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April 16, 2025

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Is This the Confidence Trap That Could Wreck Your Retirement Portfolio?

Stock 4 Mins Read

If last weekend’s tech tariff exemptions teach us anything, it’s this: trying to make near-term market forecasts based on tariff assumptions is a fool’s errand.

But that leaves a big question for active investors near or in retirement: How do you make smart decisions when the market’s running on chaos?

On Monday morning, when all three broader U.S. stock market indexes were in the green, I pulled up the new StockCharts Market Summary page and glanced at the Keller Market Models panel to check the S&P 500’s short-term, medium-term, and long-term trend positions. According to this model’s forecast, the S&P 500, despite its short- and medium-term declines, still has its uptrend intact. If this reading of the market environment remains as is, then perhaps it’s time to look for signs of a major reversal to the upside.

But what if the bullish reversal isn’t broad-based? What if it moves by sectors instead?

One way to check is by looking at the Bullish Percent Indexes (BPIs) within the Market Summary. Here’s what it showed on Monday:

FIGURE 1. BULLISH PERCENT INDEXES.  Looking at the sectors—gold miners isn’t a sector—Consumer Staples and Utilities were the two that showed signs of hope.

The BPI is a breadth indicator that tells you the percentage of stocks (within a given index) generating Point & Figure Buy Signals.

An early warning bullish alert is triggered when the BPI is below 30% and then forms a new column of X’s (rises). On Monday, the only two sectors flashing these alerts were Consumer Staples (42.11%) and Utilities (45.16%). However, there’s a less obvious issue here. If the S&P 500’s long-term uptrend holds and eventually pulls the short- and medium-term trends higher, the leadership matters.

Defensive sectors don’t typically drive or sustain bull markets. These sectors are where investors go when they’re playing it safe, not when they are betting on growth. In contrast, sectors like Technology or Consumer Discretionary usually take the lead in a true risk-on environment.

Take a look at the Consumer Staples BPI chart.

FIGURE 2. CONSUMER STAPLES BPI. Watch how price reacts to the support (magenta lines) and resistance ranges (blue-shaded area).

Using the Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLP) as a sector proxy, watch how its price reacts to key near-term resistance levels (marked by magenta lines) and the support zone (blue-shaded area). The ZigZag overlay highlights swing highs and lows, helping you spot the near-term trend: higher highs and higher lows (HH + HL) signal an uptrend, while lower highs and lower lows (LH + LL) indicate a downtrend. While the BPI for staples is flashing a bull alert, it is price action that ultimately defines the trend and provides the setup for whether to act or sit tight.

Now, switch over to the Utilities sector BPI chart, using the Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLU) as a proxy.

FIGURE 3. UTILITIES SECTOR BPI. Pay attention to the lower side of the price channel.

While XLU faces a sideways range scenario similar to XLP, utilities are managing to make lower lows. This is why I used Price Channels here, whereas, in the Consumer Staples example, I overlaid a ZigZag line—the channels can better illustrate this subtle detail.

Does this indicate relative weakness in XLU vs. XLP? Possibly, but it depends on whether XLU’s price swings can penetrate the upper channel (resistance) while staying above the lower channel (support), which it previously failed to do.

But to answer the question of relative performance, this PerfCharts shows that XLU has been outperforming XLP—and both have outpaced the S&P 500—over the last year.

FIGURE 4. COMPARING THE PERFORMANCE OF THE S&P 500, XLU, & XLP. Is the Utilities sector overbought or taking a breather?

Whether Utilities have room for further upside is largely dependent on the broader market environment, which, for now, remains unpredictable. So keep an eye on the technical levels instead.

What to Do Now

Defensive sectors don’t lead bull markets; they are the sectors where investors hide out during turbulence. Right now, the market feels less like a cycle and more like a geopolitical chess match, where the moves are unpredictable, unorthodox, and hard to price in. If you decide to go “defensive,” Consumer Staples and Utilities may make sense, but only if the price action supports your goals, and likely only as a short-term play.

That said, if you’re nearing retirement, it’s just as important to keep capital on the sidelines—ready to go on “offense” when the broader bull market kicks back in.

Disclaimer: This blog is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. The ideas and strategies should never be used without first assessing your own personal and financial situation, or without consulting a financial professional.

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Jindalee Lithium

Investing 11 Mins Read

Investor Insight

With compelling economic metrics demonstrated through its new prefeasibility study, Jindalee Lithium’s McDermitt Project presents a strong case for investors to gain exposure to this critical mineral and participate in the global clean energy transition.

Overview

Jindalee Lithium (ASX:JLL,OTCQX:JNDAF) is an Australia-based pure-play US lithium company focused exclusively on its 100-percent-owned McDermitt Lithium Project, currently one of the largest lithium deposits in the US, boasting a resource of 21.5 million tons (Mt) of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE).

Backed by a newly released (November 2024) prefeasibility study (PFS) demonstrating very compelling economics, the McDermitt Project is poised to play a crucial role in meeting North America’s growing lithium demand for the lucrative battery value chain.

As the US continues to transition to energy independence, demand for lithium is expected to exponentially increase. Jindalee’s McDermitt Project, located in southeast Oregon, is a game-changer for North American lithium supply, critical for meeting the demands of the fast-growing electric vehicle, energy storage and defense sectors.

McDermitt also stands to significantly benefit from the US government’s policies and incentives to boost domestic supply of critical resources. In fact, in a move that signifies the US government’s support of the McDermitt Lithium Project, the US Department of Energy’s Ames National Laboratory signed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with Jindalee’s subsidiary HiTech Minerals to develop cutting-edge extraction methods for the McDermitt Project. The Ames National Laboratory spearheads the DOE’s Critical Materials Innovation Hub.

Key milestones in the US lithium resource space also provide significant insights into the future prospects for Jindalee’s project. Lithium Americas (TSX:LAC), for instance, has received a total of US$945 million investment from General Motors, which will fund the development, construction and operation of the Thacker Pass project in Humboldt County, Nevada. In October 2024 LAC closed a $2.3 billion loan from the US Department of Energy and in April 2025 announced the Final Investment Decision for Thacker Pass following a $250 million investment from Orion Resource Partners.

Another lithium resource developer in Nevada, Australia-based Ioneer (ASX:INR) has closed a US$996 million loan guarantee from the US Department of Energy to finance the development of its flagship Rhyolite Ridge lithium-boron project.

The US government has taken further action to bolster domestic critical mineral production. On 20 March 2025, President Trump issued a significant executive order titled ‘Immediate Measures to Increase American Mineral Production’, underscoring the urgency and strategic imperative of increasing domestic supply chains for critical minerals. This order builds on previous initiatives by fast-tracking the permitting processes, prioritizing access to mineral-rich federal lands, clarifying regulatory frameworks, and mobilizing substantial financial resources – including Defense Production Act (DPA) funds – towards domestic mineral projects.

As one of the largest lithium resources in the US and situated on federal lands, Jindalee’s McDermitt Lithium Project stands to potentially benefit from these accelerated permitting processes and enhanced government support mechanisms. The clear commitment demonstrated by the US administration highlights the critical strategic advantage of domestically located mineral assets such as McDermitt, reinforcing its importance in securing robust domestic supply chains, essential for energy security

These are just a few examples of current market dynamics that point to a rapidly accelerating lithium resource development in the US.

An experienced management team, with the right blend of experience and expertise in geology, corporate administration and international finance, leads Jindalee to fully capitalize on the potential of its assets.

Company Highlights

  • Jindalee Lithium is focused on its wholly owned flagship McDermitt Lithium Project, one of the largest lithium deposits in the US.
  • McDermitt’s new prefeasibility study shows strong project economics, including a US$3.23 post-tax NPV8 based on the first 40 years of a 63 year-year mine life.
  • Jindalee is committed to strengthening the North American critical minerals supply chain by reducing US reliance on foreign lithium, thereby enhancing energy security.
  • The company’s wholly owned US subsidiary HiTech Minerals Inc, has executed a strategic Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with Ames National Laboratory, which leads the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Critical Materials Innovation (CMI) Hub.
  • The company’s McDermitt deposit is sediment-hosted, an emerging style of lithium deposit with the potential to be a large scale, long-life, low-cost source of lithium.
  • Ideally positioned to benefit from US administration’s push to increased domestic mineral production via permitting reformed increased funding.
  • An experienced management team leads Jindalee towards capitalizing on the potential of its assets.

Key Project

McDermitt Lithium Project Economics

The economic metrics revealed in the PFS paint a compelling picture of the McDermitt Lithium Project’s potential:

Production Capacity: The Project is set to produce 1.8 Mt of battery-grade lithium carbonate over its first 40 years, with an annual output forecast of 47,500 tons per annum (tpa) in the initial 10 years, tapering to 44,300 tpa over the first 40 years.

Financial Metrics: The Project boasts a net present value (NPV) of US$3.23 billion at an 8 percent discount rate, with an internal rate of return (IRR) of 17.9 percent. These figures underscore the Project’s strong economic viability.

Payback Period: Investors can expect a payback period of less than five years, a relatively short timeframe for a project of this magnitude.

Break-even Price: The break-even NPV price is approximately US$14,600/t of lithium carbonate, providing a buffer against market fluctuations.

The PFS estimates a total project cost of US$3.02 billion, which includes a prudent 21 percent contingency margin. This substantial investment is balanced by impressive profitability projections, including an EBITDA margin of 66 percent generating post-tax free cash flow of US$6.6 billion during the first decade of operations. With a pre-tax net operating cashflow margin of 17 percent at current spot prices, McDermitt shows strong cash generation potential.

These financial indicators suggest that McDermitt is not only economically viable but potentially highly profitable, positioning it as an attractive prospect for investors and strategic partners alike.

Project Overview

The McDermitt Project is located in Malheur County on the Oregon-Nevada border and is approximately 35 kilometres west of the town of McDermitt. The 100-percent-owned asset covers 54.6 square kilometres of claims at the northern end of the McDermitt volcanic caldera.

The Project is characterized by its unique sedimentary lithium deposits, primarily composed of lithium-bearing clays, a geological formation that sets McDermitt apart from many other lithium projects worldwide. This sedimentary nature of the deposit offers several advantages:

  • Consistent grade distribution throughout the ore body
  • Potential for large-scale, low-cost mining operations
  • Amenability to environmentally friendly extraction methods

The lithium-rich clays at McDermitt are part of a broader geological context that includes volcanic tuffs and sedimentary rocks. This geological setting is indicative of a complex depositional history, which has resulted in the concentration of lithium in economically viable quantities.

The 2023 mineral resources estimate (MRE) for the McDermitt Project contains a combined indicated and inferred mineral resource inventory of 3 billion tons at 1,340 parts per million (ppm) lithium for a total of 21.5 Mt LCE at 1,000 ppm cut-off grade.

Project Highlights:

  • Rare Sediment-hosted Lithium Deposits: The McDermitt asset supports low-cost mining operations due to its flat-lying sediments. This type of lithium deposit is amenable to low-cost mining operations, while still producing excellent metallurgical results.
  • A 62 percent resource increase in early 2023: Compilation of the 2022 drilling results saw the estimated indicated and inferred resources at McDermitt increase to 3 billion tons at 1,340 ppm lithium, a 62 percent increase in contained lithium.
  • Fluor recommended processing route: In March 2023, US engineering group Fluor reviewed all testwork undertaken at McDermitt and recommended beneficiation and acid leaching as the optimal processing route.
  • Completion of the PFS outlines large scale, long life and low cost source of American made battery grade lithium chemicals (November 2024)

Management Team

Ian Rodger – Chief Executive Officer

Ian Rodger is a qualified mining business executive with almost 15 years of experience in various roles including as a mining engineer for Rio Tinto across two large greenfield mine developments, before successfully transitioning into mining corporate finance where he held Executive and Director positions at RFC Ambrian overseeing origination and management of numerous mandates across a range of corporate advisory roles. Rodger was the project director for Oz Minerals (ASX:OZL) where he made significant contributions to successfully define the value potential of the West Musgrave nickel/copper province through the delivery of a portfolio of growth studies. Most notably, he led technical, market and partnership development workstreams, successfully confirming value potential for producing an intermediate Nickel product for the battery value chain.

Rodger holds a Bachelor of Mining Engineering from the University of Queensland, a Masters of Mineral Economics from Curtin University and is also a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.

Lindsay Dudfield – Executive Director

Lindsay Dudfield is a geologist with over 40 years of experience in multi-commodity exploration, primarily within Australia. He held senior positions with the mineral divisions of Amoco and Exxon. In 1987, he became a founding director of Dalrymple Resources NL and spent the following eight years helping acquire and explore Dalrymple’s properties, leading to several greenfield discoveries. In late 1994, Lindsay joined the board of Horizon Mining NL (Jindalee Lithium’s predecessor) and has been responsible for managing Jindalee Lithium since inception. Lindsay is a member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, the Australian Institute of Geoscientists, the Geological Society of Australia and the Society of Economic Geologists. He is also a non-executive director of Jindalee spin-out companies Energy Metals (ASX:EME), Dynamic Metals (ASX:DYM) and Alchemy Resources (ASX:ALY).

Wayne Zekulich – Non-executive Chair

Wayne Zekulich was appointed to the board as Chair on 1 February 2024. He holds a Bachelor of Business and is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants. Zekulich is a consultant and non-executive director who has substantial experience in advising, structuring and financing transactions in the infrastructure and resources sectors. He was previously the head of Rothschild in Perth, chief financial officer of Gindalbie Metals Limited, chief development officer of Oakajee Port and Rail and a consultant to a global investment bank. Currently, he is chair of Pantoro (ASX:PNR) and non-executive director of the Western Australian Treasury Corporation. In the not-for-profit sector, he is the past chair of the Lester Prize and is a mentor in the Kilfinan program.

Darren Wates – Non-executive Director

Darren Wates is a corporate lawyer with over 23 years of experience in equity capital markets, mergers and acquisitions, resources, project acquisitions/divestments and corporate governance gained through private practice and in-house roles in Western Australia. Wates is the founder and principal of Corpex Legal, a Perth-based legal practice providing corporate, commercial and resources related legal services, primarily to small and mid-cap ASX listed companies. In this role, he has provided consulting general counsel services to ASX listed company Neometals (ASX:NMT), having previously been employed as legal counsel of Neometals. Wates holds Bachelor’s degrees in Law and Commerce and a Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance and Investment.

Paul Brown – Non-executive Director

Paul Brown has over 23 years of experience in the mining industry, most recently with Mineral Resources (ASX:MIN) where he was chief executive – lithium, and chief executive – commodities. Brown has held senior operating roles with Leighton, HWE and Fortescue (ASX:FMG) and has a strong track record in technical leadership, project/studies management, and mine planning and management. Brown is currently CEO of Core Lithium (ASX:CXO). He holds a Master in Mine Engineering.

Brett Marsh – VP Geology and Development (US)

Brett Marsh is an AIPG certified professional geologist and a registered member of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration (SME) with over 25 years of diverse mining and geological experience. He has worked for and held senior leadership roles for Kastan Mining, Luna Gold, Kiska Metals, Newmont, Freeport-McMoRan, Phelps Dodge, ASARCO and consulted to deliver numerous NI 43-101 technical reports. Marsh has demonstrated the ability to deliver results in culturally diverse and geographically difficult environments, such as Brazil, Peru, Chile, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Tanzania, Indonesia, Australia, and has also worked in remote areas of Alaska. He has managed all phases of the mining lifecycle including greenfield and brownfield exploration, project development (including preliminary economic assessments, pre-feasibility and feasibility), project construction, mine operations, and environmental. He successfully led multi-cultural teams to develop business processes and implementation plans for many mine development and operational projects.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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Blue Sky Uranium Increases and Closes 2nd and Final Tranche of the Oversubscribed Non-Brokered Private Placement

Investing 4 Mins Read

/NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES /

TSX Venture Exchange (TSX-V): BSK
Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FSE): MAL2
OTCQB Venture Market (OTC): BKUCF

Blue Sky Uranium Corp. (TSXV: BSK) (FSE: MAL2) (OTC: BKUCF), (‘Blue Sky’ or the ‘Company’) is pleased to announce that due to continued strong demand, the Company has increased the non-brokered private placement offering (the ‘ Offering ‘) to up to $1,649,800 in aggregate gross proceeds. All other terms of the Offering will remain the same as originally announced in the Company’s News Release dated March 27, 2025 .

The Company further announces that it has closed the second and final tranche of the non-brokered private placement through the issuance of 8,660,000 units at a subscription price of $0.05 per Unit for aggregate gross proceeds to the Company of $433,000 . In total, the Company issued 32,996,000 Units for total gross proceeds of $1,649,800 .

Each Unit consists of one common share and one warrant (a ‘ Warrant ‘). Each Warrant will entitle the holder thereof to purchase one additional common share in the capital of the Company at $0.07 per share for four years from the date of issue, expiring on April 16, 2029 for this tranche.

Finder’s fees of $4,900 are payable in cash on a portion of the private placement to parties at arm’s length to the Company. In addition, 98,000 non-transferable finder’s warrants are issuable (the ‘ Finder’s   Warrants ‘).  Each Finder’s Warrant entitles a finder to purchase one common share at a price of $0.05 per share for four years from the date of issue, expiring on April 16, 2029 for this tranche. In total, cash finders’ fees of $29,960 were paid and 599,200 Finders’ Warrants were issued for the Offering.

No insiders participated in this tranche.

This Offering is subject to regulatory approval and all securities to be issued pursuant to the Offering in this final tranche are subject to a four-month hold period under applicable Canadian securities laws expiring on August 16, 2025 . The proceeds of the Offering will be used for general working capital.

About Blue Sky Uranium Corp.

Blue Sky Uranium Corp. is a leader in uranium discovery in Argentina . The Company’s objective is to deliver exceptional returns to shareholders by rapidly advancing a portfolio of surficial uranium deposits into low-cost producers, while respecting the environment, the communities, and the cultures in all the areas in which we work. Blue Sky has the exclusive right to properties in two provinces in Argentina . The Company’s flagship Amarillo Grande Project was an in-house discovery of a new district that has the potential to be both a leading domestic supplier of uranium to the growing Argentine market and a new international market supplier. The Company is a member of the Grosso Group, a resource management group that has pioneered exploration in Argentina since 1993.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

‘Nikolaos Cacos’
______________________________________
Nikolaos Cacos , President, CEO and Director

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

The securities being offered have not been, nor will they be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons absent U.S. federal and state registration or an applicable exemption from the U.S. registration requirements. This release does not constitute an offer for sale of securities in the United States .

SOURCE Blue Sky Uranium Corp.

View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/April2025/16/c5118.html

News Provided by Canada Newswire via QuoteMedia

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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Cardiol Therapeutics Enrolls First Patient in Pivotal Phase III MAVERIC Trial in Recurrent Pericarditis

Investing 9 Mins Read

  • Designed to assess the impact of CardiolRx on preventing episodes of recurrent pericarditis, the first patient has been randomized by Northwestern University in Chicago.

  • Based on a successful end-of-Phase II meeting with the US FDA and subject to MAVERIC outcomes, Cardiol believes the results from MAVERIC will support a New Drug Application.

  • Data from Cardiol’s Phase II MAvERIC-Pilot study presented at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2024 showed that pericarditis patients treated with CardiolRx experienced marked and rapid reductions in pericarditis pain and inflammation, and a substantial reduction in the number of pericarditis recurrences per year.

  • Recurrent pericarditis is a debilitating heart condition that results in chest pain, shortness of breath and fatigue, physical limitations, reduced quality of life, and hospitalizations.

  • CardiolRx, which has been granted US FDA Orphan Drug Designation for this indication, is a small molecule oral drug targeting inflammasome pathway activation that is central to the development and progression of pericarditis.

Toronto, Ontario–(Newsfile Corp. – April 16, 2025) – Cardiol Therapeutics Inc. ( NASDAQ: CRDL) (TSX: CRDL) (‘Cardiol‘ or the ‘Company‘), a clinical-stage life sciences company focused on developing anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic therapies for the treatment of heart disease, announced today that Northwestern University has enrolled the first patient in the pivotal Phase III MAVERIC trial (‘MAVERIC’) evaluating Cardiol’s lead drug candidate CardiolRx for the prevention of recurrent pericarditis. This multi-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial is designed to definitively assess the impact of CardiolRx on preventing recurrent pericarditis in patients at high risk for disease relapse and to support regulatory approval.

MAVERIC is currently being initiated at pre-eminent cardiovascular clinical research sites throughout the United States under an Investigational New Drug application authorized by the United States Food and Drug Administration (‘US FDA’). The MAVERIC Program and Phase III leadership comprises an independent committee of international thought leaders in pericardial disease and clinical trial design: Allan Klein, MD, CM from Cleveland Clinic (MAVERIC Program Chair); Massimo Imazio, MD, FESC from University of Udine, Italy (MAVERIC Program Co-Chair); Paul Cremer, MD from Northwestern University (MAVERIC Trial Principal Investigator); Allen Luis, MBBS, PhD from Mayo Clinic Rochester (MAvERIC-Pilot Principal Investigator); Antonio Abbate, MD, PhD from University of Virginia; and, Stephen Nicholls, MBBS, PhD from Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.

‘Recurrent pericarditis remains a challenging condition to manage and can significantly impact patients’ quality of life. There is a pressing need for new treatment options earlier in the care pathway, before resorting to second- and third-line therapies such as corticosteroids or IL-1 blockers,’ commented Paul C. Cremer, MD, MAVERIC Trial Principal Investigator. ‘In collaboration with research centers across the United States, Canada, and Europe, we look forward to completing this important study of a new oral therapy with the potential to improve the treatment paradigm for this underserved patient population.’

‘Initiation of the MAVERIC Phase III trial is an important milestone in our Company’s efforts to provide a more accessible, non-immunosuppressive therapeutic option for thousands of pericarditis patients. We congratulate Dr. Cremer and his colleagues at Northwestern for recruiting MAVERIC’s first patient and we are grateful for the interest shown by our collaborators from other leading pericardial disease centers who will be participating in the study,’ said David Elsley, President and CEO of Cardiol Therapeutics. ‘Based on the strength and consistency of the data from our Phase II MAvERIC-Pilot study, we believe that CardiolRx can make a meaningful difference in the lives of pericarditis patients.’

MAVERIC is a Phase III, multi-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial designed to enroll 110 patients with recurrent pericarditis at approximately 20 clinical sites across the United States, Canada, and Europe. Patients who have been treated with an interleukin-1 (‘IL-1’) blocker for at least 12 months and are scheduled to have this treatment discontinued, will be randomly assigned to receive either CardiolRx or placebo following cessation of the IL-1 blocker. Discontinuation of IL-1 blocker therapy is associated with a high risk for recurrence and has been reported to occur within 12 weeks in up to 75% of patients. The primary clinical objective of the trial will be to assess the impact of CardiolRx versus placebo on freedom from a new episode of recurrent pericarditis at 24 weeks. Other clinical endpoints include time to a new episode of pericarditis recurrence, and changes in patient-reported pericarditis chest pain score and changes to the inflammatory marker C-reactive protein.

MAVERIC, formerly referred to as MAVERIC-2, follows positive results from Cardiol’s Phase II MAvERIC-Pilot study. Data from MAvERIC-Pilot were previously reported on November 18 at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2024 and showed that patients experienced marked and rapid reductions in both pericarditis pain and inflammation that were maintained throughout the study. In addition, the results demonstrated a substantial reduction in pericarditis episodes per year. Treatment with CardiolRx was shown to be safe and well tolerated in a patient population who presented with a high degree of disease burden.

About Pericarditis

Pericarditis refers to inflammation of the pericardium (the membrane or sac that surrounds the heart), which frequently results from a viral infection. Patients may have multiple recurrences following that initial episode, and the primary goal of treatment is recurrence prevention. Symptoms include debilitating chest pain, shortness of breath and fatigue, resulting in physical limitations, reduced quality of life, emergency department visits, and hospitalizations. Significant accumulation of pericardial fluid and scarring can progress to life-threatening constriction of the heart. The only FDA-approved therapy for recurrent pericarditis, launched in 2021, is costly and is primarily used as a third-line intervention. On an annual basis, the number of patients in the United States experiencing at least one recurrence is estimated at 38,000. Approximately 60% of patients with more than one recurrence suffer for more than two years, and one third remain impacted at five years. Hospitalization due to recurrent pericarditis is typically associated with a 6-8-day stay and cost per stay is estimated to range between $20,000 and $30,000 in the United States.

About Cardiol Therapeutics

Cardiol Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: CRDL) (TSX: CRDL) is a clinical-stage life sciences company focused on developing anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic therapies for the treatment of heart disease. The Company’s lead small molecule drug candidate, CardiolRx (cannabidiol) oral solution, is pharmaceutically manufactured and in clinical development for use in the treatment of heart disease. It is recognized that cannabidiol inhibits activation of the inflammasome pathway, an intracellular process known to play an important role in the development and progression of inflammation and fibrosis associated with myocarditis, pericarditis, and heart failure.

Cardiol has received Investigational New Drug Application authorization from the United States Food and Drug Administration (‘US FDA’) to conduct clinical studies to evaluate the efficacy and safety of CardiolRx in two diseases affecting the heart: recurrent pericarditis and acute myocarditis. The MAVERIC Program in recurrent pericarditis, an inflammatory disease of the pericardium which is associated with symptoms including debilitating chest pain, shortness of breath, and fatigue, and results in physical limitations, reduced quality of life, emergency department visits, and hospitalizations, comprises the completed Phase II MAvERIC-Pilot study (NCT05494788) and the ongoing Phase III MAVERIC trial (NCT06708299). The ongoing ARCHER trial (NCT05180240) is a Phase II study in acute myocarditis, an important cause of acute and fulminant heart failure in young adults and a leading cause of sudden cardiac death in people less than 35 years of age. The US FDA has granted Orphan Drug Designation to CardiolRx for the treatment of pericarditis, which includes recurrent pericarditis.

Cardiol is also developing CRD-38, a novel subcutaneously administered drug formulation intended for use in heart failure – a leading cause of death and hospitalization in the developed world, with associated healthcare costs in the United States exceeding $30 billion annually.

For more information about Cardiol Therapeutics, please visit cardiolrx.com.

Cautionary statement regarding forward-looking information:

This news release contains ‘forward-looking information’ within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, that address activities, events, or developments that Cardiol believes, expects, or anticipates will, may, could, or might occur in the future are ‘forward-looking information’. Forward looking information contained herein may include, but is not limited to statements regarding the Company’s focus on developing anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic therapies for the treatment of heart disease, the molecular targets and mechanism of action of the Company’s product candidates, the Company’s intended clinical studies and trial activities, timelines associated with such activities, and potential success of such activities, including the Company’s plan to complete the Phase III study in recurrent pericarditis with CardiolRx, the Company’s plan to advance the development of CRD-38, a novel subcutaneous formulation of cannabidiol intended for use in heart failure, the newly published data providing additional important rationale for the development of CRD-38 as a new approach to the treatment of heart failure, and the JACBTS publication provides fascinating new data that suggest a key mode of action of CRD-38 to potentially treat heart failure is through its ability to sustain cardiomyocytes and preserve mitochondrial function. Forward-looking information contained herein reflects the current expectations or beliefs of Cardiol based on information currently available to it and is based on certain assumptions and is also subject to a variety of known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause the actual events or results to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward looking information, and are not (and should not be considered to be) guarantees of future performance. These risks and uncertainties and other factors include the risks and uncertainties referred to in the Company’s Annual Information Form filed with the Canadian securities administrators and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on March 31, 2025 , available on SEDAR+ at sedarplus.ca and EDGAR at sec.gov, as well as the risks and uncertainties associated with product commercialization, regulatory approvals, clinical studies and uncertainties in predicting treatment outcomes. These assumptions, risks, uncertainties, and other factors should be considered carefully, and investors should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking information, and such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. Any forward-looking information speaks only as of the date of this press release and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, Cardiol disclaims any intent or obligation to update or revise such forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events, or results, or otherwise. Investors are cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements and are encouraged to read the Company’s Annual Information Form filed on March 31, 2025.

For further information, please contact:

Trevor Burns, Investor Relations +1-289-910-0855
trevor.burns@cardiolrx.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/248691

News Provided by Newsfile via QuoteMedia

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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RUA GOLD Expands High-Grade Intercepts at Depth at Auld Creek: 5.9g/t AuEq over 9m and 48.3g/t AuEq over 1.25m

Investing 12 Mins Read

Rua Gold Inc. (TSXV: RUA) (OTCQB: NZAUF) (WKN: A40QYC) (‘Rua Gold’ or the ‘Company’) is pleased to provide an update on its gold-antimony exploration at the Auld Creek project in the Reefton Goldfield on the South Island of New Zealand, reporting improved gold grades from current drilling in diamond drillholes ACDDH026, ACDDH027, ACDDH028.

Highlights:

  • Following up on the last high grade results from the Company, the next holes intersected broader zones of gold in hole ACDDH027 and narrow but strong gold-stibnite (antimony sulphide) mineralization in ACDDH028. 

  • Assay results show: 

    • ACDDH026: 2.1m @ 1.25g/t Au from 175m depth 

    • ACDDH027: 9m @ 5.9g/t AuEq1 (5.2g/t Au & 0.16% Sb) from 159m depth 

    • ACDDH028: 1.25m @ 48.3g/t AuEq1 (13.3g/t Au & 8.1% Sb) from 210m depth 

  • ACDD024,025 confirmed higher grade antimony mineralisation on the Fraternal shoot, the recent drilling ACDDH27,28 indicates an improvement in gold grade with depth. 

  • The gold grades on the Fraternal shoot plunge to the south, current drilling is testing 80-100m below the current resource envelope, before pivoting to testing the northerly extensions of the Fraternal ore body. 

  • Auld Creek has an inferred resource hosted by two ore shoots, Bonanza and Fraternal. This resource outcrops at surface and is continuous to 160m vertically and open at depth. 

  • Surface soil geochemistry strongly endorses extensions to the Fraternal north prospect and Bonanza northeast prospect, confirming the system is traceable over a 2.5km length.

Robert Eckford, CEO of Rua Gold commented: ‘It is encouraging to see an improvement in gold grades with depth on the Fraternal lode, and the continuation of high-grade antimony accompanying the gold in narrow plunging shoots.

Drilling to date on Auld Creek antimony-gold prospect has increased confidence in the existing gold-antimony resource and highlighted higher-grade plunging shoots that remain open to the south. We are focused on expanding the Auld Creek resource both north and south, with intensified surface exploration showing early promise in identifying additional mineralization over its 2.5km length.’

Figure 1: Overview of the Reefton Goldfield.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10755/248701_e728e92b44814a54_012full.jpg

Figure 2: Fraternal and Bonanza ore shoots at Auld Creek.

Note that AuEq amounts have been calculated using recent spot prices of gold and antimony and applying a ~30% discount. The gold equivalent formula is based on AuEq = Au g/t + 4.3 x Sb% using a Au price of US$2065/oz, Sb price of US$34,300 per tonne and 85% recovery.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10755/248701_e728e92b44814a54_013full.jpg

GLOBAL SUPPLY AND VALUE OF ANTIMONY

Antimony is a critical metalloid primarily sourced from the mineral, stibnite. It is highly valuable and increasing in demand due to its versatility and has essential applications across renewable energy, liquid battery metals, defence and technological sectors.

Due to its limited supply, predominantly controlled by China, Russia & Tajikistan, antimony is considered a strategic material essential for supply chain security, particularly during periods of geopolitical instability. This was heightened in August 2024, when China announced export controls on processed antimony products. In response to these controls, nations have accelerated their efforts to secure alternative sources of antimony to mitigate the risk of significant supply chain vulnerabilities.

The US, EU, UK, Japan, Canada and Australia all designate antimony as a critical mineral. On January 31, 2025, New Zealand also announced their Critical Mineral List which included antimony.

Reflecting heightened demand, the price of antimony has reached new highs, currently trading over US$50,000 per tonne, a significant increase from US$11,350 per tonne at the start of 2024. This market shift has intensified interest in the strategic antimony potential held by Rua Gold.

EXPLORATION POTENTIAL

Rua Gold commenced drilling at Auld Creek in December 2024. It has a targeted program to drill four mineralised shoots identified from historical surface exploration work interpreted by the Rua Gold team over the past 3 months.

Auld Creek is situated between two past producing mines, Globe Progress mine, and the Crushington Group of mines which collectively produced 933,000oz at 14.0g/t Au (Barry 1993). Auld Creek has three historic adits but no commercial production from the reefs.

Rua Gold has an inferred resource at Auld Creek indicating 700,000 tonnes at 3.1g/t Au and 1.1% Sb for 67,000oz of gold and 8,000 tonnes of antimony2 (AuEq 110,000oz3). The resource is restricted to two of the four known shoots. Soil geochemistry indicates the potential for discovery of additional mineralised shoots over a strike length of 2.5km.

Four of the eight holes completed to date intersected 4-5m of strong visible stibnite (antimony sulfide) mineralization in the Fraternal-Bonanza structure.

Results from ACDDH024, ACDDH025 confirm the approximate average gold grades, but report higher antimony grades than the current resource estimate. Results from ACDDH027, ACDDH028 highlight above average gold grades with narrow but high-grade antimony in ACDDH028.

Ongoing drilling is targeting the southern plunging Fraternal gold-antimony shoot which remains open along strike and at depth.

Intensified surface exploration is showing very encouraging strong trends both north and north-west confirming additional targets on the Fraternal North and Bonanza north-west extensions.

Figure 3: Arsenic soil geochemistry over Auld Creek area.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10755/248701_e728e92b44814a54_019full.jpg

ABOUT Rua Gold

Rua Gold is an exploration company, strategically focused on New Zealand. With decades of expertise, our team has successfully taken major discoveries into producing world-class mines across multiple continents. The team is now focused on maximizing the asset potential of Rua Gold’s two highly prospective high-grade gold projects.

The Company controls the Reefton Gold District as the dominant landholder in the Reefton Goldfield on New Zealand’s South Island with over 120,000 hectares of tenements, in a district that historically produced over 2Moz of gold grading between 9 and 50g/t.

The Company’s Glamorgan Project solidifies Rua Gold’s position as a leading high-grade gold explorer on New Zealand’s North Island. This highly prospective project is located within the North Islands’ Hauraki district, a region that has produced an impressive 15Moz of gold and 60Moz of silver. Glamorgan is adjacent to OceanaGold Corporation’s biggest gold mining project, Wharekirauponga.

For further information, please refer to the Company’s disclosure record on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

TECHNICAL INFORMATION

Simon Henderson CP, AUSIMM, a qualified person under National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects and Chief Operating Officer and a director of Rua Gold, has reviewed and approved the technical disclosure contained herein. Mr. Henderson has participated in the geochemical sampling, and mapping programs to verify that they have been conducted in accordance with standard operating procedures. Mr. Henderson has verified the data disclosed by running checks on the location, analytical, and test data underlying the information in the technical disclosure herein.

QA/QC Drill Core

Rock samples were sent to SGS Laboratories, Westport for sample preparation. Samples were crushed and pulverized to 85% passing 75 µm. The pulverized rock-chips were split into two samples: a ~50 g sent for laboratory analysis, and the reject returned to RGL for pXRF analysis and storage. Pulverized rock-chip samples were analyzed for gold (Au) by 50-g fire assay with AAS finish at SGS Waihi (SGS Code FAA505); and for antimony (Sb) by Sodium Peroxide Fusion Analysis by ICP-MS at SGS Waihi.

QA/QC Soil Samples

Pre-planned soil sampling points on a 20 m x 100 m grid were loaded onto a handheld GPS for guidance. A spade was used to acquire a ~1.0 kg sample from the C horizon, which was put in a wet-strength paper sample bag with wire ties. Sample information was logged in a notebook in the field, including sample ID, depth, color, horizon, slope, sample description, sampler, basement, and comments. Each sample was photographed in the field alongside the GPS with coordinates visible and each sample site marked in the field with biodegradable flagging tape. Samples were taken back to Rua Gold’s Reefton facility for preparation. The sample information was entered on.csv files and uploaded to an SQL database.

Samples were dried in a customized incubator, set at 38°C, for a minimum of two days. Once the samples were fully dried, they were sieved to Rua Gold’s Reefton facility using a Olympus Vanta pXRF analyzer; and then on to ALS Brisbane, Australia, for low-level gold analysis using Au-TL43; trace level Au by aqua regia extraction with ICP-MS finish. Detection limit 1 ppb Au.

Field duplicates were collected every 20th sample and underwent the same sample collection and preparation process outlined above. Duplicates were checked and validated by Rua Gold’s Isogonal data validation system to ensure compliance.

Rua Gold Contact

Robert Eckford
Chief Executive Officer
Email: reckford@RUAGOLD.com
Website: www.RUAGOLD.com

This news release includes certain statements that may be deemed ‘forward-looking statements’. All statements in this new release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward-Looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words ‘expects’, ‘plans’, ‘anticipates’, ‘believes’, ‘intends’, ‘estimates’, ‘projects’, ‘potential’ and similar expressions, or that events or conditions ‘will’, ‘would’, ‘may’, ‘could’ or ‘should’ occur and specifically include statements regarding: the Company’s strategies, expectations, planned operations or future actions, including but not limited to exploration programs at its Reefton and Glamorgan projects and the results thereof. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements.

Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. A variety of inherent risks, uncertainties and factors, many of which are beyond the Company’s control, affect the operations, performance and results of the Company and its business, and could cause actual events or results to differ materially from estimated or anticipated events or results expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. Some of these risks, uncertainties and factors include: general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; risks related to the effects of the Russia-Ukraine war; risks related to climate change; operational risks in exploration, delays or changes in plans with respect to exploration projects or capital expenditures; the actual results of current exploration activities; conclusions of economic evaluations; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; changes in labour costs and other costs and expenses or equipment or processes to operate as anticipated, accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry, including but not limited to environmental hazards, flooding or unfavorable operating conditions and losses, insurrection or war, delays in obtaining governmental approvals or financing, and commodity prices. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of the Company’s forward-looking statements and reference should also be made to the Company’s short form base shelf prospectus dated July 11, 2024, and the documents incorporated by reference therein, filed under its SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca for a description of additional risk factors.

Forward-Looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company’s management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management’s beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.

Table 1: Location of Auld Creek drill holes from RUA 2024-2025 program

Hole ID Easting Northing rL Total
Depth		 Site _ID Dip Azimuth
(true)		 Year
ACDDH022 1507212 5333199 508 108.5 Pad 10 -54 193 2024
ACDDH023 1507212 5333199 508 51.5 Pad 10 -60 85 2024
ACDDH024 1507290 5333146 539 150 Old 13 -37 220 2025
ACDDH025 1507290 5333146 539 180.9 Old 13 -54 248 2025
ACDDH026 1507290 5333146 539 200 Old 13 -59 231 2025
ACDDH027 1507290 5333146 539 193.4 Old 13 -45 212 2025
ACDDH028 1507079 5332952 607 243.5 Pad 18 -50 104 2025
ACDDH029 1507079 5332952 607 256 Pad 18 -50 120 2025
ACDDH030 1507079 5332952 607 268.5 Pad 18 -53 85 2025

 

Table 2: Significant drilling intercepts at Auld Creek, full mineralized zone composites (1.5g/t Au cut-off)

Sample No From To Interval Au (g/t) Sb (%)
ACDDH026 175 175.9 0.9 0.96
ACDDH026 175.9 177.1 1.2 1.55
ACDDH027 152 153 1 2.52
ACDDH027 153 154 1 1.88
ACDDH027 154 155 1 3.44
ACDDH027 155 156 1 2.25
ACDDH027 156 157 1 1.84
ACDDH027 157 158 1 0.37
ACDDH027 158 159 1 0.15
ACDDH027 159 160 1 2.38 0.013%
ACDDH027 160 161 1 2.39 0.802%
ACDDH027 161 162 1 4.75 0.008%
ACDDH027 162 163 1 2.84 0.016%
ACDDH027 163 164 1 8.42 0.010%
ACDDH027 164 165 1 4.7 0.010%
ACDDH027 165 166 1 3.77 0.009%
ACDDH027 166 167 1 15 0.178%
ACDDH027 167 168 1 3.11 0.428%
ACDDH028 209.5 210.15 0.65 0.92
ACDDH028 210.15 210.6 0.45 18.4 11.600%
ACDDH028 210.6 211.4 0.8 8.28 4.680%
ACDDH028 211.4 212 0.6 1.68

1.Using recent spot prices of gold and antimony, and applying a ~30% discount, the gold equivalent formula is based on AuEq = Au g/t + 4.3 x Sb% using a Au price of US$2065/oz, Sb price of US$34,300 per tonne and 85% recovery.
2.Please see the Company’s technical report entitled, ‘Technical Report on Reefton Project, New Zealand’, dated October 30, 2024.
3.Based on gold equivalent formula of AuEq = Au g/t + 1.9 x Sb% using a Au price of US$2025/oz, Sb price of US$15,000 per tonne and 85% recovery.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/248701

News Provided by Newsfile via QuoteMedia

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Crypto Market Recap: China Mulls Crypto Reserves Strategy, Semler Doubles Down on BTC

Investing 7 Mins Read

Here’s a quick recap of the crypto landscape for Monday (April 14) as of 9:00 p.m. UTC.

Bitcoin and Ethereum price update

At the time of this writing, Bitcoin (BTC) was priced at US$84,833.31 and is up 1.2 percent in 24 hours. The day’s range has seen a low of US$84,050.56 and a high of US$85,667.65.

Bitcoin performance, April 11, 2025.

Chart via TradingView.

The recovery appears to be related to last week’s announcement of partial import tariff relief, but the uncertainty of ongoing US-China trade tensions kept Bitcoin from rallying above US$86,000.

Ethereum (ETH) is priced at US$1,635.11, a 3.1 percent increase over the past 24 hours. The cryptocurrency reached an intraday low of US$1,624.37 and a high of US$1,677.74.

Altcoin price update

  • Solana (SOL) is currently valued at US$131.19, up 2.4 percent over the past 24 hours. SOL experienced a low of US$128.75 and a high of US$134.05 on Monday.
  • XRP is trading at US$2.15, reflecting a 1.8 percent decrease over the past 24 hours. The cryptocurrency recorded an intraday low of US$2.11 and a high of US$2.18.
  • Sui (SUI) is priced at US$2.21, showing a decreaseof 0.9 percent over the past 24 hours. It achieved a daily low of US$2.20 and a high of US$2.33.
  • Cardano (ADA) is trading at US$0.6397, trading flat over 24 hours. Its lowest price on Monday was US$0.6314, with a high of US$0.6548.

Crypto news to know

Kraken expands into stock and ETF trading

Kraken announced on Monday that it will expand beyond cryptocurrencies to offer eligible users trade services for over 11,000 US-listed stocks and exchange-traded funds through Kraken Securities.

Users will be able to trade traditional assets and cryptocurrencies within a single Kraken account. The service is available to select states as part of a phased rollout, with plans to expand to all states and the UK, Europe and Australia.

Euro-sacked stablecoin EURC sees growth amidst strengthening Euro

Circle’s Euro-backed stablecoin, EURC, is experiencing growth amidst a strengthening Euro, its market cap growing from around $83 million at the beginning of 2025 to $204 million at the time of writing.

The euro has been rallying while the dollar falls amidst escalating trade tensions between the US and the rest of the world. Obchakevich Research founder Alex Obchakevich expects Euro Coin will continue to grow even as nations reach a trade deal that he projects will stabilize the Euro at around $1.11.

“I predict EURC to grow to 400 million euros by the end of this year. This will be further impacted by MiCa regulatory support and economic challenges,” he said.

MANTRA (OM) token price collapse and aftermath

Following a dramatic price collapse in the MANTRA (OM) token on Sunday (April 13) that wiped out billions of dollars in market cap, CEO John Mullin spoke in a now-deleted AMA thread hosted by Cointelegraph on X.

During the Monday discussion, Mullin denied accusations of insider selling or “rug pulling,” saying the plunge occurred after exchanges closed positions without notice.

On-chain data revealed that around US$227 million worth of OM was deposited from 17 wallets, with two linked to strategic investor Laser Digital. Arkham data revealed those wallets moved millions of OM to OKX and Binance in the days leading up to the collapse.

“The Mantra association, our key investors, our advisers — no one has sold, and we are going to categorically deny and also provide verifiable proof onchain proof that this is the case,” Mullin stated in the AMA, adding that he “(doesn’t) know who those wallets belong to.”

Mantra is up 10.8 percent to US$0.65 at the time of writing, far below its April 9 price of US$6.76.

Strategy buys US$285 million in BTC amid volatility

Michael Saylor’s firm, Strategy, capitalized on sharp equity market swings last week, purchasing 3,459 more BTC valued at US$285.8 million between April 7 to 13.

The buy was funded through its at-the-market equity offering as shares fluctuated from -11 percent to +25 percent, demonstrating the firm’s commitment to BTC accumulation even during periods of financial instability. Strategy’s Bitcoin holdings now total around US$45 billion, representing about 2.5 percent of the total BTC supply.

The firm also disclosed a forthcoming US$5.9 billion unrealized loss due to new accounting rules requiring market-based valuations for digital assets. Even so, Strategy remains on track with its plan to raise US$42 billion through 2027 for continuous Bitcoin acquisitions, reinforcing its identity as a long-term Bitcoin maximalist corporate play.

Metaplanet now 9th largest public Bitcoin holder

Japanese investment firm Metaplanet has acquired 319 BTC at an average price of US$83,147, bringing its total treasury to 4,525 BTC. That makes it the ninth largest publicly traded Bitcoin holding company.

This acquisition is part of its broader treasury strategy to build shareholder value through Bitcoin accumulation, initiated in December 2024. The company now has a cost basis of US$408.1 million and evaluates its Bitcoin performance using Bitcoin yield, which hit 95.6 percent in the first quarter of 2025.

Backed by sophisticated financial engineering such as bond issuances and stock acquisition rights, Metaplanet has executed over 41 percent of its “210 million plan,” demonstrating significant momentum.

The firm’s bold approach also reflects Japan’s evolving stance toward crypto as a mainstream asset class and could influence similar treasury strategies in Asia.

CeFi lending drops from 2021 peak, DeFi borrowing soars

The crypto lending market remains well below its former highs, down from US$64.4 billion in 2021 to US$36.5 billion at the close of 2024, according to a new report by Galaxy Digital.

This contraction is largely due to the collapse of major centralized finance (CeFi) lenders like Genesis, BlockFi, Celsius, and Voyager, which together lost 82 percent of their lending capacity during the bear market.

However, decentralized finance (DeFi) has made a stunning recovery, with open borrows jumping from US$1.8 billion in late 2022 to US$19.1 billion across 20 platforms and 12 blockchains — a 959 percent increase. Galaxy attributes this to DeFi’s permissionless nature, transparency, and its resilience during market turmoil that crushed CeFi players.

Today, Tether, Galaxy, and Ledn dominate the surviving CeFi space, accounting for nearly 89 percent of its total activity, while DeFi’s growth hints at a larger shift toward decentralized, non-custodial financial infrastructure in the post-crash era.

Google to enforce MiCA rules on crypto ads

Google (NASDAQ:GOOGL) will begin enforcing stricter ad policies across 27 European countries beginning on April 23, requiring all crypto advertisers to comply with the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation or be licensed under the Crypto Asset Service Provider framework.

All crypto exchanges and wallet providers advertising on Google must now also be certified by Google, and meet additional national-level legal obligations, further tightening the regulatory net on digital asset marketing.

This marks a significant shift in how crypto services are promoted in the EU and could weed out illicit players while boosting trust in licensed entities. Noncompliance will first trigger a warning before eventual account suspensions, giving advertisers a brief grace period to align with the rules.

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

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

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China Plans To Sell 15,000 Bitcoin On Offshore Exchanges

Crypto news 3 Mins Read

China has its sights on a mass sale of a cache of Bitcoins confiscated from illicit activities, threatening to sink prices in the short term. Chinese authorities are sitting on 15,000 Bitcoin, sparking debates over the handling of seized cryptocurrencies.

China Mulls Over Bitcoin Sale On Foreign Exchanges

Local governments in China are reportedly keen on selling off their Bitcoin holdings to fund operations amid a nationwide cash crunch. According to a Reuters report, the authorities are looking to dispose of 15,000 Bitcoin valued at around $1.2 billion.

Municipal governments in China have been racking up Bitcoin from high-profile seizures since the blanket ban on cryptocurrencies in 2021. Since the ban, an absence of clear rules on the handling of seized crypto assets is creating a staccato approach in Mainland China.

Now, local governments, eager to fund their depleting public coffers, are seeking court approvals to dispose of their BTC holdings. Per the court documents, local authorities will tap private companies to offload up to 15,000 BTC on offshore exchanges.

The move has drawn criticism from Chen Shi, a professor at the Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, over its legality. For Shi, using private companies to sell Bitcoins offshore is inconsistent with the existing ban on cryptocurrency trading. Shi and other legal experts are pining for a Bitcoin Reserve, urging authorities to mirror the US playbook.

“A more centralized management would help China maximize the value of the seized cryptocurrencies,” said Winston Ma, a professor at NYU Law School.

The planned sale follows a drawn-out US-China trade war that threatens to send cryptocurrency markets under water.

Offloading 15,000 BTC Will Increase Sell Pressure

China’s plan to sell up to 15,000 BTC will adversely affect prices for the largest cryptocurrencies. With the chances of BTC flooding exchanges rising, investors are bracing for a retracement for the asset.

Bitcoin price is walking a tight rope at the moment, trading at $83K after sliding by nearly 2%. Fears of a flash sale by China and other macroeconomic woes will see Bitcoin retest $80K again. Futhermore, Trump has slammed a 245% tariff on China, triggering a broad decline for Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.

However, if Chinese courts block the sale and authorities announce a Bitcoin Reserve, a short term price spurt is within grasp. MicroStrategy’s BTC purchase is stoking enthusiam for a Bitcoin price climb to $90K but

 

The post China Plans To Sell 15,000 Bitcoin On Offshore Exchanges appeared first on CoinGape.

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XRP Price Prediction If Ripple ETFs Attract $8B Inflows Per JP Morgan Estimates

Crypto news 3 Mins Read

XRP price is on the verge of a bullish breakout as the SEC vs. Ripple lawsuit nears conclusion, paving the way for spot ETF approvals. Wall Street giant JPMorgan estimates that these products will secure $8 billion in inflows. If this happens, how high will the Ripple price rally? Let’s explore. 

XRP Price Forecast if Ripple ETFs Attract $8B Inflows 

The Ripple community is optimistic that the swearing in of the new SEC Chair, Paul Atkins, will increase the chances of an XRP ETF approval. These ETFs will draw massive institutional interest and possibly lead to XRP price adding a zero. 

According to JPMorgan, the ETFs will amass inflows of around $8 billion, or reach 3% to 6% of the total XRP market cap. If they attain $8 billion in inflows within a year, they will outperform Ethereum ETFs, whose net inflows stand at $2.2 billion since launching in July 2024. 

Analyst Zach Realtor used the market cap multiplier theory to predict an XRP rally to $15 if the inflows reach $4 billion. He noted that with these inflows and a circulating supply of 60 billion tokens, the XRP price could reach $15. This means that with $8 million inflows, XRP could easily hit $30 and attain a $1.8 trillion market cap. 

Standard Chartered had earlier predicted that XRP price may surge to as high as $12 if the SEC approves a spot Ripple ETF. As Coingape previously reported, the investment bank believes this rally will be fueled by the ETF products.

The recently launched XRP leverage ETF product by Teucrium suggests that institutional interest in XRP is notably high. This ETF has amassed $27M in net assets despite launching last week. This further supports the thesis that ETF products will be a key driver for a bullish XRP price prediction.  

Ripple Technical Analysis as It Consolidates Within Wedge Pattern 

XRP price today trades at $2.07 with a 3% decline in 24 hours. Top market analyst VipRoseTr noted that the altcoin is consolidating within a falling wedge pattern. This pattern often suggests that an asset’s trend is about to flip from bearish to bullish.

VipRoseTr observed that if the XRP price can successfully defend the support level near $2, a bullish breakout is likely to happen. Breaking this support level will then pave the way for the Ripple price to target $2.90. Breaking this level will stir an uptrend past $3.28 to an all-time high of $3.76.

XRP/USDT: 2-day Chart

To sum up, JPMorgan’s estimate for $8 billion inflows to spot XRP ETFs suggests that the price might rally to $15. Additionally, the 2-day chart hints towards a near-term rally to all-time highs. Considering these factors, the XRP price prediction supports bullish signs and possible gains in the future. 

The post XRP Price Prediction If Ripple ETFs Attract $8B Inflows Per JP Morgan Estimates appeared first on CoinGape.

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Pi Community Highlights Pi Coin’s Slow Growth As ‘Strategic’

Crypto news 3 Mins Read

Pi Coin price has slipped nearly 15% today to $0.6 but Pi Community appears to have remained optimistic about the future trajectory of the coin. A renowned figure from the community said that the Pi Network’s “slow” growth is a strategic move by the team. Besides, another expert has recently revealed key reasons behind the crypto’s recent fall, while predicting when the crypto’s price can start recovering.

Pi Coin Price Slips 15%: Here’s Why

Pi price today has slipped more than 15% today and fell to $0.62, while its one-day volume rose more than 25% to $292.75 million. It’s worth noting that the crypto fell from its 24-hour high of $0.736, reflecting the highly volatile scenario hovering in the market.

Meanwhile, talking about the recent dip, Pi Network enthusiast Dr Altcoin said that the drop is attributed to an influx of Pi being unlocked and sent to centralized exchanges (CEXs), increasing the circulating supply and flooding the market with sellers.

The available circulating supply on CEXs grew from 354 million Pi Coin to 368 million Pi in just a few days, while the overall circulating supply reached 6.88 billion Pi. Dr Altcoin predicts the price may drop to $0.3 or lower in the coming months due to weaker demand. Besides, a recent Pi Network price prediction hints that the crypto might hover near the $0.63 level through April.

However, a healthy rebound is expected from August 2025 when the rate of Pi unlocking declines, he noted.

Factors that could stabilize or boost its price include more KYB-approved CEXs expanding into restricted markets, institutional buyers absorbing excess supply, and major updates from the Pi Core Team increasing demand. Companies like BANXA buying Pi Coin directly from CEXs could also help, he added.

Community Lauds ‘Slow’ Network Growth

As said earlier, the Pi Coin enthusiasts remain optimistic despite the recent dip. Notably, the Pi community is rallying behind the project’s slow and deliberate growth, with enthusiast and miner Tanner highlighting its strategic approach. While some may view the project’s pace as a weakness, Tanner argues that it’s a sign of Pi Network’s commitment to building a real economy, rather than just focusing on price charts.

With over 70 million users and 25 million KYC-verified individuals, Pi Network has prioritized creating a robust ecosystem, including a mobile-first crypto layer, a fork of Stellar’s SCP protocol, and a full KYC framework. The project’s phased launch approach is designed to prevent early market manipulation, stabilize liquidity, and align demand with real utility.

Meanwhile, Tanner emphasizes that Pi’s focus on utility and real-world adoption sets it apart from other projects. Tanner said that the Pi Economy is already live, with features like Pi Chain Mall, NFTs, and DeFi, and the project’s utility-first approach is expected to drive long-term growth.

In addition, the Pi community is encouraged to take action, such as running nodes, building with the SDK, and onboarding merchants, to contribute to the project’s momentum. With its risk-managed innovation and focus on durable growth, Pi Network is positioning itself for success in the long term.

The post Pi Community Highlights Pi Coin’s Slow Growth As ‘Strategic’ appeared first on CoinGape.

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Elastos Launches Elacity: A Web3 Platform Empowering Creators with True Content Ownership

Crypto news 2 Mins Read

Elastos dropped a bombshell today with the launch of Elacity, a Web3 platform that hands creators the keys to tokenize and monetize their digital content—think music, films, or essays—directly to fans, bypassing the usual platform tolls. Per the press release, it’s a bid to redefine the creator economy, and it’s got some meat on its bones.

Elacity lets creators mint their work into encrypted NFTs with smart contracts dictating access, royalties, and resale terms—no coding chops required. You can set up “smart channels” with NFT subscriptions for loyalists or one-off buys for casuals, and even lock content behind any top ERC-20 token or NFT collection, turning holders into an exclusive crew with perks like chats or royalty cuts. Royalties are programmable down to 0.1%, split instantly to collaborators or fans on every transaction. It’s all wrapped in a clean interface—sign up with email, Apple, Google, or X, no wallet needed to start.

Running on Elastos’ SmartWeb, Elacity leans on ELA, a token merge-mined with Bitcoin, tapping over 50% of its hash power for security without extra energy cost. Every sale and royalty flows through ELA, tying its value to the platform’s traction. “We’ve rebuilt the internet for creators,” says founder Sasha Mitchell, while CTO Anders Alm calls it “a new creative economy” where fans become stakeholders, not just subscribers.

For crypto watchers, this slots into the tokenized asset wave—content as a scarce, tradable good. Elastos’ $20 million haul from Rollman Capital earlier this year for Bitcoin DeFi signals they’re serious players. Adoption’s the hurdle; creators and fans need to buy into the model. Still, with IPFS storage and Bitcoin-backed trust, the tech’s robust. Dig deeper at labs.ela.city or follow @elacityofficial. This could be a slow burn worth tracking.

The post Elastos Launches Elacity: A Web3 Platform Empowering Creators with True Content Ownership appeared first on CoinGape.

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