Chvaletice.

2. DLP Resources (TSXV:DLP)

Weekly gain: 60 percent
Market cap: C$61.08 million
Share price: C$0.44

DLP Resources is a mineral exploration company focused on advancing its flagship Aurora copper-molybdenum project in Peru.

The 8,500 hectare site is located in the Central Andes. Exploration work has been performed at the site since the early 2000s, with DLP conducting drill programs in 2023 and 2024.

Shares in DLP have been rising since the release of a technical report for Aurora on February 27, which included a maiden mineral resource estimate with significant copper and molybdenum spread over two zones.

The inferred resource totals 1.05 billion metric tons of ore containing 4.65 billion pounds of copper, 1.1 billion pounds of molybdenum and 80 million ounces of silver. The resource has average grades of 0.2 percent copper, 0.05 percent molybdenum and 2.4 grams per metric ton silver.

The company said it is pleased with the size and results of the report and will continue drilling the site to upgrade the resource ahead of a preliminary economic assessment.

DLP shares also got a boost this week after it released its Management’s Discussion and Analysis for the nine months ending January 31 on Tuesday. In the release, the company discussed its activity for the three-quarter period highlighting its recent mineral resource estimate as well as the completion of a non-brokered private placement in January for proceeds of C$1.36 million.

3. Noram Lithium (TSXV:NRM)

Weekly gain: 35 percent
Market cap: C$12.08 million
Share price: C$0.135

Noram Lithium is a lithium exploration and development company focused on the advancement of its Zeus lithium project in Nevada, US. The property, located near Clayton Valley, comprises 146 placer and 136 lode claims covering 1,133 hectares in a region with existing lithium brine operations since 1967. Noram has been exploring the site since 2016.

Its most recent update came on June 11, when the company released an updated mineral resource estimate, reporting an indicated resource of 564 million metric tons (MT) at a concentration of 956 parts per million (ppm), resulting in 2.9 million MT of contained lithium carbonate equivalent. Zeus’ inferred resource stands at 1.3 million MT of contained lithium carbonate equivalent from 287 million MT grading 861 ppm lithium.

Shares in Noram rose this week, but the company did not publish any news.

4. Maple Gold Mines (TSXV:MGM)

Weekly gain: 31.82 percent
Market cap: C$34.11 million
Share price: C$0.07

Maple Gold Mines is a gold exploration company focused on the advancement of its Douay and Joutel projects located in the Abitibi Greenstone Belt in Québec, Canada.

The Douay project covers an area of 357 square kilometers. In a 2022 technical report, the company said the site hosts an indicated resource of 511,000 ounces of gold from 10 million metric tons with an average grade of 1.59 grams per metric ton (g/t) gold, with an additional inferred resource of 2.53 million ounces from 76.7 million metric tons at 1.02 g/t.

The Joutel project covers an area of 39 square kilometers and is located directly south of Douay. The site hosts Agnico Eagle’s (TSX:AEM,NYSE:AEM) past-producing Eagle-Telbel gold mine, which operated from 1974 to 1993. To date, the company has used 250,000 meters of historic drill results to create 3D models to aid in current exploration efforts.

The most recent news from the project came on Thursday when Maple announced recent exploration at Douay’s Nika zone produced a broad mineralized interval of 2.05 g/t gold over 108.6 meters, which included an intersection of 4.93 g/t over 17 meters, from a vertical depth of 490 meters.

The company said the results build on previously identified mineralization from shallower depths and defines a new high-grade, bulk-tonnage target that remains open in multiple directions.

5. Stillwater Critical Minerals (TSXV:PGE)

Weekly gain: 25 percent
Market cap: C$38.43 million
Share price: C$0.15

Stillwater Critical Minerals is an exploration company focused on advancing its flagship Stillwater West project in Montana, United States.

The brownfield project hosts several multi-kilometer exploration targets with known mineralization deposits of nickel, copper, cobalt, platinum group metals and gold.

A mineral resource estimate included in a January 2023 technical report demonstrated an inferred estimate of 1.05 million pounds of nickel, 499 million pounds of copper, 91 million pounds of cobalt, and a combined 3.811 million ounces of platinum group metals and gold from 254.8 million metric tons of ore with a nickel equivalent cut-off grade of 0.2 percent.

The most recent news from the project came on March 26 when Stillwater reported it had identified multiple large-scale targets from its 2024 geophysical survey. The company said the survey improved the resolution of known targets while identifying unknown targets occurring near surface to a depth of 1.5 kilometers.

Shares have also been bolstered by the recent executive order from President Trump that will help to speed up project permitting for critical mineral projects.

In an announcement on March 24, Stillwater President and CEO Michael Rowley commented, “The order also makes a point of listing copper and gold. This is very relevant to Stillwater because we have a very large polymetallic resource that positions us with a substantial copper inventory and the largest nickel project in an active US mining district.”

FAQs for Canadian mining stocks

What is the difference between the TSX and TSXV?

The TSX, or Toronto Stock Exchange, is used by senior companies with larger market caps, and the TSXV, or TSX Venture Exchange, is used by smaller-cap companies. Companies listed on the TSXV can graduate to the senior exchange.

How many companies are listed on the TSXV?

As of June 2024, there were 1,630 companies listed on the TSXV, 925 of which were mining companies. Comparatively, the TSX was home to 1,806 companies, with 188 of those being mining companies.

Together the TSX and TSXV host around 40 percent of the world’s public mining companies.

How much does it cost to list on the TSXV?

There are a variety of different fees that companies must pay to list on the TSXV, and according to the exchange, they can vary based on the transaction’s nature and complexity. The listing fee alone will most likely cost between C$10,000 to C$70,000. Accounting and auditing fees could rack up between C$25,000 and C$100,000, while legal fees are expected to be over C$75,000 and an underwriters’ commission may hit up to 12 percent.

The exchange lists a handful of other fees and expenses companies can expect, including but not limited to security commission and transfer agency fees, investor relations costs and director and officer liability insurance.

These are all just for the initial listing, of course. There are ongoing expenses once companies are trading, such as sustaining fees and additional listing fees, plus the costs associated with filing regular reports.

How do you trade on the TSXV?

Investors can trade on the TSXV the way they would trade stocks on any exchange. This means they can use a stock broker or an individual investment account to buy and sell shares of TSXV-listed companies during the exchange’s trading hours.

Article by Dean Belder; FAQs by Lauren Kelly.

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

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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Investing

Tech 5: Trump’s Tariffs Send Stock Market into Tailspin, TikTok Deal in Jeopardy

Investing 5 Mins Read

Tech stocks led a week-long decline as US President Donald Trump’s global retaliatory tariffs were announced on Wednesday (April 2).

The announcement led to a market-wide sell-off that erased over US$6 trillion in market value and drove the Nasdaq Composite (INDEXNASDAQ:.IXIC) into a confirmed bear market.

This week’s pullback was the worst day in the stock market since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.

New developments may arise unexpectedly as this situation unfolds.

1. Agility Robotics secures US$400 million

On Tuesday (April 1), the Information reported on a US$400 million funding round led by private equity firm WP Global for humanoid robot maker Agility Robotics.

The report cites an individual who claims to have seen the term sheet, noting that the new funding will give Agility Robotics, whose CEO is former Microsoft (NASADQ:MSFT) executive Peggy Johnson, a valuation of US$1.75 billion.

Prior to the report, the company unveiled advancements to its Digit robotic system on Monday (March 31), including extended battery, more efficient power usage, autonomous docking for charging, enhanced safety features and new, robust limbs and end effectors. The company says these structural changes will allow for a wider range of grasping angles and expanded manipulation capabilities.

Digit’s target applications include warehouse automation and last-mile delivery.

2. OpenAI finalizes US$40 billion funding in record-breaking deal

OpenAI finalized a US$40 billion funding deal on Monday, closing the largest private tech deal ever recorded.

The company received US$40 billion from SoftBank (3AG1.BE) and US$10 billion from a syndicate of additional investors that included long-time major investor Microsoft. This round increased OpenAI’s valuation to US$300 billion.

OpenAI will initially receive US$10 billion, with the remainder to be paid out by the end of the year. Anonymous sources for CNBC note that US$18 billion is reserved for the company’s US$500 billion Stargate project commitment.

The funding may also be reduced to US$30 billion if OpenAI doesn’t restructure into a for-profit entity by December 31, 2025. Restructuring would require approval by Microsoft and California’s AG.

In an announcement, OpenAI said it would deploy the funds to “push the frontiers of AI research even further, scale our compute infrastructure, and deliver increasingly powerful tools.’

Meanwhile, in a subsequently released report from Bloomberg, Japan Credit Rating Agency and S&P Global Ratings lowered their ratings for SoftBank as the company sought a bridge loan of up to US$16.5 billion to help fund its US AI investment commitments, according to sources who claim to know of early-stage discussions the company has had with lenders.

3. TikTok deal deadline extended amid negotiations

Earlier this week, the Information reported on a proposal from the Trump administration that would form a US-based TikTok subsidiary called TikTok America in an attempt to prevent a national ban of the popular social media app.

According to reports, the deal would see new US investors take a 50 percent stake in the company, licensing the algorithm from ByteDance, which would retain a 19 percent stake. Additional current investors would own about one-third.

The deal would put ByteDance in compliance with the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, which came into effect in January 2025. The law states that TikTok must be divested in a way that it is no longer considered to be controlled by a foreign adversary.

However, according to a Friday (April 4) Bloomberg report, representatives for ByteDance told the administration that the deal was off until Chinese officials could negotiate tariffs — which reached as high as 54 percent on several Chinese imports — announced by the Trump administration on Wednesday.

On Friday, Trump said he would extend the deadline to reach a deal by another 75 days.

“China has always respected and protected the legitimate rights and interests of enterprises and opposed practices that violate the basic principles of the market economy and harm the legitimate interests of enterprises,” spokesperson Liu Pengyu said. “China’s opposition to the imposition of additional tariffs has always been consistent and clear.”

4. Meta reportedly making billion-dollar data center investment

An anonymous source for Bloomberg claims that Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) is the unnamed company named in a previously reported US$837 million deal to develop a data center in Wisconsin.

According to the source, Meta will invest up to US$1 billion to build the center in Wisconsin, which offers an incentive deal to companies meeting investment thresholds across different counties.

Meta already has data centers in Iowa and Illinois and previously announced plans to build one in Louisiana.

During the company’s fourth quarter earnings call in January, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said his company intends to invest up to US$65 billion in AI infrastructure this year.

5. Microsoft announces personalized Copilot features

During an event commemorating Microsoft’s 50th anniversary, the company announced upcoming changes to its Copilot digital assistant that will allow users to tailor it to their own needs.

“You can now let Copilot live up to its name,” Mustafa Suleyman, who leads Microsoft’s consumer AI work, said during the event, which was held at its headquarters in Redmond, Washington.

Microsoft says users will have the ability to choose information Copilot can retain, such as preferences or past life events. Copilot will then be able to recall that information in future conversations. Users also have the option to opt out of personalization. The new features will roll out in the coming months.

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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Investing

Tech 5: Trump’s Tariffs Send Stock Market into Tailspin, TikTok Deal in Jeopardy

Investing 5 Mins Read

Tech stocks led a week-long decline as US President Donald Trump’s global retaliatory tariffs were announced on Wednesday (April 2).

The announcement led to a market-wide sell-off that erased over US$6 trillion in market value and drove the Nasdaq Composite (INDEXNASDAQ:.IXIC) into a confirmed bear market.

This week’s pullback was the worst day in the stock market since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.

New developments may arise unexpectedly as this situation unfolds.

1. Agility Robotics secures US$400 million

On Tuesday (April 1), the Information reported on a US$400 million funding round led by private equity firm WP Global for humanoid robot maker Agility Robotics.

The report cites an individual who claims to have seen the term sheet, noting that the new funding will give Agility Robotics, whose CEO is former Microsoft (NASADQ:MSFT) executive Peggy Johnson, a valuation of US$1.75 billion.

Prior to the report, the company unveiled advancements to its Digit robotic system on Monday (March 31), including extended battery, more efficient power usage, autonomous docking for charging, enhanced safety features and new, robust limbs and end effectors. The company says these structural changes will allow for a wider range of grasping angles and expanded manipulation capabilities.

Digit’s target applications include warehouse automation and last-mile delivery.

2. OpenAI finalizes US$40 billion funding in record-breaking deal

OpenAI finalized a US$40 billion funding deal on Monday, closing the largest private tech deal ever recorded.

The company received US$40 billion from SoftBank (3AG1.BE) and US$10 billion from a syndicate of additional investors that included long-time major investor Microsoft. This round increased OpenAI’s valuation to US$300 billion.

OpenAI will initially receive US$10 billion, with the remainder to be paid out by the end of the year. Anonymous sources for CNBC note that US$18 billion is reserved for the company’s US$500 billion Stargate project commitment.

The funding may also be reduced to US$30 billion if OpenAI doesn’t restructure into a for-profit entity by December 31, 2025. Restructuring would require approval by Microsoft and California’s AG.

In an announcement, OpenAI said it would deploy the funds to “push the frontiers of AI research even further, scale our compute infrastructure, and deliver increasingly powerful tools.’

Meanwhile, in a subsequently released report from Bloomberg, Japan Credit Rating Agency and S&P Global Ratings lowered their ratings for SoftBank as the company sought a bridge loan of up to US$16.5 billion to help fund its US AI investment commitments, according to sources who claim to know of early-stage discussions the company has had with lenders.

3. TikTok deal deadline extended amid negotiations

Earlier this week, the Information reported on a proposal from the Trump administration that would form a US-based TikTok subsidiary called TikTok America in an attempt to prevent a national ban of the popular social media app.

According to reports, the deal would see new US investors take a 50 percent stake in the company, licensing the algorithm from ByteDance, which would retain a 19 percent stake. Additional current investors would own about one-third.

The deal would put ByteDance in compliance with the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, which came into effect in January 2025. The law states that TikTok must be divested in a way that it is no longer considered to be controlled by a foreign adversary.

However, according to a Friday (April 4) Bloomberg report, representatives for ByteDance told the administration that the deal was off until Chinese officials could negotiate tariffs — which reached as high as 54 percent on several Chinese imports — announced by the Trump administration on Wednesday.

On Friday, Trump said he would extend the deadline to reach a deal by another 75 days.

“China has always respected and protected the legitimate rights and interests of enterprises and opposed practices that violate the basic principles of the market economy and harm the legitimate interests of enterprises,” spokesperson Liu Pengyu said. “China’s opposition to the imposition of additional tariffs has always been consistent and clear.”

4. Meta reportedly making billion-dollar data center investment

An anonymous source for Bloomberg claims that Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) is the unnamed company named in a previously reported US$837 million deal to develop a data center in Wisconsin.

According to the source, Meta will invest up to US$1 billion to build the center in Wisconsin, which offers an incentive deal to companies meeting investment thresholds across different counties.

Meta already has data centers in Iowa and Illinois and previously announced plans to build one in Louisiana.

During the company’s fourth quarter earnings call in January, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said his company intends to invest up to US$65 billion in AI infrastructure this year.

5. Microsoft announces personalized Copilot features

During an event commemorating Microsoft’s 50th anniversary, the company announced upcoming changes to its Copilot digital assistant that will allow users to tailor it to their own needs.

“You can now let Copilot live up to its name,” Mustafa Suleyman, who leads Microsoft’s consumer AI work, said during the event, which was held at its headquarters in Redmond, Washington.

Microsoft says users will have the ability to choose information Copilot can retain, such as preferences or past life events. Copilot will then be able to recall that information in future conversations. Users also have the option to opt out of personalization. The new features will roll out in the coming months.

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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Crypto Price Update: Q1 2025 in Review

Investing 9 Mins Read

The first quarter of 2025 proved challenging for the cryptocurrency market.

Bitcoin, the bellwether of the sector world, suffered its worst first quarter performance in seven years, characterized by significant volatility and a prevailing downward trend. The top cryptocurrency’s lackluster movement was similar to price activity seen from other major coins, such as Ethereum, which also recorded substantial losses.

However, Q1 began with optimism following the results of the US presidential election.

President Donald Trump’s anticipated crypto-friendly policies initially boosted sentiment, and Bitcoin rose to its current all-time high of US$108,786 on January 20, the day he was inaugurated.

Crypto positivity was also reflected in options trading, where open interest outpaced the Bitcoin spot price.

Total Bitcoin options open interest vs. the Bitcoin price, January 2 to March 31, 2025.

Chart via Coinglass.

However, low volume provided insufficient support for high prices, foreshadowing the volatility to come.

Q1 data from Coinglass shows that Bitcoin fell 11.82 percent and Ethereum dropped 45.41 percent for the period, with February seeing the largest losses at 17.39 percent for Bitcoin and 31.95 percent for Ethereum.

Bitcoin’s price at the end of the Q1 was around US$80,000, while Ethereum — which has struggled to retake US$2,000 after dipping below that threshold mid-March — closed at around US$1,800.

Proposed economic policies, an impending trade war and poor economic data have acted as major catalysts, resulting in a turn from risky assets like crypto and tech stocks toward traditional safe havens like bonds and gold.

Institutional momentum, Stablecoin growth signal crypto’s next chapter

Despite market fluctuations, some areas of the crypto sector experienced notable growth and development in Q1.

Speaking at Benzinga’s Fintech & FODA Event in December 2024, Venable partner Chris O’Brien said that Sam Bankman-Fried’s conviction marked the end of an initial highly speculative phase for cryptocurrencies.

While cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology will persist, their future hinges on moving beyond mere speculation and focusing on practical applications that address real-world problems.

A defining feature, identified early in the quarter by Bitwise’s Matthew Hougan, is the continued and increasing involvement of institutional players in the crypto market. This trend manifested in strategic investments from companies like Strategy (NASDAQ:MSTR) and BlackRock, both of which accumulated substantial portions of Bitcoin’s supply in Q1.

Major banks like BNY Mellon, which have incorporated cryptocurrency services to allow transactions between certain clients using Circle’s USDC, also began expanding their crypto services.

Earlier this year, Bank of America (NYSE:BAC) CEO Brian Moynihan told CNBC’s Andrew Ross Sorkin that the US banking industry is eager to integrate crypto into traditional banking if — or, more likely, when — regulation allows for it.

Alongside institutional interest, stablecoins saw significant growth in Q1. The total market cap for stablecoins surged past US$200 billion, outpacing Bitcoin’s price trajectory for the period.

Total stablecoin market cap vs. the Bitcoin price, Q1 2025.

Chart via Coinglass.

A key crossover occurred in February after the US announced tariffs targeting Canada and Mexico. The move resulted in a downturn in both cryptocurrencies and traditional markets.

Amid these developments, lawmakers turned their focus to passing stablecoin legislation, specifically Senator Bill Hagerty’s (R-Tenn.) GENIUS Act, which is currently awaiting a full House vote. Kristin Smith, CEO of the Blockchain Association, said during Blockworks’ 2025 Digital Asset Summit in New York that lawmakers are on pace to pass legislation establishing rules for stablecoins and cryptocurrency market structure by August.

Divestitures into altcoins continued from Q4 2024, although momentum slowed comparatively, a shift exacerbated by speculative meme coin trading and the controversies surrounding projects like TRUMP, MELANIA and LIBRA.

Bitcoin retook its dominant position, but notable interest in SOL and XRP remained, as multiple firms sought to offer spot ETFs; their approval is all but guaranteed by former US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair Gary Gensler’s exit. Applications have also been filed to offer ETFs tracking SUI, AVA and DOGE.

Ethereum’s Q1 presented a complex picture, marked by both progress and setbacks.

The network increased its gas limit to enhance throughput and enable complex DeFi applications; however, competition from other blockchains — particularly Solana — caused it to underperform. Additionally, the upcoming Pectra upgrade ran into testing issues on the Holesky and Sepolia testnets, causing delays.

Declining network activity contributed to price suppression, but the tripling in total value for BlackRock’s BUIDL fund in the weeks leading up to the end of Q2 signaled continued confidence in Ethereum’s long-term potential and a broader trend toward tokenization, mirrored in the growth of the real-world asset (RWA) market.

The market cap of RWAs grew by approximately US$5 billion in Q1 to reach almost US$20 billion as tokenization was applied to diverse assets and expanded across various blockchains.

Trump admin takes positive crypto steps

Q1 brought various developments in cryptocurrency regulation and policy in the US.

After taking office, Trump signed an executive order establishing the President’s Working Group on Digital Asset Markets to establish criteria for a national stockpile of digital assets and develop a dollar-backed stablecoin; meanwhile, working groups in both chambers of Congress have focused on developing regulatory frameworks for digital assets.

While key aspects of regulation are still under negotiation, lawmakers and regulators signaled a more collaborative approach to cryptocurrencies under the Trump administration in Q1. The SEC dropped several longstanding cases against crypto exchange facilitators, formed a crypto-focused taskforce led by Commissioner Hester Peirce and repealed SAB 121, allowing banks to hold crypto for their customers without assets to balance liabilities.

Industry leaders also convened at the White House on March 7 for the inaugural Digital Asset Summit, a federal initiative aimed at gathering feedback on proposed regulations for the cryptocurrency sector.

Ahead of the summit, Trump signed an executive order to establish a Bitcoin reserve of around 200,000 Bitcoin (BTC). The US government currently holds 213,246 BTC. Bills that would allow the US government to acquire and hold Bitcoin in reserve have been introduced in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.The executive order also established a separate reserve for altcoins, although some industry analysts have questioned this strategy.

Transform Ventures CEO and Bitcoin Supercycle author Michael Terpin argued against holding anything other than Bitcoin, the only truly decentralized and consistently performing digital asset.

He likened adding other cryptos to adding stocks to traditional reserves.

State-level initiatives to establish Bitcoin reserves in Arizona, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah also advanced alongside similar measures to allow pension fund investments in digital assets in North Carolina and other states.

Volatility, manipulation, hacks create crypto headwinds

The first quarter of the year was marked by market volatility and corrections, with both Bitcoin and altcoins experiencing significant price swings that were not only driven by typical market data, but were also heavily influenced by current events, evolving policies and even speculative social media trends.

Another challenge for the crypto market was opposition to proposed legislation in the US; insider trading and market manipulation concerns also arose, particularly around meme coin launches.

Suspiciously timed trades occurred before Trump’s strategic crypto reserve executive order: a large deposit was made to Hyperliquid, followed by highly leveraged trades on Bitcoin and Ethereum, resulting in profits exceeding US$6.8 million. This led many, including a prominent crypto analyst, to believe it was a case of insider trading.

Analysis by Material Indicators on March 20 also identifies a manipulatory device known as spoofing by one or more whales, which it cites as a reason for Bitcoin’s failure to sustain a rally past US$87,500 in March.

Despite efforts to improve regulation and security, the crypto industry continues to grapple with hacking incidents as well. A major hack of the Bybit exchange on February 23 led to losses of US$195 million, although the firm managed to fully replenish its reserves within 72 hours thanks to a mix of loans and large deposits from other industry players.

Glassnode Insights analysts said the correction following the hack and subsequent US$5.7 billion withdrawal from user wallets pushed Bitcoin’s monthly performance down by 13.6 percent. Altcoins and meme coins suffered even steeper losses, resetting market momentum to April 2024 levels.

2025 Bitcoin price predictions

Moderate Bitcoin growth and price appreciation are expected in mid- to late 2025, tied to stablecoin and DeFi growth.

Bitcoin price performance post-halving.

Chart via IntoTheBlock.

Price targets for Bitcoin this year vary. Network economist Timothy Peterson has predicted that Bitcoin could peak around US$126,000 in the latter half of 2025. A meta-analysis of Polymarket estimates posted by X user Ashwin on March 26 identifies a bull target price of US$138,617 and a bear price of US$59,040.

The potential for a supply shock due to diminishing Bitcoin reserves on exchanges could fuel a rally. Factors like a weakening US dollar and an end quantitative tightening from the US Federal Reserve are seen as positive catalysts. Historical data shows April is often a turning point for the market.

Stablecoins and RWAs are expected to continue their role in the convergence of DeFi with traditional finance. Furthermore, initiatives like the Digital Chamber’s US Blockchain Roadmap, which proposes BitBonds (Bitcoin-backed US Treasuries), could revitalize debt markets and attract global capital.

Key industry figures like Galaxy Digital’s Mike Novogratz and 10T Holdings’ Dan Tapiero, anticipate new crypto companies listing on major exchanges like the NYSE and Nasdaq in the second quarter. This sentiment is supported by reports of initial public offering filings from companies like eToro, Circle, Gemini, Bullish and BitGo.

However, this positive outlook is set against a turbulent economic backdrop, including a possible slowdown in US growth and uncertainty around inflation and trade policies, which could influence sentiment and capital flows.

Speaking virtually at the Digital Asset Summit in New York on March 18, Cathie Wood, CEO of ARK Invest, expressed concerns about a potential recession, citing a significant slowdown in the velocity of money.

“I think what’s happening, though, is that if we do have a recession, declining GDP, that this is going to give the president and the Fed many more degrees of freedom to do what they want in terms of tax cuts and monetary policy,” she said.

However, Wood also said she believes that ‘long-term innovation wins,’ despite the recent market correction, describing crypto assets as a pillar of ARK’s investment approach.

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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Investing

Crypto Price Update: Q1 2025 in Review

Investing 9 Mins Read

The first quarter of 2025 proved challenging for the cryptocurrency market.

Bitcoin, the bellwether of the sector world, suffered its worst first quarter performance in seven years, characterized by significant volatility and a prevailing downward trend. The top cryptocurrency’s lackluster movement was similar to price activity seen from other major coins, such as Ethereum, which also recorded substantial losses.

However, Q1 began with optimism following the results of the US presidential election.

President Donald Trump’s anticipated crypto-friendly policies initially boosted sentiment, and Bitcoin rose to its current all-time high of US$108,786 on January 20, the day he was inaugurated.

Crypto positivity was also reflected in options trading, where open interest outpaced the Bitcoin spot price.

Total Bitcoin options open interest vs. the Bitcoin price, January 2 to March 31, 2025.

Chart via Coinglass.

However, low volume provided insufficient support for high prices, foreshadowing the volatility to come.

Q1 data from Coinglass shows that Bitcoin fell 11.82 percent and Ethereum dropped 45.41 percent for the period, with February seeing the largest losses at 17.39 percent for Bitcoin and 31.95 percent for Ethereum.

Bitcoin’s price at the end of the Q1 was around US$80,000, while Ethereum — which has struggled to retake US$2,000 after dipping below that threshold mid-March — closed at around US$1,800.

Proposed economic policies, an impending trade war and poor economic data have acted as major catalysts, resulting in a turn from risky assets like crypto and tech stocks toward traditional safe havens like bonds and gold.

Institutional momentum, Stablecoin growth signal crypto’s next chapter

Despite market fluctuations, some areas of the crypto sector experienced notable growth and development in Q1.

Speaking at Benzinga’s Fintech & FODA Event in December 2024, Venable partner Chris O’Brien said that Sam Bankman-Fried’s conviction marked the end of an initial highly speculative phase for cryptocurrencies.

While cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology will persist, their future hinges on moving beyond mere speculation and focusing on practical applications that address real-world problems.

A defining feature, identified early in the quarter by Bitwise’s Matthew Hougan, is the continued and increasing involvement of institutional players in the crypto market. This trend manifested in strategic investments from companies like Strategy (NASDAQ:MSTR) and BlackRock, both of which accumulated substantial portions of Bitcoin’s supply in Q1.

Major banks like BNY Mellon, which have incorporated cryptocurrency services to allow transactions between certain clients using Circle’s USDC, also began expanding their crypto services.

Earlier this year, Bank of America (NYSE:BAC) CEO Brian Moynihan told CNBC’s Andrew Ross Sorkin that the US banking industry is eager to integrate crypto into traditional banking if — or, more likely, when — regulation allows for it.

Alongside institutional interest, stablecoins saw significant growth in Q1. The total market cap for stablecoins surged past US$200 billion, outpacing Bitcoin’s price trajectory for the period.

Total stablecoin market cap vs. the Bitcoin price, Q1 2025.

Chart via Coinglass.

A key crossover occurred in February after the US announced tariffs targeting Canada and Mexico. The move resulted in a downturn in both cryptocurrencies and traditional markets.

Amid these developments, lawmakers turned their focus to passing stablecoin legislation, specifically Senator Bill Hagerty’s (R-Tenn.) GENIUS Act, which is currently awaiting a full House vote. Kristin Smith, CEO of the Blockchain Association, said during Blockworks’ 2025 Digital Asset Summit in New York that lawmakers are on pace to pass legislation establishing rules for stablecoins and cryptocurrency market structure by August.

Divestitures into altcoins continued from Q4 2024, although momentum slowed comparatively, a shift exacerbated by speculative meme coin trading and the controversies surrounding projects like TRUMP, MELANIA and LIBRA.

Bitcoin retook its dominant position, but notable interest in SOL and XRP remained, as multiple firms sought to offer spot ETFs; their approval is all but guaranteed by former US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair Gary Gensler’s exit. Applications have also been filed to offer ETFs tracking SUI, AVA and DOGE.

Ethereum’s Q1 presented a complex picture, marked by both progress and setbacks.

The network increased its gas limit to enhance throughput and enable complex DeFi applications; however, competition from other blockchains — particularly Solana — caused it to underperform. Additionally, the upcoming Pectra upgrade ran into testing issues on the Holesky and Sepolia testnets, causing delays.

Declining network activity contributed to price suppression, but the tripling in total value for BlackRock’s BUIDL fund in the weeks leading up to the end of Q2 signaled continued confidence in Ethereum’s long-term potential and a broader trend toward tokenization, mirrored in the growth of the real-world asset (RWA) market.

The market cap of RWAs grew by approximately US$5 billion in Q1 to reach almost US$20 billion as tokenization was applied to diverse assets and expanded across various blockchains.

Trump admin takes positive crypto steps

Q1 brought various developments in cryptocurrency regulation and policy in the US.

After taking office, Trump signed an executive order establishing the President’s Working Group on Digital Asset Markets to establish criteria for a national stockpile of digital assets and develop a dollar-backed stablecoin; meanwhile, working groups in both chambers of Congress have focused on developing regulatory frameworks for digital assets.

While key aspects of regulation are still under negotiation, lawmakers and regulators signaled a more collaborative approach to cryptocurrencies under the Trump administration in Q1. The SEC dropped several longstanding cases against crypto exchange facilitators, formed a crypto-focused taskforce led by Commissioner Hester Peirce and repealed SAB 121, allowing banks to hold crypto for their customers without assets to balance liabilities.

Industry leaders also convened at the White House on March 7 for the inaugural Digital Asset Summit, a federal initiative aimed at gathering feedback on proposed regulations for the cryptocurrency sector.

Ahead of the summit, Trump signed an executive order to establish a Bitcoin reserve of around 200,000 Bitcoin (BTC). The US government currently holds 213,246 BTC. Bills that would allow the US government to acquire and hold Bitcoin in reserve have been introduced in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.The executive order also established a separate reserve for altcoins, although some industry analysts have questioned this strategy.

Transform Ventures CEO and Bitcoin Supercycle author Michael Terpin argued against holding anything other than Bitcoin, the only truly decentralized and consistently performing digital asset.

He likened adding other cryptos to adding stocks to traditional reserves.

State-level initiatives to establish Bitcoin reserves in Arizona, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah also advanced alongside similar measures to allow pension fund investments in digital assets in North Carolina and other states.

Volatility, manipulation, hacks create crypto headwinds

The first quarter of the year was marked by market volatility and corrections, with both Bitcoin and altcoins experiencing significant price swings that were not only driven by typical market data, but were also heavily influenced by current events, evolving policies and even speculative social media trends.

Another challenge for the crypto market was opposition to proposed legislation in the US; insider trading and market manipulation concerns also arose, particularly around meme coin launches.

Suspiciously timed trades occurred before Trump’s strategic crypto reserve executive order: a large deposit was made to Hyperliquid, followed by highly leveraged trades on Bitcoin and Ethereum, resulting in profits exceeding US$6.8 million. This led many, including a prominent crypto analyst, to believe it was a case of insider trading.

Analysis by Material Indicators on March 20 also identifies a manipulatory device known as spoofing by one or more whales, which it cites as a reason for Bitcoin’s failure to sustain a rally past US$87,500 in March.

Despite efforts to improve regulation and security, the crypto industry continues to grapple with hacking incidents as well. A major hack of the Bybit exchange on February 23 led to losses of US$195 million, although the firm managed to fully replenish its reserves within 72 hours thanks to a mix of loans and large deposits from other industry players.

Glassnode Insights analysts said the correction following the hack and subsequent US$5.7 billion withdrawal from user wallets pushed Bitcoin’s monthly performance down by 13.6 percent. Altcoins and meme coins suffered even steeper losses, resetting market momentum to April 2024 levels.

2025 Bitcoin price predictions

Moderate Bitcoin growth and price appreciation are expected in mid- to late 2025, tied to stablecoin and DeFi growth.

Bitcoin price performance post-halving.

Chart via IntoTheBlock.

Price targets for Bitcoin this year vary. Network economist Timothy Peterson has predicted that Bitcoin could peak around US$126,000 in the latter half of 2025. A meta-analysis of Polymarket estimates posted by X user Ashwin on March 26 identifies a bull target price of US$138,617 and a bear price of US$59,040.

The potential for a supply shock due to diminishing Bitcoin reserves on exchanges could fuel a rally. Factors like a weakening US dollar and an end quantitative tightening from the US Federal Reserve are seen as positive catalysts. Historical data shows April is often a turning point for the market.

Stablecoins and RWAs are expected to continue their role in the convergence of DeFi with traditional finance. Furthermore, initiatives like the Digital Chamber’s US Blockchain Roadmap, which proposes BitBonds (Bitcoin-backed US Treasuries), could revitalize debt markets and attract global capital.

Key industry figures like Galaxy Digital’s Mike Novogratz and 10T Holdings’ Dan Tapiero, anticipate new crypto companies listing on major exchanges like the NYSE and Nasdaq in the second quarter. This sentiment is supported by reports of initial public offering filings from companies like eToro, Circle, Gemini, Bullish and BitGo.

However, this positive outlook is set against a turbulent economic backdrop, including a possible slowdown in US growth and uncertainty around inflation and trade policies, which could influence sentiment and capital flows.

Speaking virtually at the Digital Asset Summit in New York on March 18, Cathie Wood, CEO of ARK Invest, expressed concerns about a potential recession, citing a significant slowdown in the velocity of money.

“I think what’s happening, though, is that if we do have a recession, declining GDP, that this is going to give the president and the Fed many more degrees of freedom to do what they want in terms of tax cuts and monetary policy,” she said.

However, Wood also said she believes that ‘long-term innovation wins,’ despite the recent market correction, describing crypto assets as a pillar of ARK’s investment approach.

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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Left-wing movie director Oliver Stone rips Democrats’ ‘lying’ Russiagate probe against Trump

Politics 2 Mins Read

Left-wing movie director Oliver Stone slammed Democrats for weaponizing federal law enforcement and ‘lying’ in their attempts to charge the president with Russian collusion during the 2016 election.   

Stone, meanwhile, applauded President Donald Trump for taking steps to find out what really happened, adding that he is ‘absolutely’ right that the federal government has been weaponized to attack political opponents.

Trump recently signed a new executive order directing the FBI to immediately declassify files concerning Crossfire Hurricane, the initial investigation launched in 2016 that sought information on whether members of the Trump campaign were colluding with the Russians to undermine the election. The president has also taken steps to go after the law firms involved in the scandal, including by suspending the security clearances for their attorneys and barring them from entering any federal buildings. 

‘Russiagate – we paid for it,’ Stone said. ‘I applaud [what Trump is doing], and I hate what they did with Russiagate, I really do. I think it’s – again, the lying, the lying, the lying, and selling that to the American people.’

When asked if he felt Trump was right about there being weaponization of the federal government against conservatives, Stone responded: ‘There was.’

Stone, who has produced several documentaries supporting Russian narratives about Ukraine, added that the underlying premise behind Russiagate – that Russia is a nefarious actor – is wrong and ‘un-American.’

‘They are potentially our best partners, as are the Chinese. I mean, we have this mentality that they’re the enemy,’ Stone said. ‘That’s all been inculcated by propaganda. If you go out there to China, and you go out to Russia, you don’t hear that kind of vituperative dialogue.’

However, while Stone said he agreed with Trump’s approach to taking on those involved with Russiagate, he did lament the president’s attacks on pro-Palestinian protesters over alleged antisemitism.  

‘I don’t like this new thing about censorship coming from Trump,’ said Stone. ‘Against the anti – what he calls ‘antisemitic news’ – I mean, I don’t agree. I don’t know where he’s coming from, and it’s not what he promised.’

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

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Politics

Left-wing movie director Oliver Stone rips Democrats’ ‘lying’ Russiagate probe against Trump

Politics 2 Mins Read

Left-wing movie director Oliver Stone slammed Democrats for weaponizing federal law enforcement and ‘lying’ in their attempts to charge the president with Russian collusion during the 2016 election.   

Stone, meanwhile, applauded President Donald Trump for taking steps to find out what really happened, adding that he is ‘absolutely’ right that the federal government has been weaponized to attack political opponents.

Trump recently signed a new executive order directing the FBI to immediately declassify files concerning Crossfire Hurricane, the initial investigation launched in 2016 that sought information on whether members of the Trump campaign were colluding with the Russians to undermine the election. The president has also taken steps to go after the law firms involved in the scandal, including by suspending the security clearances for their attorneys and barring them from entering any federal buildings. 

‘Russiagate – we paid for it,’ Stone said. ‘I applaud [what Trump is doing], and I hate what they did with Russiagate, I really do. I think it’s – again, the lying, the lying, the lying, and selling that to the American people.’

When asked if he felt Trump was right about there being weaponization of the federal government against conservatives, Stone responded: ‘There was.’

Stone, who has produced several documentaries supporting Russian narratives about Ukraine, added that the underlying premise behind Russiagate – that Russia is a nefarious actor – is wrong and ‘un-American.’

‘They are potentially our best partners, as are the Chinese. I mean, we have this mentality that they’re the enemy,’ Stone said. ‘That’s all been inculcated by propaganda. If you go out there to China, and you go out to Russia, you don’t hear that kind of vituperative dialogue.’

However, while Stone said he agreed with Trump’s approach to taking on those involved with Russiagate, he did lament the president’s attacks on pro-Palestinian protesters over alleged antisemitism.  

‘I don’t like this new thing about censorship coming from Trump,’ said Stone. ‘Against the anti – what he calls ‘antisemitic news’ – I mean, I don’t agree. I don’t know where he’s coming from, and it’s not what he promised.’

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

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