1. OpenAI’s busy week

On Wednesday (August 6), OpenAI unveiled the long-awaited GPT-5 version of ChatGPT, which CEO Sam Altman described as a “significant step” along the path to artificial general intelligence (AGI).

Altman declared that GPT-5 gives users PhD-level expert assistance on any subject, with fewer hallucinations, as well as superior coding abilities that could lead to an era of “software on demand.’

“Something like GPT-5 would be pretty much unimaginable in any other time in history,” he said during a pre-briefing with journalists on Wednesday. While GPT-5 exhibits signs of broad intelligence, Altman clarified that it lacks a key characteristic of AGI: the ability to learn and improve autonomously.

Concurrently, OpenAI for Government announced it is partnering with the US General Services Administration to offer ChatGPT Enterprise to the federal executive branch workforce for US$1 per agency for the next year.

In a statement to Wired, Altman said the agreement was part of Trump’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Plan, which is geared at leveraging AI to better serve the American people.

Additionally, the company reportedly engaged in early discussions this week for a secondary stock sale that would increase its valuation to US$500 billion. During an interview with Schwab Network, Ben Emons, chief investment officer and founder of FedWatch Advisors, said OpenAI’s valuation could hit US$1 trillion.

A recent report by the Information found that OpenAI has hit an annualized run rate of US$12 billion, roughly double the US$6 billion recorded in revenue in the first half of 2025.

OpenAI also introduced a pair of freely available models this week, which Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) will offer to cloud-computing clients.

2. Stocks react to chip tariff exemptions

Trump announced plans to impose a nearly 100 percent tariff on semiconductor chips on Wednesday, but carved out an exemption for companies investing in US manufacturing capacity.

After a meeting at the White House, Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) CEO Tim Cook pledged an additional US$100 billion investment in US manufacturing capacity, bringing its total commitment to US$600 billion over the next four years.

However, final assembly is expected to remain overseas “for a while,” according to Cook, and the announcement did not include any mention of future iPhone assembly in the US.

Apple performance, August 5 to 8, 2025.

Chart via Google Finance.

The pledge led to a significant market reaction, with Apple shares climbing over 4 percent, leading gains on Wall Street.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (NYSE:TSM) also saw strong gains after it was reported that National Development Council Chief Liu Chin-ching told parliament that the company will be exempt since it has factories in the US, referring to fabrication plants currently under construction in Arizona.

However, he added that some of Taiwan’s chipmakers will be affected.

Likewise, South Korean trade officials stated that Samsung Electronics (KRX:005930) and SK Hynix (KRX:000660) will both avoid the tariffs due to their investments in US manufacturing facilities. Samsung has two chip fabrication plants in Texas, while SK Hynix is building a new advanced chip packaging and R&D facility in Indiana.

3. Firefly Aerospace makes explosive Nasdaq debut

Firefly Aerospace (NASDAQ:FLY) made a strong debut on the Nasdaq Global Market on Thursday (August 7).

The stock opened at US$70 per share, a significant jump from its initial public offering price of US$45.

After first targeting between US$35 and US$39 per share, the company raised the price from US$41 to US$43 on Tuesday (August 5). Firefly was valued at over US$2 billion after a Series D funding round in November 2024.

Its opening price represented a further increase. After briefly topping US$73.80, the company closed its first day on the market at US$60.35, raising US$868.3 million and achieving a valuation of approximately US$8.5 billion.

The company experienced a moderate pullback on Friday, opening at US$54.85 before briefly touching US$57.07; it then closed the week at US$50.17.

4. Tesla desbands Dojo team

Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) CEO Elon Musk confirmed reports that the company is disbanding its Dojo supercomputer team, posting to X on Thursday evening:

“It doesn’t make sense for Tesla to divide its resources and scale two quite different AI chip designs.

“The Tesla AI5, AI6 and subsequent chips will be excellent for inference and at least pretty good for training. All effort is focused on that.”

Tesla intended for Dojo to facilitate the training of its Autopilot and Full Self-Driving systems.

Sources for Bloomberg, which first reported the story, said Tesla will rely on partners like NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA), Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:AMD) and Samsung for chip manufacturing.

This move contradicts Musk’s commitments to “double down on Dojo” during his company’s second quarter earnings call on July 23. The development follows a letter sent to shareholders by two Tesla directors on Monday explaining the board’s decision to grant Musk a US$23.7 billion stock award.

Robyn Denholm, chair of Tesla’s board of directors, and Kathleen Wilson-Thompson, a director, said the decision was driven by Tesla’s transition from electric vehicles to AI and robotics.

The letter emphasizes the critical need to motivate Musk, stating that his involvement is essential for attracting and retaining talent at Tesla, especially as competition for AI talent intensifies.

5. Palantir reports solid growth in Q2

Major software company Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ:PLTR) reported its Q2 earnings on Monday, revealing revenue growth of 48 percent to US$1.003 billion. Shares of the company opened over 7 percent higher on Tuesday and continued to rise, finishing the week up nearly 18 percent.

Palantir Technologies performance, August 5 to 8, 2025.

Chart via Google Finance.

“This was a phenomenal quarter. We continue to see the astonishing impact of AI leverage,’ said Alex C. Karp, co-founder and CEO of Palantir, in a press release. “We are guiding to the highest sequential quarterly revenue growth in our company’s history, representing 50 percent year-over-year growth.”

Free cashflow rose by 282 percent to US$568.7 million. The company is projecting further revenue growth of around 49 percent in the third quarter. Its share price is up over 145 percent year-to-date after starting the year at US$76.20. As of Friday’s closing bell, shares of Palantir were trading for US$186.96.

Bitcoin and Ethereum price update

Bitcoin (BTC) was priced at US$116,454, down by 0.8 percent over the last 24 hours. Its lowest valuation on Friday was US$115,979, while its highest valuation was US$117,038.

Bitcoin price performance, August 8, 2025.

Chart via TradingView.

An executive order from the Trump administration about the addition of cryptocurrency investment options to federally regulated 401(k) retirement plans could trigger an influx of new capital and drive up Bitcoin’s price.

Separately, over US$1 billion in Bitcoin call options are set to activate if Bitcoin hits US$200,000 on December 26, when US$8.8 billion in options are set to expire; however, experts believe the presence of these call options reflects strategic positioning rather than a widespread belief in a year-end surge to that level. Cointelegraph analyst Marcel Pechman notes that pro traders are using far-out-of-the-money calls in structured strategies like diagonal spreads and inverse butterflies to manage risk and seek asymmetric upside, not as direct bets on extreme price targets.

Ethereum (ETH) was priced at US$4,053, up by 4.9 percent over the past 24 hours and its highest valuation of the day. Its lowest valuation on Friday was US$3,910 at the start of trading.

Altcoin price update

• Solana (SOL) was priced at US$178.05, up by 3.8 percent over 24 hours. Its lowest valuation on Friday was US$174.86, and its highest was US$179.36.

• XRP was trading for US$3.30, up by 6.6 percent in the past 24 hours. Its lowest valuation of the day was US$3.22, and its highest price was US$3.35.

• Sui (SUI) was trading at US$3.85, up 3.1 percent over the past 24 hours. Its lowest valuation of the day was US$3.73, and its highest was US$3.86.

• Cardano (ADA) was trading at US$0.7964, up by 4.2 percent over 24 hours. Its lowest valuation on Friday was US$0.7787, and its highest was US$0.8022.

Today’s crypto news to know

Trump order opens door for crypto and private equity in 401(k)s

US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order directing the Department of Labor to review its fiduciary rules for retirement plans, potentially clearing the way for assets like cryptocurrencies, private equity and real estate to be included in 401(k)s. While no laws have changed, the move signals a potential shift from the Biden era.

The Employee Retirement Income Security Act still requires fiduciaries to choose “prudent” investments, meaning employers will need to justify the inclusion of volatile or opaque assets. Legal experts say the order could influence how federal agencies interpret the rules, but it won’t override decades of court precedents on fiduciary duty.

For now, employers remain cautious due to the risk of lawsuits over imprudent or overly expensive options. Crypto in 401(k)s remains rare, though large firms like BlackRock are already exploring target-date funds with alternative assets.

SEC and Ripple dismiss appeals, ending lawsuit

Ripple and the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) have dismissed their respective appeals, effectively ending a five-year lawsuit, as per a brief filing on Thursday (August 7) with the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

“Following the Commission’s vote today, the SEC and Ripple formally filed directly with the Second Circuit to dismiss their appeals,” Ripple’s chief legal officer, Stuart Alderoty, wrote on X.

The SEC sued Ripple in 2020 for selling XRP as an unregistered security. A July 2023 ruling by Judge Analisa Torres found XRP was not a security when sold on public exchanges, but was when sold to institutional investors.

The SEC appealed, and Ripple cross appealed. However, this past April, both parties filed a joint motion to pause their appeals, hinting at a settlement. They settled in May, asking Torres to dissolve the injunction and lower the US$125 million fine. She denied that in June, stating that Ripple must still follow federal securities laws.

Following the announcement, open interest in XRP grew by over 15 percent in 24 hours and futures volumes rose by over 233 percent, according to Coinglass data.

Parataxis to go public via SPAC merger

Bitcoin asset manager Parataxis announced its plan to go public by merging with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) called SilverBox Corp. IV on Wednesday (August 6).

The deal aims to raise up to US$640 million to “support acceleration of digital asset purchases and support long-term strategy.’ It implies a total pro forma equity value of up to US$800 million for the combined company, assuming the US$10 share price and no redemptions. The new public company will be named Parataxis Holdings and will trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “PRTX.”

The company’s goal is to launch a yield-enhanced Bitcoin treasury strategy in the US and South Korea. The deal also includes an equity line of credit to raise additional funds. This will allow it to continue accumulating Bitcoin.

The company has already allocated US$31 million for an initial Bitcoin purchase.

Fundamental Global files to raise funds for ETH accumulation

Fundamental Global (NASDAQ:FGF), a new Ethereum treasury vehicle, has filed to raise US$5 billion, signaling the potential emergence of a new mega whale in the Ethereum market.

According to a Friday press release, the company aims to use the majority of the proceeds from a potential US$4 billion common stock offering to acquire a 10 percent stake in the Ethereum network.

“This US$5 billion shelf filing represents a significant step in our capital raising capabilities and positions us to move with speed and scale when capital deployment opportunities arise,” said CEO and Chairman Kyle Cerminara.

“We believe this framework will enable us to capitalize on ETH accumulation opportunities and support our target of a 10 percent stake in the Ethereum Network,’ he added.

Binance partners with Spain’s BBVA to bolster asset security

Binance is teaming up with Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (BBVA), Spain’s second largest bank, to give customers the option of storing their assets with a regulated custodian rather than directly on the exchange.

The arrangement is designed to reassure investors after Binance’s US$4.3 billion fine from US regulators in 2023 over anti-money laundering failures. With BBVA acting as an independent custodian, customer funds would remain secure even if Binance faced hacking, insolvency or further regulatory action.

The partnership leverages BBVA’s strong reputation for compliance and innovation, aiming to encourage more cautious investors to engage with crypto. The move also follows leadership changes at Binance, including founder Changpeng Zhao’s resignation and brief prison sentence, as the company works to repair its image.

Markets and commodities react

In Canada, equity markets were in positive territory this week.

The S&P/TSX Composite Index (INDEXTSI:OSPTX) posted steady gains through the week, moving up 2.16 percent to close at 27,758.68 on Friday. The S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index (INDEXTSI:JX) registered a 2.71 percent rise to 787.22. Meanwhile, the CSE Composite Index (CSE:CSECOMP) soared, gaining 8.99 percent to 142.78.

US equity markets were broadly down on Friday on new US tariffs and poor jobs data. The S&P 500 (INDEXSP:INX) rose 1.62 percent to 6,389.44, the Nasdaq 100 (INDEXNASDAQ:NDX) jumped 2.86 percent to 23,603.05 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDEXDJX:.DJI) gained 0.90 percent to 44,175.60.

In base metals, copper prices fell as low as US$4.41 per pound on Tuesday (August 5), but recovered to finish the week with a 0.67 percent gain to US$4.52.

Top Canadian mining stocks this week

How did mining stocks perform against this backdrop?

Take a look at 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. Mineral companies within the non-energy minerals, energy minerals, process industry and producer manufacturing sectors were considered.

1. Kirkland Lake Discoveries (TSXV:KLDC)

Weekly gain: 88.24 percent
Market cap: C$15.2 million
Share price: C$0.16

Kirkland Lake Discoveries is a gold-copper explorer focused on projects in its district-scale land package located in the Kirkland Lake area of Ontario, Canada. Its holdings span approximately 38,000 hectares in the Abitibi greenstone belt, an area that holds past-producing gold and copper mines. Its land is broadly divided into KL West and KL East, which contain the Goodfish-Kirana and Lucky Strike gold projects, respectively, among others.

On April 29, the company entered a mining option agreement with Val-d’Or Mining (TSXV:VZZ) to acquire the Winnie Lake and Amikougami properties, as well as mining claim purchase agreements with two vendors to acquire further claims around the Winnie Lake Pluton. The properties expand KL West’s southern portion.

On Wednesday (August 6), the company initiated an inaugural diamond drill program at KL West and Winnie Lake. The program is designed to follow up on historic drill results as well as recent surface exploration.

About 2,000 meters of drilling are planned, and the company expects it to be completed by the end of August. Kirkland stated that assays will be released as they are received and interpreted.

2. Avanti Helium (TSXV:AVN)

Weekly gain: 78.95 percent
Market cap: C$15.2 million
Share price: C$0.17

Avanti Helium is an explorer and developer focused on advancing helium assets in Canada and the US toward production. Its Greater Knappen projects are composed of several areas in Southern Alberta, Canada, and Northern Montana, US. The combined land packages cover approximately 74,000 acres with multiple targets.

According to its project page, Avanti has drilled three exploration wells in Montana, with two testing for a combined 18.5 million cubic feet per day gas rate with 1.1 percent helium concentration.

The company’s Leader project consists of a combined land package of 91,000 acres in Southern Saskatchewan. The surrounding region has seen 84 wells drilled by other companies since 2016, and as of September 2023, it hosted approximately 25 wells producing 450,000 cubic feet of helium per day.

Avanti gained this week after it announced on Thursday (August 7) that it has signed a multi-year offtake agreement with a global industrial gas supplier. The buyer has committed to a minimum monthly volume from Avanti’s Sweetgrass helium recovery unit in Montana, for 33 percent of the initial plant output and 25 percent following a planned expansion.

3. Discovery Energy Metals (CSE:DEMC)

Weekly gain: 68.57 percent
Market cap: C$17.08 million
Share price: C$0.295

Discovery Energy Metals is a lithium explorer working to advance interests in Québec and BC, Canada. Most of the company’s land holdings are in Québec, where it has interests in over 225,000 hectares.

On March 20, the company released assays from a fall 2024 exploration program focused on its Eeyou Istchee James Bay properties. It reported values including 82 parts per million tantalum pentoxide and 101 parts per million cesium oxide at Cirrus East, and 0.66 g/t gold and 0.56 percent zinc at its Mantle property.

Discovery announced on June 25 that it had completed the acquisition of eight mineral claims over 5,283 hectares at the Crystal Lake property in BC. The company acquired the property in a deal with Zimtu Capital (TSXV:ZC).

Early stage exploration work at the property was carried out between 2009 and 2010, and included a magnetic survey and grab samples, which returned up to 0.7 percent copper with elevated gold and silver.

The most recent news from Discovery came on July 15, when it announced a non-brokered private placement for up to 10 million units for gross proceeds of up to C$1 million.

4. Abcourt Mines (TSXV:ABI)

Weekly gain: 66.67 percent
Market cap: C$45.53 million
Share price: C$0.075

Abcourt Mines is a gold exploration and development company focused on operations at its Sleeping Giant mine in the Abitibi region of Québec. The property consists of four mining leases covering an area of 458 hectares and 69 claims. The site hosts an underground mine along with a mill capable of processing 750 metric tons per day.

A July 2023 preliminary economic assessment demonstrates an after-tax net present value of US$77.5 million with an internal rate of return of 33.3 percent over a payback period of 2.2 years.

The company has been working on restarting mining operations at the site throughout 2025.

On Thursday, it provided an update on progress from Sleeping Giant, stating that teams had begun the rehabilitation of underground openings, as well as preparations at the mill for the first stope at the end of July. It also said it had built a surface stockpile of approximately 1,000 metric tons of ore and started work on a tailings facility. Once complete, pulp storage will be good until 2032 at the proposed mining rate of 100,000 to 125,000 metric tons per year.

5. Scorpio Gold (TSXV:SGN)

Weekly gain: 64.71 percent
Market cap: C$60.93 million
Share price: C$0.28

Scorpio Gold is an exploration and development company focused on the advancement of its Manhattan District in the Walker Lane Trend in Nevada, US. The district is composed of the 6,071 acre Manhattan project, which hosts two past-producing open-pit mines, Reliance and Manhattan, as well as the fully permitted Goldwedge underground mine.

Scorpio acquired the project from Kinross Gold (TSX:K,NYSE:KGC) in 2021.

The most recent update from the project came on June 19, when Scorpio announced it was commencing a Phase 1 diamond drill program. The focus is on targets at the Gap zone, the Zanzibar trend and Mustang Hill. Up to 3,400 meters have been planned, with results contributing to an initial mineral resource estimate, which is expected in Q3.

FAQs for Canadian mining stocks

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.

Source: The White House.

Fort Knox gold

The US Department of the Treasury’s Weekly Release of US Foreign Exchange Reserves shows the levels of various official assets, including gold. It reported gold of 261.499 million fine troy ounces. An estimated 56 percent of that is in Fort Knox, with the remainder in West Point, Denver and New York.

The Federal Reserve Act 1913 still gives the power to the US Federal Reserve: “To deal in gold coin and bullion at home or abroad, to make loans thereon, exchange Federal reserve notes for gold, gold coin, or gold certificates, and to contract for loans of gold coin or bullion (and much more).”

The question of how much gold is in Fort Knox and elsewhere is not only important for the purposes of DOGE, but even more so in the case of a potential return to a gold standard. And such an incredible return is not mere speculation, but is due to some credible public comments.

Source: Visual Capitalist.

Trump gold standard

Private citizen Trump commented, as a presidential candidate, about a possible return to a gold standard in June 2016, when he said: “Bringing back the gold standard would be very hard to do, but, boy, would it be wonderful. We’d have a standard on which to base our money.”

More recently, Steve Bannon stated in December 2023: “Nixon took us off the gold standard … over a weekend … in an emergency executive order. That is going to be reviewed strongly in the second Trump term … getting rid of the Fed, yeah, maybe you start with converting back into gold.”

Economist Judy Shelton has an October 2024 book as a guide: “When the US dollar is backed by gold, America prospers, and so does the rest of the world. But this is no curmudgeonly demand to return to the gold standard of yore; (but) gold for a new international monetary order.”

Some sort of gold standard might dovetail with a new global trading system, as outlined in the “Mar-a-Largo Accord” of November 2024, as well as with the GENIUS Act of July 2025, which: “establishes a regulatory framework for payment stablecoins (must redeem for a fixed value).”

Shadow gold price I

Shadow pricing is a method long used in cost benefit analysis that adjusts prices from, or creates prices for, failed or non-existent markets. The shadow price of gold (SPoG) in August 2018 was defined as: “The linkage between the US monetary base and the implied price of gold.”

The In Gold We Trust (IGWT) annual report from May 2025 uses a similar definition: “The theoretical gold price in the event of full gold backing of the base money supply.” The report adds: “The reciprocal value of the (SPoG) gives the degree of coverage of the monetary base.”

The reciprocal SPoG, based on current market prices, is the “Gold Coverage Ratio” (GCR). The report explains further that: “Currently, the (GCR) in the US is only 14.5%. To put it crudely: Only 14.5 cents of every US dollar currently consists of gold, the remaining 85.5% is air.”

Gold backing of monetary base, in percent, 01/1920 to 03/2025.

Source: Incrementum.

Shadow gold price II

According to IGWT: “In the gold bull market of the 2000s, (GCR) tripled from 10.8% to 29.7%. A comparable (GCR) today would only arise if the gold price were to almost double to over $6,000. The record value of 131% from 1980 would correspond to a gold price of around $30,000.”

IGWT goes beyond just $USD: “The international shadow gold price (ISPoG) shows how high the gold price would have to rise if the money supply (M0 or M2) of the leading currency areas were covered by the central banks’ gold reserves in proportion to their share of global GDP.”

“This view impressively reveals the extent of the monetary expansion: With an — admittedly purely theoretical — 100% coverage of the broad money supply M2, the gold price (per ounce) would be over $231,000; even with a moderate 25% coverage, it would be around $58,000.”

International shadow gold price at different gold coverage levels (log), in USD, 12/2024.

Source: Incrementum.

Shadow gold price III

In May 2024, James Rickards predicted: “My latest forecast is that gold may actually exceed $27,000. I don’t say that to get attention or to shock people. It’s not a guess; it’s the result of rigorous analysis.”

This was based on a similar approach to SPoG and GCR that he called “the implied non-deflationary price of gold under a new gold standard (iPoG).” Rickards calculated a gold price, based on iPoG, of $27,533 per ounce.”

He divided US$7.2 trillion of M1 money supply by 261.5 million of gold troy ounces (or 8,133 metric tonnes) in official US reserves estimated by the World Gold Council. The M1 figure is 40 percent of US$17.9 trillion as: “this percentage was the legal requirement for the US Federal Reserve from 1913 to 1946.”

In summary, the sort of gold prices that might be reached under a return to a gold standard, using the shadow price of gold approach, range from lows of US$6,000 to highs of US$231,000, with US$27,533, US$30,000 and US$58,000 in between.

Whatever the gold price ends up at, it would be a once-in-a-lifetime windfall for those holding gold at that time. After that, gold would cease to be an investment, as it has been since 1971 and 1974. Because gold would be actual money once again, and it would be sound money at that.

About Darren Brady Nelson

Darren Brady Nelson is chief economist with Fisher Liberty Gold and policy advisor to The Heartland Institute. He previously was economic advisor to Australian Senator Malcolm Roberts. He authored the Ten Principles of Regulation and Reform, and the CPI-X approach to budget cuts.

Potash and phosphate price forecast for 2025

The phosphate market is unlikely to change in the near term.

There isn’t much expectation that China will increase supply, and while there are some significant projects in the works, how many will enter the production is yet to be seen as demand continues to increase from the battery sector.

Linville sees a continuation of current trends, noting that the market isn’t in a place to recover quickly:

“A major discussion point has been surrounding demand destruction that is anticipated. The hope is that this will help values to fall. Unfortunately, I think the market continues to underestimate how bad of a shape phosphate is in.’

As for potash, Linville expects the market to maintain stability.

“My longer-term outlook is that potash values will see relatively little price volatility, and that lower prices should become common. However, the stage appears set for 2025. Summer fill programs have been successful. Demand continues to look good. Anything is possible, but it appears price structures for potash are stable to higher,” he said.

Bitcoin and Ethereum price update

Bitcoin (BTC) was priced at US$116,381, trading flat over the last 24 hours. Its highest valuation on Friday was US$116,112, while its lowest valuation was US$117,596.

Bitcoin price performance, August 8, 2025.

Chart via TradingView

Ethereum (ETH) was priced at US$3,956.05, up by 3.3 percent over the past 24 hours. Its lowest valuation on Friday was US$3,806.16, and its highest was US$3,997.11.

Altcoin price update

• Solana (SOL) was priced at US$175.34, up by 2.8 percent over 24 hours. Its lowest valuation on Friday was US$168.36, and its highest was US$178.02.

• XRP was trading for US$3.24, up by 6.1 percent in the past 24 hours. Its lowest valuation of the day was US$3.03, and its highest valuation was US$3.37.

• Sui (SUI) is trading at US$3.75, up 0.5 percent over the past 24 hours. Its lowest valuation of the day was US$3.67, and its highest was US$3.88.

• Cardano (ADA) was trading at US$0.7825, up by 2.9 percent over 24 hours. Its lowest valuation on Friday was US$0.7521, and its highest was US$0.8044.

Today’s crypto news to know

Ethereum breaks US$4,000 as Ripple and Chainlink spark altcoin rally

Ethereum surged past US$4,000 early Friday, hitting near year-to-date highs amid a broader rally in altcoins led by Ripple and Chainlink.

XRP jumped up to 8 percent after Ripple announced a US$200 million acquisition of Rail, a stablecoin payments platform designed to expand its cross-border settlement network.

Chainlink’s LINK token rose as much as 11 percent following news of its new Chainlink Reserve, which will accumulate LINK using revenue from institutional and on-chain fees.

Other major coins, including Solana, also saw gains in early trading. Ripple’s deal aims to integrate stablecoin pay-ins and payouts for USD and other currencies without requiring businesses to hold crypto.

The rally also coincided with President Trump’s executive order promoting alternative assets like crypto in retirement accounts, adding to bullish sentiment in the market.

Trump order opens door for Crypto and private equity in 401(k)s

President Trump has signed an executive order directing the Labor Department to review its fiduciary rules for retirement plans, potentially clearing the way for assets like cryptocurrency, private equity, and real estate to be included in 401(k)s.

While no laws have changed, the move signals a shift from the Biden-era stance that warned against crypto in retirement accounts.

The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) still requires fiduciaries to choose “prudent” investments, meaning employers will need to justify the inclusion of volatile or opaque assets. Legal experts say the order could influence how federal agencies interpret the rules, but it won’t override decades of court precedents on fiduciary duty.

For now, employers remain cautious due to the risk of lawsuits over imprudent or overly expensive options. Crypto in 401(k)s remains rare, though large firms like BlackRock are already exploring target-date funds with alternative assets.

Binance artners with Spain’s BBVA to bolster asset security

Binance is teaming up with Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (BBVA), Spain’s second-largest bank, to give customers the option of storing their assets with a regulated custodian rather than directly on the exchange.

The arrangement is designed to reassure investors after Binance’s US$4.3 billion fine from US regulators in 2023 over anti–money laundering failures.

With BBVA acting as an independent custodian, customer funds would remain secure even if Binance faced hacking, insolvency, or further regulatory action. The partnership leverages BBVA’s strong reputation for compliance and innovation, aiming to encourage more cautious investors to engage with crypto.

The move also follows leadership changes at Binance, including founder Changpeng Zhao’s resignation and brief prison sentence, as the company works to repair its image.