GMV Minerals Inc. (the ‘Company’ or ‘GMV’) (TSXV:GMV)(OTCQB:GMVMF) is pleased to announce positive results from the updated Preliminary Economic Assessment (‘PEA’) study of the Mexican Hat Gold Project (the ‘Mexican Hat Project’), located in Cochise County, southeastern Arizona.

A National Instrument 43-101 –Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (‘NI 43-101’) compliant technical report (the ‘Report’) entitled ‘Updated NI 43-101 Technical Report Preliminary Economic Assessment, Mexican Hat Project’ with an effective date of August 8, 2025 will be filed on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca under the Company’s profile within 45 days of this news release. All amounts are stated in second quarter 2025 US dollars (US$).

The Mexican Hat hosts a shallow oxide gold resource with excellent metallurgy and high recoveries, supported by a low strip ratio and minimal pre-stripping. Infrastructure is in place and the Mexican Hat Project demonstrates a robust NPV and IRR. With fast leach kinetics and low reagent consumption, the Company believes the Mexican Hat Project offers exceptional potential economics.

Highlights:

• Based on price sensitivity analysis at approximately the current price of US$3,350 per ounce of gold, the project returns a pre-tax IRR of 106.8% (after-tax 82.5%) and a pre-tax NPV at a 5% discount rate of US$767 million (after-tax US$538.1 million) with a payback period of 1.10 years (1.3 years after-tax).

• Base Case mine life of 10 years with total production of 597,841 ounces, averaging approximately 60,000 ounces per year.

• Crushed mineralized material will be conveyor stacked at a rate of approximately 10,000 tonnes/day on a conventional heap leach pad.

• Capex: US$89,997,000 (including US$15.4 million contingency).

• Opex: US$788 million LOM with Low LOM Strip Ratio of 2.05

• Estimated cash cost of production is US$1,354 per ounce with an all-in-sustaining cost of $1,545 per ounce inclusive of sustaining capital and additional overhead support.

• Engineering design analysis indicates the potential to increase pit size and contained ounces with increased gold prices.

FINANCIAL INDICATORS

The following table summarizes the financial indicators for the Mexican Hat Project for both before and after taxes.

GOLD PRICE SENSITIVITY TABLE (US$ MILLIONS)

The following table summarizes the pre-tax and post-tax economic results to gold price sensitivity.

Pre-Tax and Post-Tax Sensitivity to Gold Price

INITIAL CAPITAL EXPENDITURES (US$ MILLIONS)

Initial capital expenditures are estimated at US$89,997,000 million as detailed below:

OPERATING COSTS

The mine operating costs were calculated to average $3.49 per tonne mined as summarized below.

The life-of-mine operating costs were calculated to average US$20.44/tonne resource processed as summarized below.

MINERAL RESOURCES

An updated Mineral Resource Estimate prepared by DRW Geological Consultants Ltd., with an effective date of August 8, 2025, was used in the PEA. Details of the Mineral Resource Estimate can be found in the Report to be filed on SEDAR+ within 45 days of this release.

• The Mineral Resource Estimate has been constrained to a preliminary optimized pit shell, using the following parameters: SG = 2.57 gm/cc based on testwork, mining costs = $3.00/tonne, mining recovery = 98%, mining dilution = 2%, process cost = $5.00 per tonne, G&A = $1.05 per tonne, gold price = $2,500 per troy ounce, throughput at 10,000 tpd., discount rate = 5%. A cost of $0.03 was added per bench to the mining cost below the existing level surface.
• A top cut of 32 gpt gold is applied to all zones except Zone 6 which has a top cut of 50 gpt gold.
• Mineral Resources have been calculated using the Inverse Distance Squared method.
• Mineral Resources constrained to optimized pit shells are not Mineral Reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability.
• Conforms to NI 43-101, Companion Policy 43-101CP, and the CIM Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves. Inferred Resources have been estimated from geological evidence and limited sampling and must be treated with a lower level of confidence than Measured and Indicated Resources.
• All numbers are rounded. Overall numbers may not be exact due to rounding.
• There are no known legal, political, environmental, or other risks that could materially affect the potential development of the mineral resources.

MINE PLAN

The mine plan is conceived as a conventional open pit tuck and shovel/loader operation. There are two independent pits which are developed with five-phase or pushback designs. Pit shells were designed using 6.0-meter benches with a catch bench installed every 18 meters. A bench face angle of 66° was used, resulting in an inner-ramp angle of 45° when catch benches were included. An 88% overall gold recovery has been used in this study, which was based on bottle roll and column leach test results. Base case haulage ramps are 26 meters wide and have a design gradient of 10%. Processing rates are based on a daily crushing rate of approximately 10,000 tonnes per day utilizing two stage crushing

The mine and crushing will be operated by contractors with oversight by GMV mine management. The mine plan produces a nominal tonnage to the crushing and heap leach of 3,500 Ktonnes per year (10,000 tpd) from a total material movement of 93.8 Ktonnes for the life of mine (26,106 tpd LOM average).

The PEA is preliminary in nature; it includes inferred Mineral Resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as Mineral Reserves, and there is no certainty that the PEA will be realized. There is no Mineral Reserve at the Mexican Hat Project at this time. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Over the course of the mine life, 38.6 Mtonnes of Mineralized Resource is planned for processing out of a total material movement of 117.8 Mtonnes.

INFRASTRUCTURE & PROCESS PLANT

The Mexican Hat Project is located in the southeastern part of the State of Arizona, approximately 72 miles east-southeast of Tucson, and can be accessed from the Old Ghost Town Road., a gravel road extending south of the Town of Pearce or north from Gleeson Road.

Groundwater will be used as the source of water for mining operations. No permitting restrictions or quantity issues are anticipated.

A 69 kV powerline to site will be supplied by Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative from their power plant located 30 km north of the project site.

The crushing plant will be operated by a contractor to produce a crushed product for heap leaching with a 25 mm top size. Pregnant solution from the heap leach will be processed in a conventional adsorption desorption recovery (ADR) plant. The process plant will produce doré gold bars.

TECHNICAL REPORT AND QUALIFIED PERSONS

The Report entitled Updated Preliminary Economic Assessment, Mexican Hat Project’, with an effective date of August 8, 2025 and which was prepared by the following Qualified Persons (as defined under NI 43-101), all of whom are independent of the Company, will be filed by the Company within 45 days of this release on www.sedarplus.com:

• Mr. Brian Olson, Q.P., Samuel Engineering, Inc. (Metallurgical Test Work and Recovery, Process Plant and Process Operating Costs)
• Mr. Steven Pozder, P.E., Samuel Engineering, Inc. (Project Economics and Infrastructure)
• Dr. Dave Webb, Ph.D., P.Eng., P.Geo., DRW Geological Consultants Ltd. (Mineral Resource Estimate, Property Description and Location, Accessibility, Climate, Local Resource, Infrastructure and Physiography, History, Geological Setting and Mineralization, Deposit Types, Exploration, Drilling, Sample Preparation, Analysis and Security, Data Verification).
• Mr. Thomas L. Dyer, P.E., RESPEC LLC. (Mine Design, Production Schedule, Capital and Operating Costs)
• Mr. Francisco J. Barrios, P.E., BBA Consultants International LP (Pad Design and Loading)
• Ms. Dawn Garcia, CPG, PG, Stantec Consulting Services Inc. (Environmental)

All Qualified Persons have contributed to their corresponding sections in Interpretation, and Recommendations. The Qualified Persons have reviewed and approved the scientific, technical, and economic information obtained in this news release.

For a description of the data verification process and limitations, underlying assumptions and the results of surveys and quality assurance program regarding exploration information, please refer to the Company’s existing NI 43-101 Technical Report filed on SEDAR+ entitled ‘Preliminary Economic Assessment, Mexican Hat Project’ with an effective date of October 20, 2020.

Ian Klassen, President & CEO remarked that ‘The robust PEA confirms our contention that the project’s strong economic potential de-risks the development pathway, providing a solid foundation for advancement. The results validate the open-pit, heap-leach concept, demonstrate excellent metallurgy and recoveries, and outline a simple mining and processing strategy. With high margins, rapid payback, and straightforward engineering, the PEA positions the project well for the future, where detailed design, capital optimization, and permitting can advance with confidence.’

2025-2026 Forward Looking Plan

The Mexican Hat Project PEA economics justify continued investment in project development. The forward-looking plan for Mexican Hat includes work required to advance the project through Feasibility Study and into the permitting process.

These tasks include:

• Approx. 7000 meters of in-fill drilling to increase confidence in the current geological understanding and mineral resource estimation to sufficient level to support mineral reserve development
• Metallurgical column, hardness, and grinding tests to further optimize and improve heap leach gold recovery, and to provide information for feasibility design work
• Performing a trade-off study for self-mining and crushing versus contract mining and crushing
• Geotechnical drilling and analysis to optimize pit slope design parameters
• Conduct base-line water sampling, and update of hydrologic, cultural, and environmental studies for permitting

About GMV Minerals Inc.

GMV Minerals Inc. is a publicly traded exploration company focused on developing precious metal assets in Arizona. GMV, through its 100% owned subsidiary, has a 100% interest in a Mining Property Lease commonly referred to as the Mexican Hat Project, located in Cochise County, Arizona, USA. The project was initially explored by Placer Dome (USA) in the late 1980’s to early 1990’s. GMV is focused on developing the asset and realizing the full mineral potential of the property through near term gold production.

PEA Information and Cautionary Note Regarding Inferred Mineral Resources

The mine plan evaluated in the PEA is preliminary in nature and includes Inferred Mineral Resources, as defined by NI 43-101 that are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be converted to Mineral Reserves. Additional drilling and technical studies will need to be completed in order to fully assess its viability. There is no certainty that a production decision will be made to develop the Mexican Hat Project or that the economic results described in the PEA will be realized. Mine design and mining schedules, metallurgical flow sheets and process plant designs will require additional detailed work and economic analysis and internal studies to ensure satisfactory operational conditions and decisions regarding future targeted production.

Cautionary Note to U.S. Investors

The United States Securities and Exchange Commission permits U.S. mining companies, in their filings with the SEC, to disclose only those mineral deposits that a company can economically and legally extract or produce. We use certain terms in this report, such as ‘measured,’ ‘indicated,’ ‘inferred,’ and ‘resources,’ that the SEC guidelines strictly prohibit U.S. registered companies from including in their filings with the SEC.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release includes certain ‘forward-looking information’ under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information include estimates and statements that describe the Company’s future plans, objectives or goals, including words to the effect that the Company or management expects a stated condition or result to occur. Forward-looking information may be identified by such terms as ‘believes’, ‘anticipates’, ‘expects’, ‘estimates’, ‘may’, ‘could’, ‘would’, ‘will’, or ‘plan’. Forward-looking information contained in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements or information with respect to: the results of the PEA, including the IRR and NPV, life of mine and production, capital and operating expenditures, cost estimates; permitting restrictions, and the mine plan, including infrastructure requirements and future plans; the filing of the PEA, including timing thereof, mineral resources; and future gold prices. Since forward-looking information are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties as described in the Company’s filings with Canadian securities regulators. Assumptions upon which forward-looking information contained in this news release is based, without limitation, include: results of future exploration; gold prices; accuracy of the results of the PEA, including key assumptions and methods used to determine mineral resources and the results of the PEA; the ability to obtain required permits and approvals; the ability to execute future plans; exchange rates; ability to obtain funding; and changes in regulatory or community environment; Risks, and uncertainties include: results of further exploration; risks related to mineral tenure, permits and approvals; risks related to the execution of future plans; changes in gold price and exchange rates; risks related to obtaining financing; foreign country risks; regulatory risks and liabilities; and those risks and uncertainties as further described in the Company’s filings with Canadian securities regulators which can be found on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca under the Company’s profile. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by law.

Dr. D.R. Webb, Ph.D., P.Geo., P.Eng. is the Q.P. responsible for this release within the meaning of NI 43-101 and has reviewed the technical content of this release and has approved its content.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Ian Klassen, President
For further information please contact:
GMV Minerals Inc.
Ian Klassen
Tel: (604) 899-0106
Email: info@gmvminerals.com

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Source

Click here to connect with GMV Minerals Inc. (TSXV:GMV)(OTCQB:GMVMF) to receive an Investor Presentation

1. HydroGraph Clean Power (CSE:HG)

Year-to-date gain: 384.21 percent
Market cap: C$282.81 million
Share price: C$0.99

HydroGraph Clean Power produces cost-effective, high-purity graphene, hydrogen and other strategic nanomaterials.

Graphene, a pure carbon material extracted from graphite, has myriad potential applications in industries such as transport, solar cells, medicine, electronics, energy, defense and desalination. HydroGraph has an exclusive license from Kansas State University to produce graphene and hydrogen through the organization’s patented detonation process.

Much of HydroGraph’s news flow in 2025 has centered on strategic partnerships.

Results from a research study conducted with Arizona State University were released in January, demonstrating that the company’s HydroGraph’s Fractal Graphene is well suited for ultra-high-performance concretes and 3D-printed structures. In February, HydroGraph announced a technical collaboration with an unnamed global leader in synthetic fiber manufacturing to assess the potential of its graphene technology in high-performance fiber applications.

The following month, HydroGraph shared the launch of a line of advanced graphene dispersions developed in collaboration with battery materials and testing services company NEI. The products have the potential to be used to produce high-performance electrodes for use in energy storage solutions.

The company signed a letter of intent in April that could lead to a leading North American industrial gas supplier providing it with access to large volumes of high-purity acetylene. This is an essential material in HydroGraph’s patented detonation synthesis process. Acquiring this feedstock will help the firm advance its plans to build a new graphene production facility in Texas with the capacity to produce over 350 metric tons of graphene annually.

HydroGraph launched its Compounding Partner Program in July with the goal of attaining commercial-scale production of its high-performance Fractal Graphene in thermoplastics. According to the company, initial certified partners are testing new formulations in the automotive and packaging sectors.

After trading in a range of C$0.22 to C$0.35 for much of the year, shares of HydroGraph jumped nearly 300 percent in a matter of days to reach a year-to-date high of C$0.99 on July 29.

2. Black Swan Graphene (TSXV:SWAN)

Year-to-date gain: 107.35 percent
Market cap: C$60.02 million
Share price: C$1.41

Black Swan Graphene describes itself as an emerging powerhouse in the bulk graphene business.

The company is a spinout of Mason Resources (TSXV:LLG,OTCQX:MGPHF), which owns the Uatnan graphite project in Québec and holds a 39 percent stake in Black Swan. Graphite from Uatnan is used to supply Black Swan.

UK-based global chemicals manufacturer Thomas Swan & Co. holds a 15 percent interest in Black Swan, and brings a portfolio of patents and intellectual property related to graphene production. Through this partnership, Black Swan is building out a fully integrated supply chain of mine-to-graphene products.

Black Swan’s share price traded sideways for much of the year before benefiting greatly from a summer surge. Shares of Black Swan reached their highest year-to-date price of C$1.52 on July 23.

This followed a series of positive news items concerning progress on increasing commercial output. On June 3, Black Swan announced the installation of an additional production unit at its operational facility in the UK. It is working to more than triple its annual production capacity from 40 metric tons of high-quality graphene to 140 metric tons.

Later in the month, the company signed a non-exclusive distribution and sales agreement with Indian specialty materials and polymers supplier METCO Resources. The agreement will allow METCO to “distribute and promote Black Swan’s graphene nanoplatelets and GEM advanced masterbatch products to customers across India’s industrial, packaging, automotive, and construction sectors,” as per a press release.

Black Swan made another key announcement in the following month. On July 9, the market learned the company had secured a US patent for its breakthrough continuous graphene production process.

3. Focus Graphite Advanced Materials (TSXV:FMS)

Year-to-date gain: 100 percent
Market cap: C$12.26 million
Share price: C$0.135

Focus Graphite Advanced Materials is both a graphite miner and a battery technology company. Its wholly owned flagship Lac Knife high-grade crystalline flake graphite project is located in Northeastern Québec.

With a completed feasibility study, Lac Knife is one of North America’s most advanced graphite deposits. The company also holds Lac Tétépisca, the highest-purity graphite project in Québec.

In terms of battery technologies, Focus Graphite has a patent-pending proprietary silicone-enhanced spheroidized graphite technology that is designed to enhance battery performance and efficiency.

In late May, definition drilling at Lac Tétépisca led to an extension of the strike length of the mineralized zone to over 6 kilometers, while preliminary metallurgical testing confirmed the quality of the project’s flake graphite.

In mid-June, the company said thermal purification testing on Lac Knife flake graphite completed by American Energy Technologies Company had resulted in refined concentrate to a purity level of 99.999 percent carbon.

“This milestone underscores Focus Graphite’s potential to supply ultra-high-purity graphite material for nuclear energy applications, a market historically dominated by synthetic graphite and limited to a small cohort of qualifying producers,” states the company’s press release.

Shares of Focus Graphite hit their highest year-to-date value of C$0.17 on June 17.

1. Teck Resources (TSX:TECK.A,TSX:TECK.B)

Market cap: C$22.01 billion
Share price: C$45.04

Teck Resources is a major global polymetallic miner, as well as one of the world’s top zinc producers.

The Vancouver-headquartered company produced 615,900 metric tons (MT) of zinc in concentrate in 2024, with 555,600 MT coming from its Red Dog zinc mine in Alaska. The remaining 60,300 MT came from Teck’s 22.5 percent share of zinc production from the Peru-based Antamina copper-zinc mine.

Teck’s total 2025 production guidance for the base metal is set in a range of 525,000 to 575,000 MT. As of June 30, the company’s zinc production for the year totaled 384,000 MT.

In addition to the sites mentioned, Teck owns the Trail operations, which it describes as ‘one of the world’s largest fully integrated zinc and lead smelting and refining complexes.’ Located in BC, Canada, the Trail operations produced 256,000 MT of refined zinc in 2024, with 190,000 to 230,000 MT of the material expected in 2025.

Teck pays a quarterly dividend. On September 29, it will pay out a dividend of C$0.125 per share.

2. Fireweed Metals (TSXV:FWZ)

Market cap: C$485.11 million
Share price: C$2.32

Fireweed Metals is a critical metals company whose flagship Macmillan Pass zinc project is located in Canada’s Yukon. In 2023, the company acquired the Gayna River zinc project in the Northwest Territories, as well as the Mactung tungsten project, which is adjacent to Macmillan Pass and straddles the border between Yukon and the Northwest Territories. According to Fireweed, Mactung ‘hosts the world’s largest high-grade tungsten deposit.’

Even with these new assets, the company still has a strong focus on Macmillan Pass. In fact, in November 2023, the Fireweed team, led by Dr. Jack Milton, the firm’s vice president of geology, received the Association for Mineral Exploration’s H.H. “Spud” Huestis Award for its work at the Macmillan Pass property.

Fireweed’s best drill intersection to date from Macmillan Pass’ Boundary zone includes 143.95 meters true width at 14.45 percent zinc, including 28.71 meters at 25.52 percent zinc. In September 2024, after its largest regional exploration campaign ever at Macmillan Pass, the company released an updated resource estimate for the Tom and Jason deposits, as well as inaugural resource estimates for the Boundary zone and End zone deposits.

Fireweed launched its 2025 field program in early June, saying it will include 12,000 meters of diamond drilling at Macmillan Pass. The work will target ‘both high-priority regional prospects and step-outs around known zinc-lead-silver-gallium-germanium deposits,’ according to a press release.

3. Trilogy Metals (TSX:TMQ)

Market cap: C$405.68 million
Share price: C$2.47

Trilogy Metals is focused primarily on copper, zinc and cobalt at its Alaskan Upper Kobuk projects, which are held by Ambler Metals, a joint venture operating company owned equally by Trilogy and South32 (ASX:S32,OTC Pink:SHTLF).

Its most advanced zinc project is the Arctic copper-zinc-lead-gold-silver volcanogenic massive sulfide project, which is in the feasibility stage and has proven and probable reserves of 43.44 million MT grading 3.12 percent zinc.

In addition, early stage 2023 field work at the company’s wholly owned Helpmejack project in Alaska’s Ambler schist belt outlined two target areas prospective for volcanogenic massive sulfide and shale-hosted zinc deposits.

Trilogy had been focusing on improving access to the region with its Amber Access project, but it was rejected by the US Bureau of Land Management under the Biden administration in June 2024 due to the impact the proposed road could have on the environment and communities in the region, which have seen little development.

However, under the Trump administration, a series of executive and secretarial orders focusing on developing Alaska’s natural resources have been enacted that could reverse this decision.

“Recent actions taken by President Donald Trump and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum signal a positive path forward for the Ambler Road,’ Trilogy Metals President and CEO Tony Giardini said. ‘This transportation corridor is crucial not only for providing access to the minerals that are vital to U.S. national security and prosperity, but also for much-needed economic growth and job creation in Alaska. Trilogy Metals is committed to working with all stakeholders on progressing the road, to unlock the vast natural resource potential of the Ambler Mining District.”

4. Emerita Resources (TSXV:EMO)

Market cap: C$317.02 million
Share price: C$1.20

Emerita Resources has a portfolio of high-grade, large-scale polymetallic projects covering more than 26,000 combined hectares in Spain’s Iberian Pyrite Belt. The company’s flagship asset is the Iberian Belt West project, which hosts three massive sulfide deposits: La Infanta, La Romanera and El Cura.

Emerita released a resource estimate for Iberian Belt West in May 2023. It finished environmental baseline studies the following month, and completed supporting documentation for its mining license application in December 2023.

In July 2024, the Andalusian government granted Iberian Belt West a declaration of strategic interest, which will streamline the process of moving the project through development.

Phase 2 metallurgical testing results for the La Romanera and La Infanta deposits released in late 2024 show that commercial-grade copper, lead and zinc concentrates can be obtained from both deposits.

In March of this year, Emerita announced an updated resource estimate for Iberian Belt West, showing a 35 percent increase to the total indicated mineral resource tonnage and a 44 percent increase in total inferred mineral resource tonnage. Also this year, Emerita made the cut for the latest TSX Venture 50 list.

Bitcoin and Ethereum price update

Bitcoin (BTC) was priced at US$122,444, up by 2.6 percent over the last 24 hours, and its highest valuation of the day. It briefly dropped to its lowest valuation of $120,414 shortly after the opening bell.

Bitcoin has found itself at the crossroads of macroeconomic data, political influence and shifting capital flows. Inflation statistics and central bank dynamics have introduced caution, while stablecoin activity and institutional appetite are hinting at a redistribution into altcoins.

Bitcoin price performance, August 13, 2025.

Chart via TradingView.

Meanwhile, Ethereum (ETH) continued to rally, up by 4.5 percent to US$4,716.60. The cryptocurrency’s lowest valuation on Wednesday was US$4,638.43, and its highest was US$4,738.59.

Glassnode notes that ETH is a bellwether for altcoins, and its current move as capital continues to flow into exchange-traded funds suggests further upside. In an X post on Wednesday, Charles Edwards, founder of crypto quantitative digital asset fund Capriole Investments, shared data showing that 75 percent of Coinbase Global’s (NASDAQ:COIN) volume came from institutional players on Tuesday (August 12).

He pointed to the outlook for interest rates following the release of July inflation data.

Altcoin price update

• Solana (SOL) was priced at US$200.74, up by 6.1 percent over 24 hours, and its highest valuation of the day. Its lowest valuation was US$195.81.

• XRP was trading for US$3.27, up 0.1 percent in the past 24 hours and at its highest valuation of the day. Its lowest was US$3.24.

• Sui (SUI) was trading at US$3.99, up by 2.3 percent over the past 24 hours, and its highest valuation of the day. Its lowest level was US$3.93.

• Cardano (ADA) was trading at US$0.8827, up by 4.6 percent over 24 hours, and its highest valuation on Wednesday. Its lowest was US$0.8660.

Today’s crypto news to know

World Liberty Financial sets up US$1.5 billion crypto treasury

World Liberty Financial, a digital asset venture backed by US President Donald Trump and his sons, has announced plans to establish a US$1.5 billion “crypto treasury” in partnership with ALT5 Sigma (NASDAQ:ALTS).

Under the deal, ALT5 will raise US$1.5 billion through the sale of its own shares. The funds will go toward the purchase of World Liberty’s in-house token, $WLFI, and will also be used to set up a crypto treasury, settle litigation, pay down debt and for other corporate uses. It will ultimately hold about 7.5 percent of $WLFI tokens.

Unnamed institutional investors and venture capital firms participated in the share sale. Crypto treasury models have grown in popularity this year amid a friendlier US regulatory stance under the Trump administration.

The project’s leadership is heavily tied to the Trump family, with Trump himself listed as “co-founder emeritus,” and Eric, Donald Jr. and Barron Trump holding co-founder titles.

As part of the arrangement, Eric Trump will join ALT5’s board and Zach Witkoff will serve as its chair.

Bullish shares surge on NYSE debut

Bullish (NYSE:BLSH), the parent company of Bullish Exchange and CoinDesk, began trading on the New York Stock Exchange on Wednesday. Shares were priced at US$37 each, an increase from an earlier target of US$33, with 30 million on offer to raise US$1.1 billion and value the company at nearly US$5.4 billion.

Shares surged as much as 218 percent to reach US$118 on trading volume of roughly 38 million shares, before pulling back to close at US$70.65. The initial public offering pushed the company’s market cap above US$10 billion.

Banking groups push for stablecoin loophole closure

US banking groups, led by the Bank Policy Institute (BPI), are urging Congress to close a loophole that allows stablecoin issuers to indirectly offer yields through affiliates. They argue that while new stablecoin laws prevent issuers from directly offering yield, they don’t prohibit crypto exchanges or affiliated businesses from doing so.

The groups contend that this circumvents the law and could lead to a US$6.6 trillion outflow of deposits from traditional banks, potentially disrupting credit flow to American businesses and families.

Banks are concerned that yield-bearing stablecoins undermine their ability to attract deposits, which are crucial for backing loans. The offering of yield is a significant marketing draw for stablecoins, with some, like USDC, already rewarding holders on exchanges such as Kraken and Coinbase (NASDAQ:COIN).

Safe harbor programs proposed for DeFi

In a Wednesday letter, Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) and the DeFi Education Fund asked the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Hester Peirce, head of the commission’s Crypto Task Force, to set up a safe harbor program from broker-dealer registration requirements for non-fungible token (NFT) and DeFi applications.

The group said the letter was a follow up to Trump’s Working Group on Digital Assets, which called on the SEC to give certain DeFi service providers relief from registration provisions under the Exchange Act, specifically those related to broker-dealers, exchanges and clearing agencies. SEC Chair Paul Atkins also directed staff to update “antiquated agency rules and regulations” for certain crypto and blockchain applications in July.

To avoid enforcement actions, a safe harbor provision would exempt some companies that offer crypto-related products and services from enforcement actions. a16z has sent two previous letters to the commission this year recommending safe harbors for NFTs, airdrops and network tokens.

SMRs: The new face of nuclear

Small modular reactors (SMRs), a broad classification that covers several designs, are helping to transform the nuclear sector. Smaller than traditional reactors at a capacity of 300 megawatts electrical (MWe) or less, SMRs can be factory built with enhanced safety features and lower upfront capital costs.

For example, NuScale Power’s (NYSE:SMR) recently approved US460 SMR has passive safety features. Unlike large nuclear plants that require active cooling systems, its design uses natural forces like gravity and convection for automatic shutdown and cooling, removing the need for operator intervention or external power in emergencies.

Similarly, X-Energy’s flagship Xe-100 SMR uses proprietary TRISO-X fuel, which is designed with multiple layers of ceramic materials that cannot melt, even at extremely high temperatures. The fuel serves as the primary containment barrier, ensuring safety without active intervention. In early August, X-Energy selected Clark Construction Group to finish the building construction phase of its advanced nuclear fuel fabrication facility.

Kairos Power is also making headway with its advanced modular reactor design, which combines TRISO fuel with a molten salt cooling system. The installation of the reactor vessel for the company’s third engineering test unit in Tennessee is a key milestone in the buildout of the company’s advanced modular design.

The design of SMRs also enable them to be deployed in a diverse range of locations.

Arc Energy’s sodium-cooled fast reactor is designed to be remote, able to operate for over two decades without refueling. In June, the company signed a memorandum of understanding with energy infrastructure company Deep Atomic to jointly explore deployment opportunities across North America.

Microreactors, a much smaller subcategory of SMRs that typically produce less than 10 MWe of power, represent the next wave of flexibility. Oklo (NYSE:OKLO), an advanced nuclear technology company headquartered in California, recently secured a contract with the US Air Force to pilot a microreactor at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska.

For its part, BWX Technologies (NYSE:BWXT) has begun fabricating the reactor core for the 1.5 megawatt Pele demonstration microreactor for the US Department of Defense, a project that highlights the military’s growing interest in portable, reliable nuclear power.

Meanwhile, California-based Hadron Energy is developing the Hadron micro modular reactor, a compact nuclear power system designed to deliver about 10 megawatts of power. Using a ceramic core and solid fuel, the patent-pending design is intended for deployment in remote or space-limited locations.

While current reactors use nuclear fission to create heat and generate electricity, nuclear fusion, a separate but similar process that is still in development, is also gaining traction.

The US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Milestone-Based Fusion Development Program was authorized in 2020 and officially launched in September 2022, with eight participants announced in May 2023.

In a webinar, Colleen Nehl of the DOE’s Office of Fusion Energy Sciences, said the eight companies were “making great progress’ and spoke about new opportunities for additional teams to secure program funding.

AI and the coming energy crunch

AI’s voracious appetite for power is forcing tech giants to rethink their energy sourcing strategies. High-performance computing demands not only massive amounts of electricity, but also near-perfect uptime.

As AI models scale and data centers proliferate, the nuclear sector’s ability to deliver constant, emissions-free electricity positions it as a foundational technology for sustainable tech growth.

This has led companies like Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) and Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL) to make landmark investments in nuclear fusion. In 2023, the former announced an agreement to purchase fusion energy from Helion Energy, while the latter signed a 200 megawatt fusion offtake deal with Commonwealth Fusion Systems in June.

Nuclear power can help technology companies sustainably expand their AI capabilities.

In 2024, Microsoft entered a power-purchase deal with Constellation Energy (NASDAQ:CEG) to revive the Three Mile Island nuclear facility, aimed at supporting its burgeoning AI infrastructure.

Additionally, Amazon Web Services (AWS) (NASDAQ:AMZN) committed over US$500 million toward the development of SMRs, including a project with Dominion Energy near its North Anna site, to meet its growing clean-energy demands.

In May, US President DonaldTrump issued an executive order directing the DOE to create a readily available fuel bank with at least 20 metric tons of high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) for authorized advanced nuclear reactor projects, explicitly citing AI and other critical infrastructure as priorities.

HALEU is a specific type of nuclear fuel containing between 5 and 20 percent of the fissile uranium-235 isotope.

Speaking about nuclear energy in a July interview on New York radio station 77 WABC, Lee Zeldin, administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, told host John Catsimatidis, “As it relates to the Trump administration, while we’re here, we want to do everything in our power to fast-track the process.”

Expedited review timelines from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for TerraPower’s construction permit for the Kemmerer power station, and the Tennessee Valley Authority’s BWRX-300 reactor at Clinch River came in response to Trump’s executive order.

Managing the nuclear waste challenge

Despite its advantages, nuclear power faces the persistent challenge of disposing of spent nuclear fuel.

Nuclear power’s waste profile varies significantly depending on the technology used.

Traditional fission reactors split heavy atoms such as uranium-235, generating smaller fission products that remain highly radioactive for thousands of years.

This process also produces spent fuel, which must be securely stored and managed over the long term.

By contrast, fusion — the reaction that powers the sun — fuses light atoms like hydrogen isotopes into heavier ones, releasing helium, a non-radioactive gas. The main radioactive byproducts come from reactor components that become activated by high-energy neutrons.

Known as activation waste, these materials typically decay to safe levels within decades to centuries rather than millennia. While fusion waste is less hazardous and easier to handle, it still requires proper management, recycling or disposal.

To be safely disposed of, nuclear waste needs to be isolated from the environment for an extremely long time because many of the radioactive isotopes it contains have very long half-lives. A half-life is the time it takes for half of the radioactive material to decay. For example, plutonium-239 has a half-life of over 24,000 years.

Long-term isolation in a stable, deep geological repository is necessary to prevent this harmful radiation from contaminating the environment and endangering human health.

While the US has implemented some temporary storage solutions, the American Nuclear Society (ANS) and other organizations are advocating for a new program to establish long-term solutions.

The ANS joined seven other organizations to send a letter to US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright on July 8, asking to meet with him to discuss the issue. At the time of this writing, no meeting had been set. The Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board will convene on August 27 to review information on the DOE’s activities to manage spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste and to receive program updates from the DOE’s Office of Nuclear Energy.

Meanwhile, companies and institutions are discovering innovative solutions.

Deep Isolation is advancing directional borehole drilling, while workers at the DOE’s Savannah River site have developed a new carrier system to speed the processing of spent fuel.

Where is investment flowing?

As nuclear capabilities are built out, capital has been moving into every stage of the value chain.

Waste disposal innovators like Deep Isolation recently closed a reverse merger and an oversubscribed US$33 million private placement financing, a development that signals a potential market for nuclear waste storage solutions.

Meanwhile, the industry is addressing a shortage of domestic reactor fuel with a wave of innovation and new investment from the government and private sector. This is especially true for HALEU, a specialized fuel needed for many advanced reactor designs. The DOE is leading efforts to expand HALEU production, releasing plans to downblend highly enriched uranium (HEU) at the Savannah River site into HALEU.

At the decommissioned Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant, the DOE signed a lease with General Matter for a new uranium enrichment facility, while Global Laser Enrichment advanced its separate laser-based enrichment project by completing both its full license application and a safety analysis report for US Nuclear Regulatory Commission review.

The DOE also extended its US$110 million contract with Centrus Energy (NYSE:LEU) for HALEU production and launched its Fuel Line Pilot Program to fast track nuclear fuel fabrication for new test reactors in July.

Other next-generation fuel technologies are also progressing.

TRISO fuel, designed with multiple ceramic layers that prevent melting, remains a focus area. BWX Technologies’ successful testing of a new furnace for additively manufacturing TRISO fuel marked a key milestone in the company’s efforts to build an entirely new industrial supply chain, while Shine Technologies’ fuel recycling venture with Standard Nuclear signals a market for firms focused on recycling spent nuclear fuel to extract more energy.

Beyond advanced reactors, fuel improvements are also advancing. Lightbridge (NASDAQ:LTBR) will soon begin testing its enriched uranium-zirconium alloy fuel at Idaho National Laboratory.

Meanwhile, the High Burnup Experiments in Reactivity-Initiated Accident project completed its first test, aimed at understanding light water reactor fuel performance under extreme conditions.

Looking ahead

The future of nuclear power appears promising.

“Demand has gone from 1 or 2 percent compound annual (growth) to now about 4 percent and possibly even higher. And that doesn’t even include the COP28 goals of tripling nuclear by 2050,” he continued.

Building on burgeoning momentum, the DOE has officially selected 10 companies for its reactor pilot program, with a target of having at least three designs reach criticality outside of laboratories by July 4, 2026.

Given the promising outlook, investors have a compelling opportunity to capitalize on the industry’s future.