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Bitcoin price started a fresh increase above the $106,000 zone. BTC is now consolidating and might attempt to clear the $110,500 resistance. Bitcoin started a fresh upward move above the $107,000 zone. The price is trading above $107,000 and the 100 hourly Simple moving average. There is a bullish trend line forming with support at $106,850 on the hourly chart of the BTC/USD pair (data feed from Kraken). The pair could start a fresh decline if it breaks the $105,000 support zone. Bitcoin Price Gains Pace Bitcoin price started a fresh increase after it settled above the $103,500 support zone. BTC was able to surpass the $104,400 and $105,000 resistance levels. The bulls even pumped the price above the $108,000 resistance. A high was formed at $110,550 and the price is now consolidating gains above the 23.6% Fib retracement level of the upward move from the $100,400 swing low to the $110,550 high. Bitcoin is now trading above $108,000 and the 100 hourly Simple moving average. There is also a bullish trend line forming with support at $106,850 on the hourly chart of the BTC/USD pair. On the upside, immediate resistance is near the $110,000 level. The first key resistance is near the $110,500 level. The next key resistance could be $112,500. A close above the $112,500 resistance might send the price further higher. In the stated case, the price could rise and test the $113,800 resistance level. Any more gains might send the price toward the $115,000 level. Another Decline In BTC? If Bitcoin fails to rise above the $110,500 resistance zone, it could start another decline. Immediate support is near the $108,200 level. The first major support is near the $106,500 level and the trend line. The next support is now near the $105,500 zone and the 50% Fib retracement level of the upward move from the $100,400 swing low to the $110,550 high. Any more losses might send the price toward the $103,500 support in the near term. The main support sits at $102,000, below which BTC might gain bearish momentum. Technical indicators: Hourly MACD – The MACD is now gaining pace in the bullish zone. Hourly RSI (Relative Strength Index) – The RSI for BTC/USD is now above the 50 level. Major Support Levels – $108,000, followed by $106,500. Major Resistance Levels – $110,500 and $112,500.

Data shows the demand for spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs) has cooled off for Bitcoin, while Ethereum has continued to attract inflows. Bitcoin Has Ended A Streak Of Positive ETF Flows In a new thread on X, the on-chain analytics firm Glassnode has talked about how the total balance of the US spot ETFs has changed for Bitcoin and Ethereum recently. The spot ETFs refer to investment vehicles that provide an alternate means of gaining exposure to a cryptocurrency’s price movements in a manner that’s familiar to traditional investors. These ETFs are a relatively new presence in the sector, but they have gained sufficient popularity to become a key part of the market. Investors who previously avoided digital assets due to the perceived complexity of wallets and exchanges can now invest through ETFs, which trade on traditional exchanges. The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approved the spot ETFs for Bitcoin back in January 2024. They got approval for Ethereum half a year later, in July 2024. First, here is how the balance held by the spot ETFs has changed for Ethereum since their inauguration: As displayed in the above graph, the total balance of the Ethereum spot ETFs has been on the rise recently. In fact, the cryptocurrency has now seen four straight weeks of net inflows. In all, 97,800 ETH have entered into the wallets associated with these ETFs during this green netflow streak. Though despite the continuous inflows, their total holdings are yet to hit the 3.81 million ETH peak from February, as they currently sit at 3.77 million ETH, about 41,000 tokens lower. “Accumulation is steady, but room remains for further upside,” notes Glassnode. Bitcoin has also seen growth in its spot ETF holdings recently, but unlike Ethereum, the number one digital asset saw the metric surpass its high from February last month. That said, while the Bitcoin spot ETFs were enjoying inflows until very recently, the trend has changed during the past week as net outflows have occurred instead. This has been the first negative week in eight for the BTC ETFs. “Total holdings are now 1.20M BTC, down ~11.5K BTC from the late-May peak,” explains the analytics firm. “A pause in demand after a strong run-up – watch for signs of re-acceleration.” It now remains to be seen how things will develop in the coming days for the top two cryptocurrencies and whether the divergence that is starting to develop between them will only take further hold. BTC Price Bitcoin has seen a jump of about 2% during the past day and has recovered to $107,600.

Uphold, the trading app that lets users swap everything from Bitcoin to gold, might be headed for Wall Street. The company is reportedly exploring an IPO or a potential sale, and it’s leaning into one of the loudest corners of the crypto world, the XRP community. The Uphold IPO would put another crypto-native company on Wall Street, this time powered by a fiercely loyal user base. IPO? Acquisition? Something Big Is Brewing Word on the street is that Uphold has brought in FT Partners to help map out next steps. They’re exploring two routes: go public in the U.S. or sell the company altogether. Either path could land them a valuation above $1.5 billion, which would be a solid win in a market where most firms have been on the defensive. This follows a string of recent crypto companies heading toward public markets. Circle just priced its IPO, and Gemini has filed confidentially. Clearly, crypto firms see the window cracking open again, and Uphold is ready to push it wider. DISCOVER: 20+ Next Crypto to Explode in 2025 Why XRP Is the Star of the Show Here’s where it gets interesting. While most crypto companies are still cautious around XRP, Uphold is going all in. Back in 2020, when the SEC sued Ripple, many platforms pulled XRP from their listings. Not Uphold. They kept it live for U.S. users the entire time. 24h7d30d1yAll time Now that Ripple has scored partial wins in court, XRP is surging again. Trading volume recently hit nearly three billion dollars in a single day. Uphold knows this crowd is loyal and vocal, and they’re banking on that energy to help drive interest in a future IPO. Crypto’s Comeback Makes This a Smart Moment The timing here isn’t random. Crypto is starting to rebound. Bitcoin is flirting with previous highs, and interest from institutions is picking up again. At the same time, regulators in the U.S. are beginning to lay down clearer ground rules for crypto markets. Circle showed that a no-drama crypto IPO can work, especially when there’s a clear product and revenue model behind it. Uphold may be hoping to ride that same wave, especially since the drama-heavy SPAC days seem to be fading out. DISCOVER: 9+ Best High-Risk, High-Reward Crypto to Buy in June 2025 A Closer Look at Uphold’s Playbook Uphold launched back in 2015 and has grown into a reliable multi-asset trading platform. You can use it to hold crypto, fiat, even tokenized gold, all in one account. It’s not flashy, but it’s functional, and for many users, that’s enough. What makes them different is how strongly they’ve supported XRP in the U.S. Even when other platforms were backing away, Uphold leaned into that audience. They’ve built tools, offered insights, and stayed consistent. That may not make headlines every day, but it definitely builds trust. What to Watch for Next Right now, nothing’s locked in. IPOs take time, and a sale would come with its layers of negotiation. But the signals are there. Uphold is testing the waters, and if the XRP army rallies behind it, that could give the company the momentum it needs. This could also inspire other crypto platforms to make similar moves. If Uphold pulls it off, it might not be the last exchange to go public this year. The next wave of crypto IPOs may be less about hype and more about loyal users who stick around. DISCOVER: 20+ Next Crypto to Explode in 2025 Join The 99Bitcoins News Discord Here For The Latest Market Updates Key Takeaways Uphold is exploring an IPO or possible acquisition, aiming for a valuation above $1.5 billion with FT Partners advising the process. The company has gained strong support from the XRP community by continuing to list the token through Ripple’s legal battles. With crypto markets rebounding and clearer U.S. regulations emerging, Uphold sees an opening to go public. Uphold offers a multi-asset platform that includes crypto, fiat, and tokenized commodities like gold, setting it apart from typical exchanges. A successful public listing could encourage other crypto firms to follow suit, with loyalty-driven communities playing a key role. The post Uphold May Go Public, Betting Big on XRP-Loving Americans appeared first on 99Bitcoins.

In a world where financial middlemen seem to grow by the day, one regulator is standing up and saying, maybe you don’t need them. SEC Chair Paul Atkins has made it clear that self-custody of crypto is not just a technical preference; it’s something much deeper. The right to self-custody means users can hold crypto without relying on banks, exchanges, or other third parties. Not Your Keys, Not Your Coins… and That’s the Point If you’ve spent any time in crypto, you’ve heard the phrase. But Atkins took that message out of the crypto echo chamber and into the halls of regulation. His comments at a recent policy roundtable struck a nerve by framing self-custody as a fundamental right tied to the American way of doing things. Not a perk. Not a luxury. A right. The idea is simple. If you earn money, you should be able to hold it without begging a third party for access. That’s what self-custody wallets offer. No bank to approve your transactions. No exchange to lock you out. Just you and your private keys. DISCOVER: 9+ Best High-Risk, High-Reward Crypto to Buy in June 2025 The Regulator You Didn’t Expect to Say This The SEC isn’t known for being the friendliest face in the room when it comes to crypto. For years, the agency has tangled with projects over everything from token launches to staking. So when its chair starts saying things that sound like they came from a Bitcoin forum, people pay attention. 24h7d30d1yAll time Atkins didn’t just talk tech. He connected the dots between digital assets and classic American values. He brought up ideas like self-reliance and private property, drawing a straight line from the founding principles of the country to modern-day financial tools. Lawmakers Are Watching Too This all comes at a time when Congress is weighing different crypto bills. Some are trying to make things safer. Others, intentionally or not, could end up boxing people out of using self-custody wallets altogether. Atkins’ message throws weight behind the idea that people shouldn’t need permission to store their assets. It’s a nudge to lawmakers to think twice before regulating these tools out of reach for everyday users. DISCOVER: Best New Cryptocurrencies to Invest in 2025 Could This Actually Change Things? It might. When the chair of the SEC says something like this, it sets a tone. It doesn’t mean every law or rule is going to change overnight, but it signals where the conversation could go. And if that conversation starts happening in Washington with this kind of language, it makes it harder to push blanket restrictions without serious backlash. Final Thoughts In an industry that exposes users to hacks, exchange blowups, and regulatory confusion, Paul Atkins just gave a boost to something crypto users have been saying all along. Holding your own money isn’t radical. It’s responsible. And it might be one of the last things left that truly puts the power back in your hands. DISCOVER: 20+ Next Crypto to Explode in 2025 Join The 99Bitcoins News Discord Here For The Latest Market Updates Key Takeaways SEC Chair Paul Atkins called self-custody of crypto a fundamental American right, linking it to personal freedom and property control. Atkins’ remarks mark a surprising shift from the SEC, which has traditionally taken a tougher stance on crypto projects and tools. He tied self-custody to core American values like self-reliance, independence, and financial privacy. His comments arrive as Congress debates bills that could either support or restrict the use of self-custody wallets. While not a rule change, Atkins’ stance may influence future regulatory decisions and shape the national conversation around crypto rights. The post SEC’s Paul Atkins: Holding Your Own Crypto Is an American Right appeared first on 99Bitcoins.

Critical Metals Corp. (Nasdaq: CRML) released on Monday the first assay results of eleven deep diamond drill holes from the Tanbreez rare earth project in Greenland drilled in 2007 and 2013. The Tanbreez project in southern Greenland represents one of the largest untapped heavy rare earths (HREE) deposits outside China with over 27% HREE content. In April, Critical Metals confirmed the Tanbreez resource through the release of a technical report in compliance with Regulation S-K 1300, and released a preliminary economic assessment estimating a net present value (NPV) of $3.04 billion (approximately $2.8 billion to $3.6 billion at discount rates of 15% and 12.5%, respectively, before tax), with an internal rate of return (IRR) of 180%. The company on Monday published new results for drill holes drilled through the Fjord deposit and extended below the Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) for the Fjord deposit. The MRE assessed the eudialyte component of the kakortokite limited to the material above sea level. The deeper drill holes identified rare earth mineralisation at similar grades within the kakortokite unit below and within the MRE. Reported assay results confirm deep and highly mineralized TREO for each drill hole ranging from 0.33% to 0.51% with a weighted average of 0.43% TREO containing 28% HREO hosted within the Kakortokite rock and over the Fjord Deposit for the eudialyte component MRE of 22.6MT 0.43% TREO including 26% HREO. “I am further encouraged by the deep diamond drill hole results at Tanbreez, revealing exceptional assay results over wider and deeper mineralization,” CEO Tony Sage said in a news release. “Tanbreez continues to yield consistent high-grade drilling results presenting the company with a compelling opportunity to significantly increase and double our current MRE with an exploration target of 500MT of rare earth material up from our previous target of 225MT,” Sage said. “This key technical work to uncover and update historical information, strategically positions us to advance our plans for the development strategy as we deepen our understanding of the potential of this world-class asset and the material it contains.” Exploration and in-country field crews are currently on the ground at Tanbreez organizing the forthcoming field season preparing for resource and exploration drilling, the company said, adding that it has applied to the Greenland MSLA for a Program of Works for the 2025 resource drilling programs aimed at upgrading the Inferred Resource to Indicated Resource category and extending the size of the Tanbreez Fjord and Hill Zone Deposits. Critical Metals stock closed the day up 5.8% in New York. The company has a $143 million market capitalization.

Ethereum has pulled back roughly 14% since the last week of May, but it’s holding firm above the critical $2,400 support zone. Despite recent volatility across the crypto market, ETH’s ability to defend this level has kept hopes alive for a potential recovery. Analysts are closely watching Ethereum’s next move, as the asset still trades well below its yearly highs, offering room for upside if momentum returns. Since the start of the year, Ethereum has faced steep declines and inconsistent follow-through on bullish setups. However, many believe ETH is now positioned to recover lost ground — if bulls can reclaim the $2,800 resistance and flip it into support. A breakout above that level would likely open the door for a broader altcoin rally. Top analyst Big Cheds weighed in on the current structure, noting that Ethereum’s weekly chart printed its fourth small-bodied candle in a row — a classic sign of indecision. According to Cheds, ETH “still looks pre-tower top,” suggesting a potential trend shift may be forming. Ethereum Holds Ground As Bulls Face Critical Resistance Ethereum has managed to hold strong above key support levels despite several weeks of market-wide pullback and volatility. Trading above the $2,400–$2,500 zone, ETH has shown resilience while many altcoins have lost momentum. This range has become a critical battleground, with bulls now needing a clean breakout above the $2,800 mark to confirm a return to a bullish phase and potentially kick off the next leg higher. But while the technical structure remains intact for now, macroeconomic headwinds are building. US Treasury yields continue to rise as markets brace for prolonged high interest rates, signaling tighter financial conditions ahead. Combined with ongoing geopolitical uncertainty and sluggish global growth expectations, these factors continue to weigh heavily on risk assets, including crypto. Adding to the cautious tone, top analyst Big Cheds recently highlighted Ethereum’s weakening weekly momentum. According to Cheds, ETH is heading for its fourth consecutive small-bodied weekly candle — a signal of indecision that typically precedes major moves. He notes that the current setup looks pre-tower top, a classic bearish formation that often marks exhaustion at the top of a trend before a sharp reversal. This puts Ethereum at a critical juncture. A decisive breakout above $2,800 would invalidate the bearish scenario and strengthen the case for recovery toward the $3,000–$3,200 range. On the other hand, continued weakness and a failure to gain traction could trigger renewed selling pressure, especially if macro conditions worsen. As Ethereum trades within a tightening range, the next few weeks will be crucial. Whether bulls can flip resistance or bears regain control will likely determine the direction for ETH and the broader altcoin market heading into Q3. ETH Reclaims Short-Term Support But Faces Overhead Pressure Ethereum is trading at $2,539 on the 4-hour chart, showing a modest rebound of +1.86% on the day. After briefly dipping below its 200 SMA ($2,511), ETH has reclaimed this key level and is now pushing toward the cluster of shorter-term moving averages — including the 34 EMA ($2,528), 50 SMA ($2,543), and 100 SMA ($2,565). This area represents immediate resistance, and how ETH reacts here will likely determine the next short-term trend. Since early May, ETH has been trading in a wide consolidation range between $2,400 and $2,800. The recent price action suggests ongoing indecision, with lower highs forming and strong support holding near the 200 SMA. Volume remains relatively muted, indicating a lack of strong directional conviction. For bulls, reclaiming and holding above the 100 SMA is crucial for breaking out of the current range and targeting the $2,700–$2,800 region. On the downside, a loss of the 200 SMA could lead to a swift retest of $2,430 and potentially deeper downside. Featured image from Dall-E, chart from TradingView

Silver extended its hot run on Monday, gaining another 2% to approach the $37-an-ounce level, as it continues to benefit from a weakening dollar and other market tailwinds. Last week, the precious metal broke past the $36 price level, reaching its highest since February 2012. Spot silver rose 2.2% to $36.76 an ounce at Monday’s close, after touching $36.90 earlier for a new 13-year high. Silver futures also shot up 2.1% to $36.91 per ounce in New York. Meanwhile, its more expensive, less volatile sister metal gold ended the day 0.5% higher at $3,328.22 per ounce, as market participants still await the outcomes of the US-China trade talks. With these moves, silver has now matched gold in year-to-date gains at nearly 26%, making it one of the best-performing assets that has flown under the radar. According to Brett Elliott, director of content at precious metals marketplace APMEX, silver still “has room to run higher, with many analysts predicting $40 per ounce by end of year.” “This is roughly a 20% gain from current levels, which would be an excellent return if price action follows the expected path,” he told CBS last week. The next catalyst, as Elliott predicts, could be the upcoming Federal Reserve meeting, which may signal the US central bank’s monetary policy path for the rest of this year. A lower US interest rate would bode well for gold and silver, as these metals are considered safe havens but yield no interest.

Despite Bitcoin’s historic rise above the $100,000 mark in early 2025, a growing number of crypto investors are left wondering when the long-anticipated altcoin season will begin. At the time of writing, the altcoin season index from BlockchainCenter has now dipped to a reading of 20, far below the 75 threshold typically required to confirm the start of an altcoin season. In a detailed post on social media platform X, van de Poppe addressed what is one of the most frequently asked questions in the crypto industry today: “When altseason?” Altcoin Season Missing Despite Bull Market Conditions According to analyst Michaël van de Poppe, this cycle has deviated significantly from historical patterns. His response to the growing question of an altcoin season relays the fact that while Bitcoin has made gains, the altcoin market continues to lag significantly behind, raising doubts about whether a true altseason will even arrive this cycle. In past cycles, altcoins followed Bitcoin’s rally within weeks or months. However, 2024 and the early part of 2025 have proven to be different. This, in turn, has been many investors expecting this cycle to play out the same getting hammered and losing their patience. Although some new meme coins had their brief moments of explosive growth in late 2024, the broader altcoin market has been largely suppressed since late 2021. Van de Poppe explains that most older altcoins failed to match Bitcoin’s performance in 2021, and that trend has only worsened in the current cycle. This has somewhat changed the expectation of a typical four-year cycle rhythm. The tables have turned and other variables need to be taken into account for investors looking to get a significant return in those markets. Bitcoin Dominance And Sentiment Imbalance Holding Altcoins Back One of the clearest reasons for the delay in altseason is Bitcoin’s overwhelming dominance. As the Altcoin Season Index indicates, the metric remains significantly below the 25 threshold line and firmly entrenched in Bitcoin Season territory. Van de Poppe attributes this not just to price action, but also to macro-level shifts, such as interest rate regimes and monetary policy from central banks. For now, there’s still much upside potential for Bitcoin, especially if the Fed interest rates were to go down from their current 4% levels. In his view, the current market is divided into two camps: those expecting a bear market and those who believe the bull run is just beginning. Both could be wrong, he warns, because the game has changed. If there are so many factors going into negative sentiment, that’s actually a sign to allocate funds into altcoins. Keeping this in mind, the best time to invest in altcoins would be now, when the altcoin season isn’t showing any signs. Van de Poppe concludes that altseason isn’t just a timeframe but a phase where patient investors accumulate undervalued cryptocurrencies before the rest of the market catches on. When the altcoin season eventually rolls in, it will come unannounced.

The trading week is starting on a another risk-on session following last Friday's positive mood from the Non-Farm payrolls beat. There wasn't any release of Economic data today and a few markets were closed in Northern Europe and Switzerland. Volumes were subdued and markets focused on the two themes of the day - Sell the US Dollar and Buy Bitcoin! The leading cryptocurrency is up more than $3,000 today, close to 3%, dragging up the rest of the crypto market with other big names such as ETH, ADA and SOL all up more than 3%. Industrial metals continue their upwards trajectory with Palladium, Platinum and Silver all continuing their weekly breakouts - something to monitor for commodity traders. Gold is unchanged on the day. Only Copper, a proxy for global economic activity, particularly from China, has been lagging on the way up. Oil has also broke up from its monthly consolidation, currently trading above the $65 Mark. Opinions are the authors'; not necessarily that of OANDA Business Information & Services, Inc. or any of its affiliates, subsidiaries, officers or directors. The provided publication is for informational and educational purposes only. If you would like to reproduce or redistribute any of the content found on MarketPulse, an award winning forex, commodities and global indices analysis and news site service produced by OANDA Business Information & Services, Inc., please refer to the MarketPulse Terms of Use. Visit https://www.marketpulse.com/ to find out more about the beat of the global markets. © {CURRENT_YEAR} OANDA Business Information & Services Inc.

Singapore-based trading firm QCP Capital opened its Monday note with a blunt assessment: “Implied vols continue to come under pressure, with BTC stuck in a tight range as summer approaches.” In the options house’s telling, the market is drifting into the northern-hemisphere holiday season much as it did a year ago, when one-month at-the-money (ATM) volatility collapsed from 80 vols in March to barely 40 vols by July and spot repeatedly “failed to decisively breach the $70k level.” The difference this year is the new, higher plateau: BTC has sat between $100,000 and $110,000 for most of the past three weeks. The calm is visible beyond Deribit’s options screens. Deribit’s DVOL index, which tracks 30-day implied volatility, is hovering just above 40—one of its lowest prints in more than two years. Realised volatility is even quieter, so even one-year lows on implieds still look “optically rich,” QCP argues. That valuation gap has encouraged traders to sell gamma: perpetual open interest has slipped and the favourite hedge-fund basis trade—long spot via the new ETFs, short futures—has unwound, taking what QCP calls “the natural bid for vol” out of the market. Flows in the listed options market confirm the malaise. Dealers report that July upside strikes around $130,000 and $140,000 are being rolled out to September “in meaningful size,” effectively pushing bullish timelines further down the curve. Meanwhile, Deribit’s put-skew has flattened as short-dated hedges expire worthless—a dynamic that often precedes a directional move once macro catalysts arrive. This Week Could Break Bitcoin’s Lull Those catalysts line up uncomfortably close. On Wednesday the Bureau of Labor Statistics will publish May consumer-price data. April’s headline CPI rose a modest 0.2% month-on-month and 2.3% year-on-year, while core prices advanced 0.2% on the month and 2.8% on the year. Economists look for headline CPI to quicken to 0.3% on the month and 2.5% year-on-year, with core CPI seen edging up to 0.3% and 2.9% respectively. Producer prices follow on Thursday: April’s PPI fell 0.5% on the month yet still printed 2.4% year-on-year. The consensus expects May PPI to rebound 0.2%, leaving the annual rate near 2.4%. Inflation is not the only macro variable in play. Friday’s stronger-than-expected US non-farm payrolls report—139,000 jobs versus a 130,000 consensus—rekindled dollar strength and knocked gold more than one percent lower, but BTC “remained conspicuously unmoved,” QCP noted. The same divergence is visible this morning: US equity futures are slightly softer, spot gold is bid on safe-haven demand, and bitcoin is trading virtually unchanged. Geopolitics may supply the spark that inflation data has so far failed to ignite. Senior US and Chinese officials meet in London today (Monday) in what both sides are calling a push for a limited trade deal that would dial back export-control threats and myriad retaliatory tariffs. The talks matter for crypto because tariffs have been feeding directly into the CPI basket and—via global risk sentiment—into bitcoin demand. “A clean break below $100k or above $110k would likely reawaken broader market interest,” QCP wrote, “but we currently see no obvious near-term catalyst to drive such a move.” Trade headlines could change that calculus in a single newsflash. Institutional positioning likewise hints at fatigue. US regulatory filings show that large hedge funds trimmed spot-ETF holdings in the first quarter as the lucrative cash-and-carry spread compressed. Net inflows across the 11 US bitcoin ETFs have slowed to a trickle since late May, leaving cumulative additions at roughly $44 billion—unchanged for almost a fortnight, according to Farside data. For now, the market’s centre of gravity is exactly where QCP says it is: inside the $100,000–$110,000 corridor. Volatility sellers continue to collect premium, and the risk-reward for momentum traders remains poor. Yet with CPI, PPI and high-stakes trade negotiations all landing inside a 72-hour window, the premium that option writers are harvesting could quickly look meagre. If the inflation data surprise to the upside, a repricing of Fed-cut expectations could turn last week’s equity rally into a risk-off wobble, yanking bitcoin below six figures for the first time since April. Conversely, a benign print combined with even a symbolic easing of tariff rhetoric could flip the narrative to “soft landing, structural bid via ETFs,” reigniting topside optionality into the June quarter-end. In that scenario the rolled-out September $140,000 calls might come alive far sooner than their buyers now expect. Either way, the clock on bitcoin’s summer doldrums is ticking loudly. “Without a compelling narrative to spark the next leg higher, signs of fatigue are emerging,” QCP warns. The narrative candidates arrive this week; whether they supply ignition or simply more noise will decide whether 2025’s range trade breaks—or cements itself as the dominant theme of another crypto summer. At press time, BTC traded at $107,919.

US Indices have made a consequent move up since the Liberation Day tariff fears peaked – The S&P recently broke up the 6,000 psychological milestone and the Nasdaq is less than 2% from its all-time highs. We will dive into a multi-timeframe Dow Jones Technical analysis to see if a better global outlook and overall positive tone in markets help the US index to catch up to its tech-focused peers. This morning’s Apple Conference WWDC24 disappointed markets and sent the stock down 1.25% during the session, undermining this morning’s rally in the NQ. This and lower tariffs after the US-China discussions may contribute to bridging the gap between the US30 and other North American indices. Opinions are the authors'; not necessarily that of OANDA Business Information & Services, Inc. or any of its affiliates, subsidiaries, officers or directors. The provided publication is for informational and educational purposes only. If you would like to reproduce or redistribute any of the content found on MarketPulse, an award winning forex, commodities and global indices analysis and news site service produced by OANDA Business Information & Services, Inc., please refer to the MarketPulse Terms of Use. Visit https://www.marketpulse.com/ to find out more about the beat of the global markets. © {CURRENT_YEAR} OANDA Business Information & Services Inc.

Ethereum has remained firm above key support levels despite the broader market pullback in recent weeks. While many altcoins have shown weakness, ETH continues to trade above the $2,400–$2,500 zone, signaling strength and positioning itself for a potential recovery. After a volatile start to the year that saw steep declines, analysts are increasingly calling for a breakout, with some suggesting Ethereum could soon reclaim lost ground if current conditions hold. However, not everyone agrees on the bullish outlook. Some traders warn that Ethereum’s recent consolidation may precede another leg down, especially if resistance near $2,800 remains unbroken. The debate highlights the uncertainty hanging over the market as macro risks and shifting liquidity continue to influence short-term direction. Top analyst Ted Pillows recently shared his view, noting that Ethereum is still consolidating after a strong May. While this pause may seem neutral, he pointed to rising ETF inflows and growing network activity as leading indicators of renewed demand. According to Pillows, these signals often precede price expansion, suggesting that ETH may just be gearing up for its next move. Ethereum Holds Firm As Market Volatility Builds Toward A Decisive Move Ethereum is navigating a critical moment as the broader crypto market faces heightened volatility and mounting uncertainty. Still trading 48% below its all-time high, ETH has shown impressive resilience, holding firm above key support levels even as sentiment wavers. The market remains on edge following renewed tensions between Elon Musk and US President Donald Trump — a dynamic that has triggered risk-off behavior and short-term instability across assets. Despite the noise, Ethereum continues to show underlying strength. Bitcoin remains stable near its highs, and many altcoins appear to be coiling for potential breakout moves. In this context, the coming weeks could prove decisive for ETH, which has so far managed to consolidate after a bullish May without breaking key structure. Ted Pillows noted in a recent update that Ethereum is still consolidating, and that’s not necessarily bearish. According to his view, rising ETF inflows and accelerating network activity suggest that renewed demand is quietly building behind the scenes. Historically, these have been leading indicators of a breakout, and ETH looks well-positioned to take advantage. Momentum is shifting, and bulls are eyeing the $2,800 level as the next key threshold. Reclaiming that level could trigger a move toward $3,000 in June. Beyond that, if macro conditions remain stable, Ethereum could realistically push to $4,000 by Q3 2025. For now, ETH remains in consolidation mode — but with strength in the fundamentals, technical structure, and on-chain trends, the case for a breakout is growing stronger. The next move will be crucial, not just for Ethereum, but for the broader altcoin market heading into summer. ETH Holds Mid-Range Structure Amid Continued Consolidation Ethereum continues to trade within a tight range, holding at $2,513 after briefly dipping to $2,479 earlier in the session. As seen on the daily chart, ETH remains in consolidation beneath the key resistance at $2,659, marked by the 200-day simple moving average (SMA), which has capped several upside attempts throughout June. Despite failing to break out, the structure remains constructive. The 34-day EMA ($2,435.80) and 50-day SMA ($2,284.93) continue to act as dynamic support. ETH recently bounced off the 34 EMA after testing that level for three consecutive days, signaling buyers are still present and defending key zones. Meanwhile, volume remains muted, reflecting indecision and lack of conviction from both bulls and bears. For now, the $2,430–$2,660 range defines the battleground. A daily close above the 200 SMA would indicate bullish continuation toward the $2,800 level. Conversely, a breakdown below $2,430 could trigger a larger retrace toward $2,200. Ethereum’s current behavior reflects a market waiting for a catalyst. With rising ETF inflows and steady on-chain activity, momentum could return quickly, but until then, ETH remains trapped in a sideways grind. The next confirmed move out of this range will likely dictate the trend heading into late June. Featured image from Dall-E, chart from TradingView

Trading at ~$108,590, Bitcoin has found support in today’s session, trading ~3.82% higher. Benefitting from sustained institutional interest, optimism on future regulation, and technical buying, markets look towards key US inflation data later this week. Bitcoin (BTC/USD): Key Takeaways Currently in a period of consolidation, Bitcoin's market cap currently sits around $2.15 trillion. Investor sentiment remains bullish, with support from ‘buy the dip’ interestExpected on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively, the upcoming Consumer Price Index and PPI data are particularly important for Bitcoin pricing this week. If inflation is shown to slow further ahead of the Fed’s June decision, this could offer further support to crypto pricingWhile tensions between President Trump and Elon Musk have weighed negatively on crypto pricing, Bitcoin has since erased all losses since the feud began Bitcoin (BTCUSD) Price Analysis: close A chart showing the recent price action of BTCUSD. OANDA,TradingView, 09/06/2025 A chart showing the recent price action of BTCUSD. OANDA,TradingView, 09/06/2025 Trading higher in today’s session, Bitcoin has recently broken above the 10 and 21-day EMAs, suggesting a potential for further bullish momentum in the short term. Recently finding support at the 50-day EMA, Bitcoin has benefited from technical buying and remains well-above the key level of $100,000Recent price action has seen Bitcoin break a descending channel towards the upside, suggesting the recent retracement in pricing could be short-lived. If price can maintain highs in today’s session, this will be encouraging for bullsIf the rally is to continue, the next obvious target is previous highs at ~$112,030. Price will need to stay above ~$106,929 to secure more immediate upside Opinions are the authors'; not necessarily that of OANDA Business Information & Services, Inc. or any of its affiliates, subsidiaries, officers or directors. The provided publication is for informational and educational purposes only. If you would like to reproduce or redistribute any of the content found on MarketPulse, an award winning forex, commodities and global indices analysis and news site service produced by OANDA Business Information & Services, Inc., please refer to the MarketPulse Terms of Use. Visit https://www.marketpulse.com/ to find out more about the beat of the global markets. © {CURRENT_YEAR} OANDA Business Information & Services Inc.

Ethereum is back in sharp focus across the crypto market following a recent rally to $2,800 that has added fresh layers of bullish momentum to its long-term narrative. At the time of writing, Ethereum is trying to register a footing above $2,500, but this subdued price action masks what an analyst is calling one of the most critical technical and on-chain moments in Ethereum’s recent history. Ethereum Weekly Engagement Hits Record High According to Crypto Patel, a crypto analyst on the social media platform X, Ethereum’s weekly engagement has reached an all-time high, surpassing all previous peaks seen since 2022. The accompanying chart below shows a steep rise in the number of unique addresses interacting with Ethereum’s ecosystem. According to the most recent data, the number of weekly active addresses stands at 17.4 million, representing an increase of almost 17% in just seven days. Notably, May 2025 saw the most significant growth in engagement, with each of the past three weeks witnessing at least 15 million active addresses. Meanwhile, the Layer 2 multiplier, which reflects adoption across Ethereum’s scaling solutions, has climbed to 7.55x, marking an 18.63% jump over the same period. Crypto Patel described the development as impossible to ignore, adding that the momentum is building fast, and warned followers to stay ready as Ethereum prepares for what could be a dramatic next leg up. “It’s impossible to ignore $ETH right now,” he remarked. Despite a minor 4.31% decline in cross-chain activity in the past seven days, the overall engagement trend confirms that more users are entering the Ethereum ecosystem. Analyst Predicts $9,000 To $10,000 ETH Price Target Complementing this on-chain momentum is a broader technical perspective offered by another crypto analyst known as XForceGlobal on the social media platform X. In a detailed Elliott Wave analysis also shared on X, the analyst noted that Ethereum has successfully completed a complex corrective structure and is now poised to enter a powerful new impulsive phase. According to the chart, the bearish scenario has been invalidated by recent price behavior, and a new bullish cycle is now underway as Ethereum is currently playing out a bullish B wave. If this bullish B wave plays out as expected, XForceGlobal projects a major price surge with a target range between $9,000 and $10,000 for Ethereum. Specifically, the analyst identified a $9,410 price target for sometime in the next year. However, the analyst outlines a hypothetical fallback to the $576 zone if the C corrective wave unfolds. Nonetheless, the current wave structure shows an increased likelihood of Ethereum surging higher rather than breaking down. The analyst concluded by stating, “We can now confidently scrap the bearish case. The impulse opened the door for potential new highs.” At the time of writing, Ethereum is trading at $2,493 with a recent intraday high of $2,537.

Surge Battery Metals (TSXV: NILI) has issued a preliminary economic assessment (PEA) for its Nevada North Lithium Project (NNLP) that outlined what could be a low-cost, long-life producer of battery-grade materials for the US market. The PEA, completed jointly by M3 Engineering & Technology and Independent Mining Consultants, was based on a two-phased build-out of the lithium plant to support an estimated 42-year conventional open-pit operation. During that time, about 205 million tonnes of mineralized material will be mined at an average lithium grade of 4,016 parts per million, the report showed. Mining will start with the shallow, high-grade portions of the resource, currently estimated at 8.65 million tonnes in lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE). The lithium plant will initially process mined material at an annual rate of 2.58 million tonnes during Phase 1, then doubling 5.15 million tonnes in year 4, when Phase 2 comes online, taking the average throughput over the life of mine to 4.88 million tonnes. Over the 42 years, NNLP is projected to produce 86,300 tonnes of LCE annually at an average recovery rate of 82.8%. Peak production is expected in the sixth year at 109,100 tonnes. According to the PEA, Phase 1 construction will cost around $2.97 billion, including $23 million in mine capex, while Phase 2 is expected to cost another $2.35 billion. Together with a sustaining capital of $1.51 billion, the entire project would cost $6.86 billion. Using an LCE price of $24,000/t as the base case, the study gave the project an after-tax net present value (at 8% discount) of $9.21 billion and an internal rate of return of 22.8%. Its operating cost is pegged at $5,097/t LCE, owing to the near-surface, high-grade mineralization at NNLP. The report projected a 4.7-year payback. Following the PEA release, shares of Surge Battery Metals jumped 15.8% to C$0.33 apiece by midday in Toronto, for a market capitalization of C$59 million ($43 million). “NNLP could potentially be a major low-cost producer of battery-grade lithium carbonate for the United States battery industry, and we have taken a major step in achieving that with today’s results,” Surge Battery Metals CEO Greg Reimer stated in a press release. “The combination of low OPEX, great ROI and the ability to produce large quantities of battery-grade lithium carbonate including a peak of 109,100 tonnes in one year showcases the Tier 1 status of NNLP,” he added.

Rio Tinto (LON: RIO) (ASX:RIO) has approved a shift in underground development at its Oyu Tolgoi copper-gold mine in Mongolia, pausing progress in the Entrée Resources joint venture (JV) area due to ongoing delays in license transfers. The company said the ramp up of production from Oyu Tolgoi remains on track to deliver an average of around 500,000 tonnes of copper from 2028 to 2036, with options including bringing Panel 1 or Panel 2 South into production first depending on the timing of the Entrée licence transfers. While limited development will continue in parts of Panel 1 outside the JV boundary, Rio Tinto confirmed that resources will now be reallocated to expedite progress in the more accessible Panel 2 South. The development freeze in the Entrée JV area stems from a delay in transferring licences to Oyu Tolgoi LLC (OTLLC), the operating entity jointly owned by Rio Tinto (66%) and the Mongolian Government (34%). Entrée Resources (TSX:ETG) expressed disappointment over the holdup. CEO Stephen Scott noted that the transfer process began in February 2025 but remains incomplete. He cautioned that any significant delay in development at Lift 1 Panel 1 could adversely impact the project’s cost, schedule, and Entrée’s financial position and share price. As one of the world’s largest known copper-gold resources, Oyu Tolgoi plays a pivotal role in Rio Tinto’s growth strategy and Mongolia’s economic development. Despite the revised strategy, Rio Tinto reaffirmed its 2025 copper production guidance of 780,000 to 850,000 tonnes. Open pit mining at Oyu Tolgoi first started in 2011, and the copper concentrator, the largest industrial complex ever built in Mongolia, began processing mined ore into copper concentrate in 2013. Last year, underground production also kicked off, which is expected to elevate Oyu Tolgoi into one of the world’s top copper producers by 2030.

USDJPY, a historically volatile forex pair, has failed to break lows and has been consolidating at the low of its 2024 to today’s monthly range. Looking at higher timeframes allows us to see where prices currently stand and zones of interest as the Federal Reserve and Bank of Japan’s Monetary policies diverge once again. From Monthly to Daily charts, we will look at zones of interest in potential breakouts or reversals. Opinions are the authors'; not necessarily that of OANDA Business Information & Services, Inc. or any of its affiliates, subsidiaries, officers or directors. The provided publication is for informational and educational purposes only. If you would like to reproduce or redistribute any of the content found on MarketPulse, an award winning forex, commodities and global indices analysis and news site service produced by OANDA Business Information & Services, Inc., please refer to the MarketPulse Terms of Use. Visit https://www.marketpulse.com/ to find out more about the beat of the global markets. © {CURRENT_YEAR} OANDA Business Information & Services Inc.

Battery metals markets remain under pressure as falling prices and oversupply weigh on producers, with little sign of a near-term rebound, the last analysis from Fastmarkets, a cross-commodity price reporting agency, shows. Despite ongoing growth in electric vehicle (EV) sales, market fundamentals for lithium, cobalt, nickel, manganese, graphite, and recycled materials continue to deteriorate, driven by excess supply, sluggish investment and mounting policy uncertainty, according to the report. Lithium prices have seen the sharpest decline. Spodumene spot prices in China fell 19.1% in May to $612.50 per tonne, down 30% since January. Lithium carbonate prices dropped 10.3% from April to RMB 59,650 per tonne, 20.3% lower than at the start of the year. While previous cuts to spodumene production had briefly stabilized the market, persistently weak salt prices in China have continued to compress processor margins, forcing sellers to discount further. Analysts warn that prices have yet to fall low enough to prompt another wave of output cuts. “EV sales remain healthy, so the weakness in lithium prices is about oversupply,” William Adams, head of Base Metals Research at Fastmarkets, said in a report. He added that falling Chinese demand for battery energy storage systems, which were down 1.5% year-over-year in the first quarter, could further erode market sentiment. Cobalt is similarly struggling with excess inventory and policy uncertainty, Fastmarkets says. Despite speculation over potential changes to cobalt hydroxide export rules in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), no formal announcements emerged from industry meetings in Singapore. Prices weakened across all cobalt products in May, even as China’s trade data showed strong flows: imports of cobalt metal surged 60% month-over-month in April, while exports jumped 202% year-over-year. The glut has depressed seaborne prices, with refiners sitting on large stockpiles. Rob Searle, a senior analyst at Fastmarkets, warned that the lack of clarity around DRC policy is exacerbating supply anxiety. “Chinese refiners face the prospect of a 60,000-tonne cobalt unit shortfall heading into Q3,” he said. “Prices remain soft, but a bullish turn may come if inventories start to draw down meaningfully.” Cobalt producers, traders and recyclers seem to have higher hopes for the metals. A recent report published by The Cobalt Institute forecasts demand to rise faster than supply over the next decade, pushing the sector into deficit by the early 2030s. Nickel continues to suffer from oversupply, particularly from Indonesia and China. The LME cash price dropped another 1.6% in May to $15,105 per tonne. While demand has held steady, the market remains flooded. Analysts predict another full-year surplus for 2025, and say only stricter supply discipline could reverse the slide. “There’s no near-term bullish narrative for nickel,” Olivier Masson, principal analyst at Fastmarkets, noted. Manganese offered a brief respite. Spot prices for manganese sulphate in China turned higher in late May due to restocking. Still, sentiment remains weak. Operating rates among Chinese producers fell slightly in April, and the long-term demand outlook remains uncertain amid low profitability for high-manganese chemistries. The recent announcement of a 2029 export ban by Gabon, one of China’s key suppliers, adds further complexity to the market. Graphite faces persistent price weakness and mounting policy risk. While natural graphite remains exempt from US tariffs, synthetic graphite is still subject to a punishing 55% import duty. That, combined with uncertainty surrounding the US “One Big Beautiful Bill,” has cast a shadow over the sector. Synthetic graphite users in the US face sharply higher costs, while high inventories and slow demand continue to depress prices. “Uncertainty on multiple fronts is holding back investment and diversification in the graphite supply chain,” Amy Bennett, principal analyst at Fastmarkets, noted. Battery recycling, particularly hydrometallurgical operations, is also under pressure. Falling lithium prices have pushed black mass refiners closer to breakeven, as complex separation and purification processes struggle to stay profitable. Some recyclers are opting to offload low-grade manganese content at a loss rather than upgrade it to electrochemical quality. Strong demand for feedstock, especially from Asian refiners trying to maintain high utilisation rates, has led to a hot market for limited scrap supply. “The market is squeezed between weak metal prices and tight feedstock,” Luke Sweeney, senior Recycling analyst said. Energy storage systems (ESS) remain a bright spot for innovation, but face mounting headwinds. Lithium iron phosphate (LFP) technology continues to dominate, with sodium-ion and LMFP batteries gaining traction. Yet policy risks loom large. The proposed rollback of clean energy incentives in the United States, through the “One Big Beautiful Bill”, threatens to undercut investment and deployment momentum. Meanwhile, new safety standards in China and the US are raising the bar for ESS system design and performance. “The sector is advancing fast,” said Walter Zhang, ESS Senior Analyst, “but policy shifts could slow the pace of deployment, particularly in the US” While EV sales in China remain strong —up 30% year-over-year in May— and BYD’s international expansion is gaining steam, analysts caution that these demand drivers may not be enough to balance the structural oversupply across battery metal markets. Fastmarkets anticipates the resilience of producers, traders and policymakers will be tested in the months ahead, as they navigate an increasingly volatile landscape.

A well-known cryptocurrency attorney and XRP advocate, John Deaton, is urging investors to stay bullish on Bitcoin even as it hovers near $106,000. He’s put about 80% of his net worth into BTC at an average price below $25,000. Rather than fret over today’s high sticker, he says the odds favor more gains ahead than losses. Deaton’s Big Bet According to Deaton, buying at six figures isn’t too late. He calls today’s price range “more asymmetrical,” meaning the upside is greater than the downside. He’s put 80% of his wealth into Bitcoin. His average entry cost was less than $25,000. Still, he sees room to run even from around $106,000. Macro Concerns Drive Interest Based on reports, Deaton worries about soaring national debt in the US and fresh tariffs from US President Donald Trump’s time in office. He flags endless money printing by central banks as a red flag. He says all these moves are chipping away at trust in fiat cash. With only 21 million BTC ever to be mined, Bitcoin can’t be inflated away. That fixed supply, he argues, makes it a solid hedge against a shaky dollar. Corporate And State Adoption Institutional demand is also on the rise. MicroStrategy—now called Strategy—holds more than 200,000 BTC, worth tens of billions of dollars. And in the last seven days, 16 companies have added Bitcoin to their balance sheets. On the government side, Rep. Tim Burchett introduced a bill to turn a Trump executive order into law, creating a US Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. Countries like Pakistan, Ukraine, and Ireland are weighing similar steps. They want to see if holding Bitcoin could protect their foreign exchange plans. Skeptics Voice Worries Not everyone agrees with Deaton’s rosy outlook. Economist Peter Schiff, a gold advocate, says Bitcoin has no real value and is too wild to be a safe haven. He tweeted that today’s rally is just hype. Deaton doesn’t shy away from such criticism. He admits he has “confirmation and wealth-preservation bias.” He still insists Bitcoin is the best store of value during today’s economic storms. Deaton warns against buying with money you can’t afford to lose. He tells people living paycheck-to-paycheck not to risk their homes or take out loans just to buy crypto. His basic message is simple: look past daily price swings and ask where the world’s money is headed. If you share his concerns about the dollar and believe institutions will keep piling in, his bet on Bitcoin could pay off. But anyone on the sidelines should be ready for big swings and should only invest what they can handle. Featured image from Pexels, chart from TradingView

Gold prices inched higher on Monday as the market gauges how ongoing US-China trade negotiations will take shape. Spot gold rose 0.4% to $3,324.21 an ounce as of 11:20 a.m. ET, after dropping below the $3,300 level earlier in the session. US gold futures fell 0.1% to $3,343.40 per ounce. Meanwhile, the US dollar remained subdued, keeping gold relatively cheaper for buyers. Market participants are keeping a close eye on the US-China trade talks that are taking place in London. Last month, the two sides had agreed to a temporary pause, providing some relief to investors. “In the short term, if there is a positive outcome of the meeting, it could be a little negative for gold, but not too much,” said Bart Melek, head of commodity strategies at TD Securities. “I think a weaker economy, likely interest rate cuts and lower momentum on the risk appetite side is getting people to move into gold. And, of course expectations of higher inflation.” Investors also await US Consumer Price Index (CPI), data due on Friday, to assess the country’s economic health and predict the Federal Reserve’s rate cut trajectory. Data over the weekend showed that China’s central bank added gold to its reserves for the seventh straight month in May. Elsewhere, platinum extended its rally to reach its highest since May 2021. (With files from Reuters)

Drilling by G2 Goldfields (TSX: GTWO) has returned results as high as 13.5 metres grading 4 grams gold per tonne at the company’s New Oko discovery area in northeast Guyana. Shares rose. That intercept, in hole AMD18, also cut 65 metres at 1.5 grams gold from 51.5 metres downhole, and 9.7 metres grading 3.1 grams gold, Toronto-based G2 said Monday in a statement. Hole AMD25, meanwhile, cut 70.5 metres grading 1.8 grams gold from 82.5 metres depth, including 4.5 metres at 8.2 grams gold from 121.5 metres, the company said. The project is about 120 km southwest of the capital Georgetown. “The latest results confirm the continuity of gold mineralization down-dip of the host structure, and along strike to the northeast,” vice-president of exploration Boaz Wade said in the release. “Within the consistent broad intercepts along the shear, coherent zones of higher-grade begin to indicate the potential of plunging mineralized shoots that are still open at depth.” New Oko – the third significant gold discovery in the company’s holdings – lies about 10 km north of the Oko-Ghanie zone, which hosts 10.2 million indicated tonnes at 2.01 grams gold for 663,400 oz. of contained metal and 12 million inferred tonnes grading 2.64 grams gold for 1 million oz. gold. G2, which holds exploration rights to 340 sq. km in the district, has now completed 47 diamond drill holes totalling 6,439 metres in the New Oko area. Strike length expansion G2 shares gained 1.9% to C$3.21 apiece on Monday morning in Toronto, giving the company a market capitalization of about C$772 million. The stock has traded between C$1.30 and C$3.68 in the past year. Three other holes, AMD17, AMD 19 and AMD23, have expanded the deposit’s strike length by 130 metres, resulting in a total strike length of 630 metres, G2 also said. The new zone remains open in all directions. AMD17 cut 33.7 metres grading 0.5 gram gold from about 43 metres downhole. AMD19 intersected 60.2 metres at 0.3 gram gold from 88.3 metres downhole, while AMD 23 cut 52 metres at 0.9 gram gold from 108 metres depth. Gold in soil The next stage of drilling is to focus on extensions of those higher-grade zones at depth and shallow strike extensions to the southwest, Wade added. The company has deployed equipment and personnel to drill a “significant” new gold-in-soil anomaly located 4 km north of its current drilling campaign, G2 said. An eight-hole drilling program is to start soon, with assay results probably set for release in mid-July. “We are still in the early stages of exploring this emerging gold district and I am entirely confident in our abilities to meaningfully grow the company’s global gold resources,” executive chairman Patrick Sheridan said. “I am convinced there will ultimately be multiple mines in this district.” While drilling “is a key value driver ahead, with 3-4 rigs active on new prospects and resource extensions, we also view securing the necessary licenses and permits (in process now) as a significant de-risking catalyst for development and M&A,” SCP Resource Finance mining analyst Brandon Gaspar said Monday in a note.

Platinum price extended its rally for a sixth straight session on Monday, climbing to its highest level in over four years amid signs of growing market tightness. Spot platinum rose 2.7% to $1,200.95 per ounce, its highest since May 2021, after posting a 10% gain last week. “It’s supported by a combination of tight supply expectations, improving industrial sentiment, and technical follow-through from the broader precious metals rally,” Alexander Zumpfe, a trader at Heraeus Metals Germany, told Reuters. The bullish momentum aligns with expectations of another annual supply deficit. In early 2025, a substantial amount of platinum flowed into the United States because investors feared the metal would face tariffs under President Trump, also pushing up the cost of borrowing the metal. Although the platinum that poured into U.S. warehouses is now moving back out, lease rates in London and Zurich vaults have remained persistently high. While these rates typically hover near zero, this year they’ve surged to record levels—one‑month lease rates are now above 13.5% on an annualized basis. “There’s been growing tightness since December,” Ed Sterck, director of research at the World Platinum Investment Council told Bloomberg. Adding to the squeeze, holdings in platinum-backed exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have reached a 10-month high, while spot prices are now trading above futures. A near-million-ounce deficit in 2025 The World Platinum Investment Council (WPIC) projects a supply deficit of nearly 1 million ounces this year, driven by strong demand and constrained output. Platinum is primarily used in catalytic converters for vehicles, as well as in laboratory equipment and as an investment asset. Its 32% price increase year-to-date has outpaced gold’s 26% rise.

US Oil breaks out of its monthly range that had formed since the middle of May. A 5-month downtrend in Oil due to fears of slowed global trade and consecutive increased supply by OPEC+ has started to reverse. After touching lows of $55, levels not seen since mid-2021 post-covid recovery, Oil had been forming a consolidation range between $60.5 and $64. After multiple bounces, and a better global outlook with trade tensions abating (Particularly with US-China talks resuming), the outlook for petroleum prices is starting to look less bearish. Let's take a look at the charts to spot potential levels of interest as WTI just touched $65. Opinions are the authors'; not necessarily that of OANDA Business Information & Services, Inc. or any of its affiliates, subsidiaries, officers or directors. The provided publication is for informational and educational purposes only. If you would like to reproduce or redistribute any of the content found on MarketPulse, an award winning forex, commodities and global indices analysis and news site service produced by OANDA Business Information & Services, Inc., please refer to the MarketPulse Terms of Use. Visit https://www.marketpulse.com/ to find out more about the beat of the global markets. © {CURRENT_YEAR} OANDA Business Information & Services Inc.

Talon Metals (TSX: TLO) announced on Monday it plans to raise approximately C$24 million ($17.6 million) to fund the development of its Tamarack nickel-copper-cobalt project in Minnesota. Its shares, however, plummeted as investors digested its pricing. The fundraising will be conducted via two separate financings: the first being a bought-deal private placement led by Canaccord Genuity for C$10 million, and the second a non-brokered placement for C$13.7 million. The Canaccord-brokered financing will see Talon issue 45.46 million units priced at C$0.22 each, while the non-brokered offering comprises approximately 62.22 million units, to be issued under the same terms. Each unit contains one common share and one-half of a warrant, with each full warrant exercisable at $0.28 per share for a period of three years. Talon Metals plunged 15.4% or $0.04 at Monday’s open, taking its stock price to C$0.22, the same as the offering price. The move takes Talon’s share price back toward the levels seen last Thursday, when the stock spiked as much as 50% from C$0.20 to C$0.30. The Toronto-based company has a current market capitalization of approximately C$197.4 million ($144.3 million). Tamarack project The funds will be used to support Talon’s ongoing work on the Tamarack project, which it is developing under a joint venture with Rio Tinto (ASX: RIO) as the project’s operator and 51% owner. Currently, Talon’s team is looking to expand the Tamarack resource ahead of a feasibility study, part of the project’s environmental permitting process. The last resource estimate in 2022 revealed 8.6 million tonnes grading 1.73% nickel and 0.92% copper in the indicated category and 8.5 million tonnes grading 0.83% nickel and 0.55% copper in the inferred category. This resource will likely see a large increase following the high-grade discoveries made by Talon from infill drilling over the past few months, the company has said. The most recent, announced last month, was a “historic” discovery that broke the record for the longest intercept ever recorded at Tamarack.

Bitcoin is making waves once again, flashing strength on the weekly chart as it closes well above key moving averages. With momentum indicators still favoring the bulls and no signs of exhaustion in sight, the current setup hints that the rally might be far from over. Could this be the beginning of an even bigger breakout? Bitcoin Stays Elevated: Bulls Show No Signs of Fatigue In a recent update shared on X, Shaco AI highlighted Bitcoin’s continued bullish momentum, pointing to strong weekly performance on the BTC/USDT chart. The analyst noted that BTC has “ballooned past recent expectations,” closing the week at an impressive $105,700. This places the asset well above its 25-week Simple Moving Average (SMA) of $95,009.55 and the 50-week SMA at $83,318.12, an encouraging technical signal that suggests Bitcoin’s uptrend remains firmly intact. As Shaco AI put it, “The party isn’t over yet,” hinting that bullish sentiment could carry BTC even higher. Technical indicators further support this upbeat outlook. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) currently reads 63.51, indicating that buying momentum remains robust without entering overbought territory. This suggests that traders are still comfortable accumulating at current levels, and the market hasn’t yet reached a point of exhaustion. Furthermore, the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) remains firmly in positive territory at 5835.33. The MACD’s positioning reflects steady buyer interest and a favorable trend structure, both of which are crucial for sustaining an upward move. Volume Slackens While Price Nears Critical Resistance Zone The analyst went on to point out that despite the bullish setup currently seen on Bitcoin’s chart, the enthusiasm might be tempered by softening trading volume. Specifically, trading volume has only reached 95,302, significantly lower than the average volume of 179,421. This discrepancy signals a noticeable dip in market participation, raising the question of whether the ongoing price rally has enough fuel to sustain its momentum in the short term. As the analyst emphasized, this drop in volume is worth watching closely since it may influence the momentum of next week’s price action. Looking at the broader picture, Bitcoin is approaching a major resistance level at $111,980. This key barrier represents a potential turning point; either it gets broken and paves the way for further upside, or it holds and prompts a short-term correction. Should a pullback occur, the analyst noted that BTC appears to have a comfortable support zone at $49,000, which could act as a solid cushion. In any case, the analyst suggests keeping a close eye on how these technical levels play out, as they could dictate Bitcoin’s next big move.