1. Santacruz Silver (TSXV:SCZ)

Year-to-date gain: 1,012.73 percent
Market cap: C$1.2 billion
Share price: C$12.24

Santacruz Silver is an Americas-focused silver producer with operations in Bolivia and Mexico. Its producing assets include a 45 percent stake in the Bolivar and Porco mines, which it shares with the Bolivian government, and a 100 percent ownership of the Caballo Blanco Group mines in Bolivia, along with the Zimapan mine in Mexico.

In its Q2 results, Santacruz reported silver production of 1.42 million ounces from the mines, as well as silver equivalent production of 3.55 million ounces, which includes its zinc, lead and copper production.

In addition to its producing assets, Santacruz also owns the greenfield Soracaya project, an 8,325 hectare land package located in Potosi, Bolivia. According to an August 2024 technical report, the site hosts an inferred resource of 34.5 million ounces of silver derived from 4.14 million metric tons of ore with an average grade of 260 g/t.

In October 2021, Santacruz acquired Glencore’s (LSE:GLEN,OTC Pink:GLCNF) 45 percent stake in the Bolivar and Porco mines and a 100 percent interest in the Soracaya project. Under the terms of the deal, Santacruz made an initial payment of US$20 million and was obligated to make an additional US$90 million over a four-year period from the closing of the transaction. Glencore also retained a 1.5 percent net smelter return.

The pair amended the deal in October 2024, giving Santacruz the option to either pay off the US$80 million base purchase price through annual US$10 million installments or to accelerate the repayment by paying US$40 million by November 2025. The deal also includes additional terms such as monthly payments to Glencore contingent on zinc pricing benchmarks.

Santacruz chose the accelerated option through a structured payment plan, allowing it to satisfy the base purchase price of the properties while saving US$40 million compared to the annual installment option.

On September 4, the company made its fourth and fifth payments, completing all payments to Glencore.

The most recent news for the Soracaya project was announced on October 7, when Santacruz stated that it was initiating development activities and would be applying for a full production permit.

The company reported Q3 production figures on November 3, with production of 3.42 million silver equivalent ounces, including 1.24 million ounces of silver. Its Q3 financials report released on November 27 highlighted revenues of US$79.99 million, up 2 percent year-over-year, and an adjusted EBITDA of US$19.51 million, up 30 percent year-over-year.

In late October, the company reported it planned to list on the NASDAQ, and on December 8 reported a share consolidation on a 4 to 1 basis.

Shares in Santacruz reached a year-to-date high of C$12.24 on December 9.

2. Andean Precious Metals (TSX:APM)

Year-to-date gain: 657.39 percent
Market cap: C$1.25 billion
Share price: C$8.71

Andean Precious Metals is a precious metals company with a pair of operating assets in the Americas.

Its primary silver-producing operation is the San Bartolomé facility in the Potosi Department of Bolivia. The onsite processing facility has an annual ore capacity of 1.8 million metric tons. The company has transitioned from conventional mining and is processing feed from both its low-cost fines deposit facility and third-party ore purchases.

Its other producing asset is the Golden Queen mine in Kern County, California, US. It hosts a 12,000 metric tons per day cyanide heap leach and a Merrill-Crowe processing facility. A mineral reserve statement shows a measured and indicated silver resource of 11.24 million ounces from 41.81 million metric tons at an average grade of 8.37 g/t silver. The company acquired Golden Queen from Auvergne Umbrella in November 2023 for US$15 million.

On June 2, Andean announced it entered into an exclusive, long-term agreement with Bolivian state-owned miner Corporacion Minera de Bolivia to acquire up to 7 million metric tons of oxide ore from mining concessions in Bolivia.

The ore is located within a 250 kilometer radius of the processing facility at its San Bartolomé operation, where it will process the ore. Under the terms of the 10 year agreement, Andean will immediately receive an initial 250,000 metric tons of ore, with the remaining to be delivered in tranches of 50,000 metric tons.

On October 15, Andean released its Q3 operating results. During the first nine months of the year, it produced 3.41 million ounces of silver across its operations, toward the middle of its guidance of 3.22 million to 3.78 million ounces. It also noted that its output was driven by a strong increase in silver production at San Bartolome.

In its Q3 financial results released on November 11, the company reported record consolidated revenue for the quarter, totaling US$90.42 million, which it stated was due to increased silver production and higher average realized prices for silver and gold. Its revenue was US$68.35 million during the same quarter of 2024.

According to a mid-October exploration update for its properties, Andean expects to release an updated mineral resource and reserve estimate for Golden Queen in the first half of 2026.

Shares in Andean Precious Metals reached a year-to-date high of C$9.25 on December 1.

3. Capitan Silver (TSXV:CAPT)

Year-to-date gain: 544.44 percent
Market cap: C$228.47 million
Share price: C$2.03

Capitan Silver is an explorer focused on advancing silver and gold projects in Durango, Mexico.

The company’s flagship asset is the 100 percent owned Cruz de Plata project in the heart of Mexico’s historic Peñoles Mining District. The region is known for hosting significant silver mineralization and historic mining. Cruz de Plata encompasses two historic silver mines — Jesús Maria and San Rafael — and the Capitan Hill gold oxide deposit.

According to a 2020 technical report, the Jesús Maria deposit hosts an inferred resource of 15.16 million ounces of contained silver and 26,000 ounces of gold from 7.57 million metric tons of ore with average grades of 62.3 g/t silver and 0.12 g/t gold.

Capitan Silver made a series of strategic acquisitions during the second and third quarters.

On June 11, the company completed the purchase of a 2 percent net smelter royalty in place at Cruz de Plata from Exploraciones del Altiplano and eliminated the royalty. Total costs incurred by Capitan were US$1 million.

Then, on August 22, the company executed a definitive agreement to acquire a strategic land package surrounding its Cruz de Plata property from Fresnillo (LSE:FRES,OTC Pink:FNLPF) for total cash consideration of US$4 million. The transaction was initially announced in June.

The new parcel consists of seven mineral concessions covering 2,171.4 hectares. It increases Capitan’s total holdings in the area by 85 percent and the surface expression of the silver-gold trend by 1.2 kilometers to the east.

Capitan’s most recent silver news from Cruz de Plata came on November 11, when the company reported it had identified further high-grade mineralization during its drilling at the Jesus Maria trend, including one highlight of 1,767.4 g/t silver equivalent over 1.5 meters within a larger interval of 25.9 meters grading 234.2 g/t silver equivalent.

The company stated the results confirmed ‘the emergence of a new large, high-grade silver zone at Jesus Maria.’

The company is expecting a property-wide geophysical survey to be completed during the first quarter of 2026.

Shares in Capitan reached a year-to-date high of C$2.38 on December 5, coinciding with its release of an updated mineral resource estimate for the Capitan Hill gold oxide deposit that increased contained gold and silver to 525,000 ounces and 4.2 million ounces respectively, from an overall inferred resource of 39.8 million metric tons of ore.

4. Avino Silver & Gold Mines (TSX:ASM)

Year-to-date gain: 542.52 percent
Market cap: C$1.21 billion
Share price: C$8.16

Avino Silver & Gold Mines is a precious metals miner with two primary silver assets: the producing Avino silver mine and the neighboring La Preciosa project in Durango, Mexico.

The Avino mine is capable of processing 2,500 metric tons of ore per day, and according to its FY24 report released on January 21 the mine produced 1.1 million ounces of silver, 7,477 ounces of gold and 6.2 million pounds of copper last year. Overall, the company saw broad production increases with silver rising 19 percent, gold rising 2 percent and copper increasing 17 percent year over year.

In addition to its Avino mining operation, Avino is working to advance its La Preciosa project toward the production stage. The site covers 1,134 hectares, and according to a February 2023 resource estimate, hosts a measured and indicated resource of 98.59 million ounces of silver and 189,190 ounces of gold.

In a January 15 update, Avino announced it had received all necessary permits for mining at La Preciosa and begun underground development. It is now developing a 350 meter mine access and haulage decline. The company said the first phase at the site is expected to cost less than C$5 million, which will be funded from cash reserves.

In Avino’s Q3 financials, the company reported revenues of US$21 million, up 44 percent year-over-year, ‘primarily the result of increased metal prices and marginally higher ounces sold.’ It also highlighted record net income after taxes of US$7.7 million, an increase of 559 percent from US$1.17 million in Q3 2024.

On the production side, the company produced 580,780 silver equivalent ounces during Q3, representing a decrease of 13 percent from the same quarter in the previous year, while silver production alone dropped 7 percent to 263,231 ounces.

‘The decrease was driven by lower feed grades in all three metals (silver, gold and copper), as we moved through a lower grade section of the mine plan,’ noted the press release. However, it’s still on track to meet its production estimate of 2.5 to 2.8 million silver equivalent ounces.

Avino shares reached a year-to-date high of C$9.14 on October 15.

5. Starcore International Mines (TSX:SAM)

Year-to-date gain: 542.52 percent
Market cap: C$43.46 billion
Share price: C$0.74

Starcore International Mines is a gold and silver producer in Mexico, with exploration projects in Mexico, Canada and Côte d’Ivoire. Its flagship property is the San Martin underground gold-silver mine, which has been in operation since 1993. The company acquired the mine in February of 2008 from Goldcorp. The mine has an average gold grade of 2.31 grams and 18 grams of silver.

On July 29, Starcore published its full-year financials for its fiscal year ending April 30, 2025. The company reported income of C$6.3 million for the year from its mining operations.

Starcore finalized a 10 year lease in October land holdings named the Tortilla project in Queretaro, Mexico, that host a historical past-producing silver mine. Preliminary metallurgical tests on samples from the sulfide zone resulted in silver recoveries of 91.49 percent and gold recoveries of 48.25 percent.

In November, Starcore released its fiscal year Q2 2026 production results, which included 1,860 gold equivalent ounces, down 13 percent from the previous quarter. The total ore milled came in at 51,960 metric tons with a grade of 14.48 g/t silver and 1.33 g/t gold. The decrease was due to clay-related challenges, which the company said it has addressed through CIL plant optimization.

Shares in Starcore reached a year-to-date high of C$0.74 on December 9.

The clean AI investment surge

Meanwhile, startups are racing to make infrastructure smarter and faster to build with the help of AI.

Emerald AI, which uses smart software to manage a cleaner, more flexible grid and ease data center strain, announced its first commercial deployment alongside US$18 million in new seed funding, while Infravision, a company that uses drones to string transmission lines more efficiently, raised US$91 million in a Series B round to scale globally.

AI is also accelerating cleantech breakthroughs, as highlighted by the CleanAI Initiative’s report on AI’s growing role in climate solutions. It shows energy and power technologies garnered more than half of total clean AI investments.

The sector is seen as a critical, multi-layered investment opportunity tied to sustainability and technology leadership in multitrillion-dollar markets; however, key challenges to its growth include the high energy consumption of AI technologies themselves and a lack of combined expertise in both AI and climate science.

Billions in private investment have helped sustain the cleantech sector.

Experts Jason Bordoff and Jack Andreasen Cavanaugh argue that corporate funding will help boost energy transition, citing power purchase agreements and other financial commitments by Big Tech companies such as Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL), Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META), Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) and Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN).

NextEra Energy’s (NYSE:NEE) landmark Q4 deals with Alphabet and Meta to power their AI data centers are prime examples of this trend. The Florida-based company will supply clean energy capacity through 11 power purchase and two energy storage deals, with projects expected to become operational between 2026 and 2028. NextEra is also collaborating with Google Cloud to develop three US data center campuses.

However, this transformative period carries significant risks: if the AI boom proves to be a bubble that bursts, energy investment could swiftly vanish, leading to billions in stranded assets.

As China solidifies its dominance in clean energy manufacturing, the question remains whether the US administration’s efforts to expand nuclear and geothermal power can successfully challenge China’s current leadership, as Beijing also accelerates its own nuclear buildout and eyes global reactor exports.

Nuclear and geothermal gaining traction

Nuclear and geothermal are gaining traction as promising solutions for AI and data center reliability in 2026, attracting enterprise and policy support as other clean energy initiatives and incentives are pulled back.

The Department of Energy formally released its Fusion Science and Technology Roadmap in Q4, outlining a strategy to accelerate commercial fusion by the mid-2030s. Separately, the department announced it will award up to US$800 million in cost-shared funding to advance small modular reactor projects.

Startups are accelerating too, with Antares raising US$96 million for mid-2026 microreactor tests, while Radiant Nuclear is planning a US$280 million factory in Tennessee targeting 2028 deliveries. Under the leadership of CEO Bob Mumgaard, Commonwealth Fusion Systems is transitioning fusion energy from the realm of research to practical power generation. The company is currently building sites for its commercial fusion plants and is utilizing a partnership with Google DeepMind, focused on AI, to speed up the development of its fusion technology.

Geothermal is scaling, too, with some investors turning their attention to even more ambitious high-temperature projects. Mazama Energy, a startup backed by billionaire businessman Vinod Khosla, is developing a geothermal project at Newberry, one of the largest and most active volcanoes. If successful, this could be a top global geothermal site, supplying electricity to local homes and businesses starting next year.

Endeavors like these are viewed by enthusiasts as a potential catalyst for a new era of geothermal power.

“Geothermal has been mostly inconsequential,” Khosla told the Washington Post.

“To do consequential geothermal that matters at the scale of tens or hundreds of gigawatts for the country, and many times that globally, you really need to solve these high temperatures.”

Another notable example is Zanskar Geothermal and Minerals, which precisely located a deep geothermal reservoir using AI, effectively lowering the exploration and drilling costs of its Big Blind geothermal system. The company is seeking permits to develop Big Blind, aiming to supply power by the end of the decade.

EV localization and self-driving options

Looking ahead, robotaxis are gaining traction in the EV market, with growing fleets operating in multiple cities.

Alphabet’s Waymo is the most aggressive company in this space, currently offering driverless rides in five cities with plans to expand in 2026. Other key players are actively engaged in various testing stages.

Both Uber Technologies (NYSE:UBER) and Lyft (NASDAQ:LYFT) are incorporating Waymo and other robotaxi services into their platforms, and Uber is adding robotaxis to its platform in Dallas, Texas, through a partnership with Avride, using autonomous Hyundai (KRX:005380,OTC Pink:HYMTF) Ioniq 5s that will initially include a safety operator.

Amazon’s self-driving robotaxi subsidiary, Zoox, expects to start charging passengers for rides in Las Vegas in early 2026, with paid rides in the San Francisco Bay Area coming later next year; however, the move depends on obtaining federal regulatory and state approvals. Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA), led by CEO Elon Musk, is operating smaller, monitored robotaxi fleets in Austin and San Francisco, with Phoenix anticipated to be the next market for a major expansion.

Meanwhile, self-driving truck startup Waabi, a Canadian company with backing from Uber and NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA), launched its new autonomous truck developed with Volvo (STO:VOLV-A,OTC Pink:VLVCY).

Investor takeaway

As the cleantech market navigates this transformative period, its long-term success will hinge on strategic investments that successfully balance immense AI energy demands with the imperative of avoiding a stranded-asset bubble.

Sector participants will also need to track country-level developments. In the US, Senator Ruben Gallego’s (D-Ariz.) energy plan prioritizes affordability over climate primacy, calling for reinstated clean tax credits, small modular reactor R&D funding, transmission exemptions and zero-carbon sources alongside oil/gas with clean timelines.

Meanwhile, Canada’s 2025 budget includes a C$2 billion cleantech fund, and the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism pressures imports, favoring compliant North American projects that blend reliability with decarbonization.

Investor Insight

Goldgroup offers investors a rare opportunity to participate in the rapid buildout of a multi-asset gold producer in Mexico, with near-term production growth at the operating Cerro Prieto mine and the addition of two fully owned, high-impact assets – Pinos and San Francisco – positioning the company for substantial scale, re-rating potential and strong leverage to gold.

Overview

Goldgroup Mining (TSXV:GGA,OTC:GGAZF) is a Canadian gold company building a portfolio of high-quality producing and development assets across Mexico, one of the world’s premier mining jurisdictions. With two 100 percent owned gold projects – Cerro Prieto and Pinos – and the acquisition of 100 percent of the San Francisco mine, Goldgroup is positioned for rapid, disciplined production growth.

The company’s strategy is straightforward: optimize and expand production at its flagship Cerro Prieto mine, advance Pinos toward a production decision, and bring the large-scale San Francisco mine back online. Combined, these projects outline a defined path to more than 100,000 ounces of annual production, with further upside from exploration, resource expansion and future acquisitions.

Goldgroup is guided by an experienced leadership team with deep expertise in building and optimizing mines in Mexico. The company benefits from strong financial support from the Calu Group and founders of Luca Mining, with proven track records of value creation through mine development, operational turnarounds and strategic M&A.

Company Highlights

• Two operating or near-term production gold assets in Mexico, 100-percent-owned and fully permitted.
• Cerro Prieto expansion completed, increasing from ~12,500 oz/year to 30,000+ oz/year during 2026 and beyond, including tailings re-processing.
• Its second asset, Pinos, is a fully permitted high-grade underground development project with historical resources and +90 percent metallurgical recoveries.
• San Francisco acquisition in progress, a past producer capable of ~40,000 oz/year with significant exploration upside.
• Aggressive M&A strategy aimed at fast-tracking Goldgroup into the mid-tier producer category with advanced due diligence nearing completion. .
• Backed by the Calu Group and the founders of Luca Mining, bringing extensive operational and financing expertise in Mexico.

Key Projects

Cerro Prieto Open Pit Gold Mine

Cerro Prieto is Goldgroup’s established producing operation in the Cucurpe mining district of Sonora, Mexico. It’s been in production since 2013 and is augmented by a newly expanded processing capacity that has more than doubled throughput. The mine is the cornerstone of Goldgroup’s near-term growth strategy, with ongoing optimization, a planned tailings re-processing and re-leaching initiative, and multiple drill-ready targets across the property. An updated NI 43-101 resource estimate for the Esperanzas deposit further reinforces the reliability of the mineralized system while underscoring the potential for continued resource growth.

Project Highlights

• Producing open-pit gold mine in Sonora with 120,000+ ounces produced since 2013
• Throughput recently doubled to 4,200+ tons per day (tpd) with installation of a second crushing circuit
• Tailings re-leaching strategy expected to add up to 9,000 oz/year over ~5 years
• Expansion plan targeting 30,000+ ounces of annual production
• Updated NI 43-101 outlines 37,209 oz measured and indicated, and 1,504 oz inferred gold resources
• Multiple exploration targets across the property, including Esperanza, Nueva Esperanza and additional zones all under definition drilling.

Pinos Gold Development Project

Pinos is a fully permitted, advanced-stage underground gold project positioned within the prolific Zacatecas mining belt. The district hosts 29 concessions over 3,816 hectares, with 52 shafts and more than 40 km of underground workings. Goldgroup’s internal roadmap outlines 12,700 oz/year of potential annual production from Pinos in a development scenario.

Project Highlights:

• Multiple high-grade veins historically mined at 30 to 50 g/t gold
• Historical measured and indicated estimate: 86,000 oz gold and 1.3 Moz silver (Candelaria Mining, 2018). Note: Historical resource only; not treated as current NI 43-101
• Metallurgical recovery of +90 percent gold via cyanide leaching and Merrill-Crowe
• Fully permitted for mine construction

Goldgroup plans to launch targeted exploration and resource-definition drilling at Pinos, followed by an updated economic study (PEA or PFS) that will guide a production decision for this fully permitted high-grade project.

San Francisco Open Pit Gold Mine

The San Francisco mine is a past-producing, large-scale open-pit gold operation in Sonora with extensive existing infrastructure and significant resource and exploration upside. Goldgroup has acquired the majority of creditor debt connected to the mine, enabling it to control the restructuring process and advance toward full ownership pending final court approval. With historical production of approximately 1.3 million ounces and strong metallurgical recoveries, San Francisco presents a near-term opportunity for Goldgroup to restore a proven gold mine to production and add meaningful scale to its growth profile.

Project Highlights:

• Large-scale past producer with ~1.3 million ounces of gold produced from 2010 to 2019
• Strong existing infrastructure: grid power, wells, ADR plants, assay lab, haul roads
• High processing capacity of 16,875 tpd via two parallel crushing circuits
• Good metallurgical recoveries ranging from 77 percent to 90 percent
• Multiple new high-grade zones identified behind and below pit walls
• Restart plan underway, including drilling to upgrade resources and update the mine plan

Management Team

Ralph Shearing – Chief Executive Officer

A professional geologist with nearly four decades of experience in mining and exploration, Ralph Shearing founded and led Luca Mining Corp, where he oversaw major development milestones such as the exploration, initial development construction and pre-production of the Tahuehueto gold mine, the acquisition and successful restart of production of the Campo Morado zinc poly-metalic mine in Mexico.

Anthony Balic – Chief Financial Officer & Director

Previously the director of finance for Goldgroup, Anthony Balic has extensive experience in mining finance, including senior roles at Deloitte LLP specializing in assurance and advisory for mining companies. He oversees corporate finance, accounting and capital strategy for Goldgroup.

Corry Silbernagel – Director

Corry Silbernagel is a veteran financial and technical specialist with experience across mining and energy. He is the former CFO of Cabo Drilling and project manager for large-scale initiatives at Suncor and TransAlta. Silbernagel brings expertise in strategic finance, project development and operational oversight.

Blair Jordan – Director

Blair Jordan is managing partner at Restructure Advisors, with deep experience in corporate restructuring, turnaround strategies and investment banking. He held CFO and interim CEO roles in multiple public companies, and is the former managing director at Echelon Wealth Partners.

Roberto Guzman – Director

Roberto Guzman is a finance leader with more than 25 years of experience in Mexico’s financial sector. Jordan holds an advanced degree in finance from Universidad Tecnologica de Mexico and has served as finance manager for numerous public and private Mexican companies.

1. Australian Treasury Releases Draft Bill on Cryptocurrency Exchange Regulation

Publish date: October 8, 2025

Australia was active in the crypto space this year, releasing a draft bill to regulate cryptocurrency exchanges. It proposes bringing crypto platforms under the Australian Financial Services License (AFSL) regime.

The bill forms part of Australia’s broader digital asset strategy, which was unveiled in March and is aimed at delivering effective settings for digital assets and payment stablecoins.

At present, digital asset exchanges in Australia are only required to register with the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Center and follow anti-money laundering and customer ID regulations.

Under the bill, any entity providing specified services in relation to digital asset platforms or tokenized custody platforms will be regarded as a “financial service” provider and therefore be required to hold an AFSL.

2. Bitcoin Should be Treated Like Cash, Australian Judge Rules

Publish date: May 23, 2025

Australia’s crypto market was also energized in May, when a court ruling cut to the heart of how Bitcoin should be treated under the law. Judge Michael O’Connell ruled that Bitcoin transactions should be treated similarly to cash, rather than as an investment asset like gold or shares, and therefore be exempt from capital gains tax.

The decision arose from a hearing involving William Wheatley, a former Australian federal police officer who was accused of stealing 81.6 BTC in 2019. At the time of the alleged theft, the Bitcoin were valued at about AU$492,000 in total; today, they would be worth much more — roughly AU$10.8 million.

In his ruling, O’Connell described Bitcoin as a form of property, but emphasized it is more comparable to Australian dollars than to traditional investment assets. The implications of the decision are potentially significant, although narrow. If upheld on appeal, it would apply only to Bitcoin and only to transactions made from 2019 onward.

The ruling landed amid growing public engagement with crypto in Australia.

According to the Independent Reserve Cryptocurrency Index, released in February, 31 percent of Australians have invested in or held crypto, with 70 percent of those investors holding Bitcoin. The same research found that 73.4 percent of respondents consider Bitcoin to be money, a store of value or an investment asset.

3. 5 US States Mulling Bitcoin Reserves as Trump Pushes for National Adoption

Publish date: January 14, 2025

Early in the year, spurred in part by advocacy from then-incoming President Donald Trump and his allies, several US states moved to explore or implement strategic Bitcoin reserves.

These discussions gained momentum after Bitcoin reached new all-time highs in 2024, drawing attention from lawmakers interested in its potential as a hedge against inflation and economic instability.

By the end of 2024, five states — Texas, Pennsylvania, Ohio, New Hampshire and North Dakota — were actively considering measures to incorporate Bitcoin into their financial systems.

US state interest in crypto reserves has continued in 2025.

In December, Texas launched a crypto reserve with a US$5 million purchase of Bitcoin. The Texas Comptroller’s Office said it is a “placeholder investment” while the state works to contract with a crypto bank.

The purchase represented half of the US$10 million appropriated by the legislature and made Texas the first state to actually fund a strategic crypto reserve.

4. Dogecoin and XRP Enter ETF Mainstream with First US Spot Listings

Publish date: September 19, 2025

Institutional adoption also advanced through financial markets. In a milestone for altcoins, Dogecoin and XRP entered the US spot ETF market. REX-Osprey launched the REX-Osprey DOGE ETF (CBOE:DOJE) and the REX-Osprey XRP ETF (CBOE:XRPR), the first US-listed ETFs to offer spot exposure to those tokens.

Greg King, CEO and founder of REX Financial and Osprey Funds, framed the launches as a natural extension of investor demand. “Investors look to ETFs as trading and access vehicles,’ he said.

“The digital asset revolution is already underway, and to be able to offer exposure to some of the most popular digital assets is something REX-Osprey is proud of and has worked diligently to achieve,” King added.

Dogecoin, created in 2013 as a parody, gained notoriety through online communities and celebrity attention, while XRP has been positioned as a tool for fast, low-cost cross-border payments.

5. Crypto Outflows Hit US$1.3 Billion for Second Week

Publish date: November 10, 2025

Crypto funds recorded US$1.3 billion in weekly outflows for the second consecutive week midway through November. Bitcoin products accounted for US$932 million of that total, with Ether seeing US$438 million in redemptions.

The pullback came amid investor caution following the prolonged US government shutdown and a lack of key economic data. Short Bitcoin funds, meanwhile, saw their largest inflows since May.

Bitcoin and Ether price update

Bitcoin (BTC) was priced at US$86,981, down by 1 percent over 24 hours.

Bitcoin price performance, December 17, 2025.

Chart via TradingView

Ether (ETH) was priced at US$2,927.84, down by 2.6 percent over the last 24 hours.

Altcoin price update

• XRP (XRP) was priced at US$1.91, down by 1.7 percent over 24 hours.

• Solana (SOL) was trading at US$127.60, down by 3.5 percent over 24 hours.

Today’s crypto news to know

Hut 8 stock jumps after securing Google-backed AI deal

Bitcoin miner Hut 8 (TSX:HUT) is leaning harder into artificial intelligence infrastructure after locking in a 15-year, US$7 billion lease tied to its River Bend campus in Louisiana.

The agreement covers 245 megawatts of IT capacity and includes a financial backstop from Google, which guarantees lease payments for the duration of the base term.

While Google will not operate the facility or run workloads on-site, its backing significantly lowers counterparty risk and boosted investor confidence. Hut 8 shares rose nearly 4 percent in regular trading before surging more than 21 percent in premarket action, extending year-to-date gains to roughly 79 percent.

The deal ranks among the largest AI infrastructure commitments ever secured by a publicly listed Bitcoin miner.

US senators push new task force as crypto scams cost Americans US$9.3B

A bipartisan pair of US senators has introduced legislation aimed at tightening the federal response to cryptocurrency-related fraud after reported losses surged last year.

The SAFE Crypto Act would require the Treasury Department to form a dedicated task force focused on detecting and preventing crypto scams.

Lawmakers cited FBI data showing Americans lost about US$9.3 billion to crypto investment fraud in 2024, a 66 percent jump from the previous year. Older investors accounted for a disproportionate share of those losses, according to federal officials.

The proposed task force would bring together agencies including the Treasury, DOJ, FinCEN, and the Secret Service, alongside state and local law enforcement.

Russian regions back expanded crypto mining bans

Energy officials in parts of eastern Russia are welcoming plans to extend seasonal crypto mining bans into year-round prohibitions, the Russian newspaper Kommersant reported.

Authorities are expected to block all mining activity in southern Buryatia and Zabaykalsky Krai starting in 2026, citing chronic strain on local power grids.

Regional officials said electricity shortages across several Siberian regions have approached 3,000 megawatts, making mining restrictions a necessary stabilizing measure. The move would also expand an existing winter-only ban that runs from mid-November through mid-March.

The decision marks a reversal from earlier government signals that no additional mining bans were planned.