Investing News Network
- Silver Price Forecast: Top Trends for Silver in 2026 (2025-12-15)
The silver price reached heights not seen in more than 40 years in 2025, posting new all-time highs in the fourth quarter amid a supply deficit, expanding industrial use and rising safe-haven demand.
The white metal reached its highest point for the year in mid-December, breaking through US$64 per ounce following an interest rate cut from the US Federal Reserve. With investors looking for non-interest bearing assets in which to store and grow their wealth, the world’s metals exchanges are having a hard time keeping their silver inventories stocked.
What will 2026 hold for silver? As the new year approaches, investors are closely watching how changes in monetary policy and global uncertainty could impact the precious metal, along with supply and demand trends in the space.
Here's what experts see coming for silver in 2026.
Silver's persistent structural supply deficit
Silver’s “relentless” move from under US$30 in January to over US$60 by December of this year speaks to the tightness in the market, Peter Krauth of Silver Stock Investor and Silver Advisor told the Investing News Network (INN) in a December interview. He expects that key thread to continue running through the silver story into 2026.
In its "2025/2026 Precious Metals Investment" report, Metal Focus forecasts a fifth straight year of a silver supply deficit for 2025, coming in at 63.4 million ounces. And while that figure is expected to retract to 30.5 million ounces in 2026, the firm is confident that the deficit will continue to be a factor for silver this coming year.
Essentially, silver is in an entrenched structural deficit tied to a multi-year mine supply shortfall that can’t keep up with both rising industrial use and strong investment demand. Aboveground silver stocks are running dry, with silver mine production has decreased over the past decade, especially in the silver-mining hubs of Central and South America.
Even with silver at never-seen-before prices, it could be years before any sort of balance returns to the market.
Krauth told INN that higher silver prices are not enough of a motivation for miners to increase production, because about 75 percent of silver is mined as a by-product of other metals such as gold, copper, lead and zinc.
“If the silver that you produce is a small portion of your stream of revenues, you're not that motivated to try to produce more silver,” he explained. In fact, Krauth said a higher silver price could result in less silver coming to market as miners switch to processing lower-grade material that was once uneconomical and might even contain less silver.
On the exploration side, it takes 10 to 15 years to bring a silver deposit through discovery and into production.
“The reaction time to higher prices is actually really, really slow. I think we’re going to see these shortages and tightness persist,” Krauth added.
Industrial demand for silver from cleantech and AI
Industrial demand was another major catalyst for higher silver prices in 2025, and is expected to remain a strong tailwind for the silver market next year and beyond.
In a December report titled "Silver, the Next Generation Metal," the Silver Institute explains that heavy demand for silver through 2030 is coming from the cleantech sector — mainly from the solar and electric vehicle (EV) segments — and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and data centers. Silver’s critical role in these economically important industries led the US government to include silver on its list of critical minerals this year.
Many of the experts INN has spoken with in recent weeks agree that rising demand from these key industries will likely contribute to silver price growth in 2026. Frank Holmes of US Global Investors (NASDAQ:GROW) said in a December interview that silver’s “ability to be a transformative part of renewable energy,” particularly in solar panels, is an outsized factor in the latest run in the silver price. “And I don't think that is going to go away,” he added.
On a similar note, Alex Tsepaev, chief strategy officer at B2PRIME Group, told INN in an email: “The growing focus on renewable energy, especially solar panels, has also boosted silver demand worldwide. With the increasing number of EVs in the world, silver will see more and more growth in the future."
A staunch believer in solar as a major pillar of the silver market, Krauth advised that it is “dangerous to underestimate” the level of demand yet to come from the industry. This is especially true if investors consider the projected growth of AI data centers in the US alone, and the amount of energy needed to power their operations.
“I think about 80 percent of data centers are located in the US, and their demand for electricity is expected to grow by 22 percent over the next decade. AI alone, on top of data center demand for electricity, is expected to grow by 31 percent over the next decade,” he said, adding that over the past year data centers in the US have chosen solar energy five times more than nuclear options for powering their operations.
Safe-haven investment demand magnifying silver scarcity
While silver has definitely benefited from industrial demand, there are two sides to the silver coin. Krauth told INN that as investors flock to safe-haven assets, “silver is fulfilling its role as a true form of money."
As a precious metal, silver tracks gold. Lower interest rates, a return to quantitative easing by the Fed, a weaker US dollar, rising inflation, increased geopolitical uncertainty — all of these factors that benefit its sister metal are also highly supportive of the silver price. And as an affordable alternative to gold, silver is attracting significant retail and institutional investment, including massive exchange-traded fund (ETF) inflows.
Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank, posted to X on December 10:
"Meanwhile, inflows into silver-backed ETFs have reached around 130 million ounces this year, lifting total holdings to roughly 844 million ounces—an 18% increase."
Safe-haven investment appeal for silver is expected to grow further in 2026. Concerns over the Fed's independence and the very real likelihood that Chair Jerome Powell will be replaced in May with someone more amenable to the Trump White House’s low interest rate demands are big factors boosting demand for silver as a portfolio hedge.
Substantial demand for silver as a safe-haven investment has already led to mint shortages in silver bars and coins and tight inventories in futures markets, primarily in London, New York and Shanghai.
For example, Bloomberg reported in late November that silver inventories at the Shanghai Futures Exchange had hit their lowest level since 2015. These shortages are resulting in rising lease rates and borrowing costs, which points to genuine challenges with delivery of physical metal rather than mere speculative positioning.
In India, where gold jewelry is traditionally a form of wealth preservation, there’s strong demand for silver jewelry as buyers look for a more affordable option with the gold price now over US$4,300 per ounce.
Demand for silver bars and silver ETFs is also on the rise in India, already the world’s largest consumer of the white metal. The nation imports 80 percent of its silver demand.
"Right now, the market is characterized by real physical scarcity: global demand is outpacing supply, India’s buying has drained London stocks and ETF inflows are tightening things even more,” Julia Khandoshko, CEO at the broker Mind Money, said in an email to INN.
Silver price forecast for 2026
Silver’s notoriety as a highly volatile metal — it's not called "the devil’s metal" for nothing — and its recent jaw-dropping rally, has many precious metals analysts hesitating to define a clear price target for 2026.
Although the case for much higher silver prices is a strong one, there are risks that could jeopardize the metal’s upward momentum. For example, Mind Money’s Khandoshko suggested that a global economic slowdown or sudden liquidity corrections could apply downward pressure on the silver price.
“For 2026, I’d be watching industrial demand trends, Indian imports, ETF flows and any widening price gaps between trading hubs,” she advised. “I’d also pay close attention to sentiment around large unhedged short positions. If trust in paper contracts weakens again, we could see another structural shift in pricing.”
Krauth also cautioned investors to remember that silver is “famously volatile” and while “it's been fun because the volatility has been to the upside ... don't be surprised if you get some kind of rapid drawdowns.” He views US$50 as the new floor for silver, and gave what he deems a “conservative” forecast of silver in the US$70 range for 2026.
This is in line with Citigroup's (NYSE:C) prediction that silver will continue to outperform gold and reach upwards of US$70 for 2026, especially if its industrial side fundamentals remain in place.
On the more bullish side of the forecast range, Holmes sees silver reaching US$100 in 2026, as does Clem Chambers of aNewFN.com, who shared his outlook for silver with INN in a December interview.
Chambers referred to silver as the “fast horse” of the precious metals. While industrial demand is important, he believes retail investment demand is the real “juggernaut” for the silver price in the coming year.
Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Melissa Pistilli, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Editorial Disclosure: The Investing News Network does not guarantee the accuracy or thoroughness of the information reported in the interviews it conducts. The opinions expressed in these interviews do not reflect the opinions of the Investing News Network and do not constitute investment advice. All readers are encouraged to perform their own due diligence.
- Peter Grandich: Gold, Silver, Copper in 2026, Plus My Strategy Now (2025-12-15)
Peter Grandich of Peter Grandich & Co. shares his key takeaways on the resource sector in 2025, as well as his investing strategy for 2026.
In his view, capital preservation — not appreciation — will be most important.
Don't forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Charlotte McLeod, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
- Top 5 Junior Copper Stocks on the TSXV in 2025 (2025-12-15)
Junior copper stocks are seeing significant support from the copper supply/demand story in 2025 as companies work to make the next big copper discovery.
Copper markets tightened in 2025 as demand for the red metal grew steadily and supply was impacted by significant disruptions.
The price was elevated throughout much of the year but experienced bouts of volatility as US trade policy threatened to trigger a recession in April, causing a rout in base metal markets.
In Q3 the price of copper surged to record highs as the Trump administration announced copper tariffs, offering few details beyond a 50 percent tariff on imports. However, copper prices later crashed on news that refined products would be exempt from the levies until 2027 and 2028.
Since then, markets have stabilized, and prices have gained momentum from weak supply as two of the world's largest mines, Freeport-McMoRan's (NYSE:FCX) Grasberg and Ivanhoe Mines' (TSX:IVN,OTC:IVPAF) Kamoa-Kakula, are operating well below maximum capacity.
How has the shifting copper market affected small-cap copper companies on the TSX Venture Exchange? Read on to learn about the five best-performing junior copper stocks since the start of 2025.
Data for this article was gathered on December 9, 2025, using TradingView's stock screener, and copper companies with market caps of over C$10 million at that time were considered.
1. King Copper Discovery (TSXV:KCP)
Year-to-date gain: 1,240 percent
Market cap: C$189.77 million
Share price: C$0.67King Copper Discovery is a copper, silver and gold explorer that is developing a portfolio of projects in South America. Its primary focus is the Colquemayo project in Moquegua, Peru. In July 2024, King entered into an option agreement with Compania de Minas Buenaventura (NYSE:BVN) to wholly acquire the property.
The company has been re-logging the historic drill core from the site. The 6,600 hectare property has seen more than 20,000 meters of historic core drilling and hosts multiple porphyry targets that have been identified but had gone untested.
Highlighted drill samples show results of 2.4 percent copper and 10 grams per metric ton (g/t) silver over 237.3 meters, including 14.8 percent copper and 47 g/t silver over 31.3 meters.
In a broad corporate update on February 12, the company said it was intensifying its focus on the project and rebranded from Turmalina to reflect that. Additionally, it hired Insideo, a Lima-based environmental consulting firm, to help advance baseline studies and the drill permit process.
The company closed a C$15 million private placement with a strategic investor on September 15. It plans to use the funds for a 15,000 meter diamond drilling program at Colquemayo.
The investor now holds a 9.99 percent interest in King.
Its most recent news came on October 4, when King released an update on its work to re-log and reinterpret the historic drill core. At that time, the company had completed 61 drill cores across the Amata-Cairani and Coripuquio zones, with work on 16 cores at the Yanarico zone still ongoing.
The company said it had identified multiple new high-priority targets for its fully funded diamond drill program and was sending a field crew to validate the discoveries.
Shares of King reached a year-to-date high of C$0.90 on October 16.
2. Edge Copper (TSXV:EDCU)
Year-to-date gain: 1,233.33 percent
Market cap: C$48.94 million
Share price: C$0.40Edge Copper is an exploration company working to advance its Zonia project in Arizona, United States. The company changed its name from Plata Latina in October.
Shares in Edge have seen steady gains throughout 2025. Its first major news came on February 27, when it announced that a Fresnillo (LSE:FRES,OTC Pink:FNLPF) subsidiary was exercising an option on the Naranjillo property to acquire Edge’s 3 percent net smelter return in exchange for C$8.61 million. Edge announced the deal's completion on April 11.
On July 23, the company entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the Zonia project from World Copper (TSXV:WCU,OTCQB:WCUFF). The past-producing mine sits on 900 hectares of land south of Prescott, Arizona. It hosts existing infrastructure and benefits from a streamlined permitting process, requiring only state permits for Phase 1.
The acquisition closed on October 30, at which time Plata Latina changed its name to Edge Copper to reflect its new focus. Under the terms of the deal, World Copper received C$10.5 million in cash, along with a 31.3 percent ownership stake in Edge Copper, for a total aggregate value of C$22 million.
Additionally, Edge reported that, in connection with the deal, it closed a non-brokered private placement totaling US$17 million in gross aggregate proceeds, which will be directed to drilling, metallurgical tests, permitting and a feasibility study for Zonia.
The most recent news came on November 3, when the company reported it commenced its first drill program at Zonia. The 60,000 foot, AI-assisted program is designed to build on the mine’s existing indicated and inferred resource with the intention of supporting a larger and longer-life operation at the property.
According to the project page, the asset contains an indicated resource of 668 million pounds of copper with an average grade of 0.3 percent copper from 112.2 million US tons of ore, and an inferred resource of 320 million pounds of copper with an average grade of 0.26 percent from 62.9 million US tons.
Shares in Edge reached a year-to-date high of C$0.60 on October 20.
3. Amarc Resources (TSXV:AHR)
Year-to-date gain: 451.22 percent
Market cap: C$245.61 million
Share price: C$1.13Amarc Resources is a copper explorer primarily focused on advancing its JOY district in Northern British Columbia, Canada. The 495 square kilometer property lies within the Toodoggone region and hosts the AuRORA discovery.
Exploration at the JOY district is funded as part of a May 2021 earn-in agreement with Freeport-McMoRan (NYSE:FCX), which allows Freeport to earn up to a 70 percent stake in the project.
Shares of Amarc surged early in the year after it announced the discovery of AuRORA on January 17. In the release, it outlined the high-grade potential of the deposit, highlighting an assay of 0.63 percent copper and 2.19 grams per metric ton (g/t) gold over 162 meters, including an 81 meter intersection grading 0.92 percent copper and 3.69 g/t gold, from near surface depths.
To support the discovery, in February Amarc signed an agreement with Canasil Resources for the option to acquire up to 100 percent of the Brenda property, which lies directly to the east of the AuRORA discovery.
Amarc provided more drill assays from its 2024 program on February 28. One assay from a drill hole at the AuRORA discovery graded 0.63 percent copper over 132 meters, including 0.81 percent over a 90 meter segment.
On July 16, Amarc announced the start of its summer drilling program at JOY, designed to expand the AuRORA deposit as well as test the PINE deposit and the discoveries at Twins and Canyon. The announcement also reported the expansion of the JOY district through Freeport’s options on Finlay’s PIL property, and Amarc’s acquisition of the Brenda property.
Then, on September 4, the company reported Freeport is proceeding to Stage 2 of its earn-in for the JOY property after completing Stage 1 in May for a 60 percent interest. Under the terms of the deal, Freeport now has five years to earn an additional 10 percent in the property by spending C$75 million.
Amarc announced the completion of its 2025 drill program at the JOY District on October 22. It consisted of 35 holes over 15,381 meters, with the majority at AuRORA.
After releasing rush assays from one hole at AuRORA on September 22, the company released further assays from the program on November 3. Among the highlights was one interval of 126 meters grading an average of 0.32 percent copper and 0.97 g/t gold, including a 61 meter intersection of 0.47 percent copper and 1.24 g/t gold. The company said that the program demonstrated the potential for significant and on-going deposit expansion, with grades among the highest in British Columbia.
Then on December 10, the company released additional assays, which included one highlight with 0.44 percent copper and 1.5 g/t gold over 47 meters.
Amarc noted that AuRORA remained open to further expansion to the north, east and west and that it believes that the “grade, geometry and emerging scale” of the deposit bears the hallmarks of a tier one asset.
Amarc shares climbed significantly through September, and reached a year-to-date high of C$1.35 on September 26.
4. C3 Metals (TSXV:CCCM)
Year-to-date gain: 450 percent
Market cap: C$124.86 million
Share price: C$1.32C3 Metals is an exploration company working to advance its assets in Jamaica and Peru.
C3's primary Jamaican asset is the Bellas Gate project, a 13,020 hectare site featuring 14 porphyry and over 30 epithermal prospects along an 18 kilometer strike. To date, drilling at the site has concentrated on a 4 kilometer zone encompassing the Provost, Geo Hill, Camel Hill and Connors prospects.
Shares of C3 gained significantly after the company announced on February 11 that it had signed an earn-in agreement with a Freeport-McMoRan subsidiary, which can gain up to a 75 percent interest in the project. Under the agreement, Freeport must contribute US$25 million in exploration and project expenditures over five years to earn the initial 51 percent interest, and an additional US$50 million over the following four years for the remaining 24 percent.
On August 13, the company commenced a drill program at the property to test multiple targets along strike focused on those with limited to no prior drilling to depths of 500 meters. C3 indicated that the program's data would inform optimal locations for future deeper drilling.
C3 followed its drill program by initiating a 3D geophysical survey of the property, announced on October 6, with the intent of extending the area covered to 70 square kilometers and identifying drill targets beyond 700 meters in depth. The company said completion of the survey is anticipated for December, with data used to design a 2026 drill campaign.
However, exploration was put on hold in early November after Hurricane Melissa struck Jamaica, and C3 pivoted to focus on helping the community. The company noted that its workforce was safe and equipment and drill core were intact following the storm, although roads were impassable and its sites were without power.
"We estimate it will take approximately six to eight weeks to repair and restore necessary infrastructure to continue exploration activities," President and CEO Dan Symons stated.
In Peru, C3 has focused on advancing its Jasperoide copper-gold project and its Khaleesi project, located 8 kilometers apart. The Jasperoide project sspans 30,000 hectares and hosts two porphyry and more than 15 skarn prospects across two 28 kilometer belts.
According to a July 2023 technical report, a resource estimate for the Montana de Cobre skarn outlined a measured and indicated resource of 51.94 million metric tons of ore with an average grade of 0.5 percent copper and 0.2 g/t gold for contained metal totaling 569.1 million pounds of copper and 326,800 ounces of gold.
As for its Khaleesi project, the company announced in February that it discovered a 1,900 meter by 650 meter copper-molybdenum soil anomaly and a 470 meter by 400 meter high-grade copper-zinc anomaly based on results from soil sampling.
C3 has carried out exploration work at the property throughout the year, and in August reported that anomalies detected through magnetic, induced polarization and magnetotelluric surveys coincided with the February discoveries.
The most recent exploration update for the property came on September 9, when C3 announced it was commencing a 14 hole, 6,300 meter maiden drill program designed to evaluate the prospects discovered through the surveys.
Shares in C3 reached a year-to-date high of C$1.35 on December 10.
5. Sterling Metals (TSXV:SAG)
Year-to-date gain: 448.57 percent
Market cap: C$74.13 million
Share price: C$1.98Sterling Metals is an exploration company with a trio of projects in Canada.
Over the past year, its primary focus has been on exploration at its brownfield Soo Copper project in Ontario, which it renamed from Copper Road in May. The 25,000 hectare property hosts two past-producing copper mines and has the potential for larger intrusion-related copper mineralization.
The company’s other two projects consist of Adeline, a 297 square kilometer district-scale property with sediment-hosted copper and silver mineralization along 44 kilometers of the strike, and Sail Pond, a silver, copper, lead and zinc project that hosts a 16-kilometer-long linear soil anomaly. Both properties are located in Newfoundland and Labrador.
On January 15, Sterling announced results from a 3D induced polarization and resistivity survey that covered an area of 5 kilometers by 3 kilometers and revealed multiple high-priority drill-ready targets.
The company used the survey results, along with historical exploration, to inform a drill program at the site.
On August 7, Sterling reported it commenced Phase 2 drilling at the Soo Copper project. The program is designed to test areas defined through analysis of the Phase 1 drill program, historic drill data and geophysical interpretations.
The company announced a discovery in the first hole on September 29, with assays delivering the highest copper grades encountered at Soo Copper. Grading from the hole returned values of 0.43 percent copper over 336 meters, starting at 5 meters from surface, and included one intersection with 6.8 percent copper over 9.15 meters and another with 21.3 percent over 0.6 meters which also returned a grade of 196 g/t gold.
The last exploration update for the year came on October 8, when Sterling announced it had discovered large-scale bornite in outcrop from soil sampling results. The new target corridor, which it named Gimlet, is located about 2 kilometers south of its recent discovery.
On November 26, the company announced that it had closed a non-brokered private placement, raising gross proceeds of C$14 million. It intends to use the funds to rapidly advance the project, allocating a minimum of C$6.2 million to project spending next year, with the majority of that dedicated to drilling.
Shares in Sterling reached a year-to-date high of C$2.84 on September 29, coinciding with the high-grade discovery.
Don't forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Dean Belder, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
- Crypto Market Update: JPMorgan Launches Tokenized Money Market Fund, Strategy Buys the Dip (2025-12-15)
Here's a quick recap of the crypto landscape for Monday (December 15) as of 9:00 p.m. UTC.
Get the latest insights on Bitcoin, Ether and altcoins, along with a round-up of key cryptocurrency market news.
Bitcoin and Ether price update
Bitcoin (BTC) was priced at US$85,873.25, down by 3 percent over 24 hours.
A bruising bout of weekend volatility pushed Bitcoin to a two week low near US$87,500 amid thin liquidity. Buyers emerged early on Monday to briefly lift prices toward the US$89,500 to 89,700 range, but both DeFi and traditional markets slipped in early trading after Greg Jensen, co-CIO of hedge fund giant Bridgewater Associates, issued a client note warning that Big Tech’s heavy reliance on external capital for artificial intelligence (AI) investments has entered a “dangerous” phase, amplifying AI bubble fears and exacerbating last week's tech selloff into Monday.
Bitcoin fell to lows around US$85,400, and the global crypto market cap saw a 24 hour decrease of 3.2 percent.
In a post on X, veteran trader Peter Brandt highlighted that Bitcoin’s advance has fractured after failing to hold support following October highs. He warned that this breakdown could trigger “exponential decay” since each bull cycle has yielded smaller gains. Based on historical precedents, Bitcoin could see a drop to US$25,000.
Ether (ETH) was priced at US$2,930.31, down by 5.1 percent over the last 24 hours.
Altcoin price update
- XRP (XRP) was priced at US$1.89, down by 5.2 percent over 24 hours.
- Solana (SOL) was trading at US$125.43, down by 3.6 percent over 24 hours.
Crypto derivatives and market indicators
Bitcoin futures open interest rose slightly to US$59.63 billion, while Ether open interest dipped to US$38.2 billion, signaling modest Bitcoin accumulation amid Ether caution.
Heavy long liquidations confirm capitulation selling pressure. Positive funding rates show some bulls hanging on despite pain, but a relative strength index of 27.03 marks extreme fear, historically preceding sharp reversals in crypto.
Elevated Bitcoin funding rates reflect pricier long bias persisting, but decay could accelerate if shorts pile in.
Overall market sentiment skews fearful, with Bitcoin holding firmer than Ether.
Today's crypto news to know
Strategy expands Bitcoin holdings amid price slump
Michael Saylor's Strategy (NASDAQ:MSTR) announced on Monday that it has acquired an additional 10,645 BTC for US$980.3 million, paying an average price of $92,098 per coin.
That brings Strategy’s total holdings to 671,268 BTC. “As of 12/14/2025, we hodl 671,268 $BTC acquired for ~$50.33 billion at ~$74,972 per bitcoin,” the company said in an X post.
JPMorgan launches tokenized money market fund
JPMorgan Chase's (NYSE:JPM) US$4 trillion asset management arm is launching its first tokenized money market fund, the My OnChain Net Yield Fund, on the public Ethereum blockchain. The fund runs on JPMorgan’s Kinexys platform as a private placement under Rule 506(c), targeting institutions via the Morgan Money trading system.
“Active management and innovation are at the heart of how we deliver new solutions for investors navigating today's financial landscape,” said George Gatch, CEO of JP Morgan Asset Management. “By harnessing technology alongside our deep expertise in active management, we're able to provide clients with advanced, innovative, and cost-effective capabilities that help them achieve their investment goals.”
Bitget launches TradFi private beta for traditional assets
Monday saw Bitget announce the private beta launch of Bitget TradFi, a new feature enabling crypto users to open bets on traditional assets using the stablecoin USDT. Fees start at US$0.09 per lot.
Positions will be margined and settled in USDT, eliminating the need for separate brokers or currency conversions, with up to 500x leverage, a tight spread and regulation by Mauritius' Financial Services Commission.
“The shift in wealth management is happening now, assets that were previously only available on certain niche markets are now on Bitget," said Gracy Chen, CEO of Bitget, in the company's announcement
"This is historic; crypto, stocks, gold, forex and commodities now coexist under a single system. This is what a universal exchange merging wealth management under a roof looks like; it’s now present-day finance."
UK moves to place crypto firms under full regulation
UK officials are preparing legislation that would move crypto companies fully inside the country’s financial regulatory framework. According to the Guardian, the plan involves putting crypto service providers under regulation like other financial firms, subject to the Financial Conduct Authority’s rules on consumer protection, governance, transparency and market conduct. Treasury officials say the shift is meant to close longstanding gaps as crypto activity becomes more entwined with mainstream finance rather than operating at the regulatory edges.
Legislation is expected by October 2027 to give firms time to adjust to the more demanding compliance environment.
If enacted, the move would mark a structural change for UK-based crypto startups, which until now have largely operated without full product-level regulation.
HashKey prices Hong Kong IPO at top end at US$206 million
HashKey Holdings, Hong Kong’s largest licensed crypto exchange, is set to raise about US$206 million after pricing its initial public offering near the top of its marketed range, according to a source familiar with the deal.
The company priced shares at 6.68 Hong Kong dollars, valuing the exchange operator as it prepares to debut on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on Wednesday (December 17). HashKey operates across trading, asset management, brokerage and tokenization, and runs the city’s biggest regulated crypto exchange.
While Mainland China continues to warn against crypto speculation, Hong Kong has taken the opposite approach, positioning itself as a regulated gateway for digital finance.
North Korean hackers drain wallets using fake online meetings
North Korean cybercrime groups are using fake Zoom (NASDAQ:ZOOM) and Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) Teams meetings to steal crypto, draining more than US$300 million through the tactic so far, according to security researchers.
According to CryptoNews, the scam typically starts with a message from a compromised Telegram account that appears to belong to someone the victim already knows. Victims are then invited to what looks like a legitimate video call, complete with convincing video feeds that are actually pre-recorded footage.
During the call, attackers claim there is an audio problem and send a supposed software “patch” that installs malware. The malware can extract passwords, private keys and internal security data, allowing attackers to empty crypto wallets.
Global crypto thefts have already surpassed US$2 billion this year, with North Korea-linked groups remaining among the most active and sophisticated actors in the space.
Don't forget to follow us @INN_Technology for real-time news updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Meagen Seatter, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
- Low-impact, High-reward ISR Copper Extraction Gains Investment Momentum (2025-12-15)
In the delicate balancing act between meeting the rising global demand for critical minerals and ensuring environmental responsibility in resource extraction, processes and technologies that can achieve both aims are winning in the eyes of junior explorers and investors.
In copper mining, in-situ recovery (ISR) is emerging as a cost-efficient and lower-impact alternative to open-pit and underground mining. ISR is a mining method that extracts copper directly from orebodies without traditional excavation. Projects that are amenable to the ISR process, which involves injecting a leaching solution into the ground and recovering dissolved copper through wells, are attracting growing interest from miners and investors alike.
This shift comes as the global push for electrification accelerates copper demand across industries — from electric vehicles and solar power to grid expansion and data infrastructure. Traditional copper mines, often burdened by rising costs, deeper orebodies and environmental opposition, are struggling to meet this demand.
With reduced capital requirement, minimal surface disruption and quicker permitting timelines, ISR represents a scalable and ESG-aligned approach to copper extraction. Active projects in the US and Central Asia are already demonstrating ISR’s feasibility, and exploration is expanding into new regions where the geology is suitable.
ISR gains momentum
One of the most compelling reasons ISR is drawing investor interest is its potential to solve several longstanding issues in copper mining. Traditional mines are facing higher costs as they chase deeper and more complex orebodies. At the same time, environmental and social opposition to disruptive mining practices is on the rise. ISR, by comparison, generates less visual and physical disturbance, often making it more palatable to regulators and communities.
ISR also offers scalability and flexibility. In regions where suitable geology exists, it enables smaller companies to bring projects online faster and with fewer permitting delays.
In the current market, where supply chain pressures and copper scarcity are top of mind, the ability to deploy a lower-cost extraction method with fewer environmental risks presents a strong value proposition.
Several ISR copper projects have already demonstrated commercial and technical viability. In the US, the Florence copper project in Arizona, operated by Taseko Mines (TSX:TKO,NYSEAMERICAN:TGB), is advancing toward production with an estimated 85 million pounds of annual copper output and a pre-tax net present value of more than $1 billion.
Gunnison Copper's (TSX:GCU,OTCQB:GCUMF) Gunnison copper project, also in Arizona, has completed permitting and begun phased implementation with minimal surface impact. Similar ISR applications are being tested in Kazakhstan and Chile, expanding the global footprint of this technology.
ISR-amenable geology
Not every copper deposit is suited for ISR.
Success depends on a specific set of geological and hydrogeological conditions. The ore must be permeable enough to allow the leaching solution to flow and interact with copper minerals. It should ideally be located below the water table in a contained setting, reducing the risk of solution migration outside the target zone. Mineralogy matters too; minerals like chalcocite, which are highly amenable to acid leaching, make the best candidates.
Regions like Arizona and parts of Central Asia have long been recognised for these attributes. Now, new ISR frontiers are emerging in Africa, where countries such as Botswana offer favorable geology and a stable mining jurisdiction. Botswana’s Kalahari Copper Belt, in particular, is rapidly attracting exploration interest for its sediment-hosted copper systems and untapped ISR potential.
Cobre Limited: Pioneering ISR in the Kalahari Copper Belt
One of the most promising ISR prospects in Botswana is being developed by Cobre Limited (ASX:CBE), an ASX-listed junior explorer with a strategic footprint in the Kalahari Copper Belt. Through its flagship Ngami copper project, Cobre is positioning itself as a first mover in ISR development across the region.
The Ngami deposit meets key ISR criteria. Metallurgical testing has confirmed that its copper-silver mineralisation — primarily fine-grained chalcocite — is highly suitable for acid leaching. Fracture mapping and pump tests have demonstrated that the orebody is permeable, with strong fluid connectivity and competent bounding rock that can contain solution flow. Most of the ore lies below the water table, an essential condition for effective in-situ leaching.
“Our goal is to bring a scalable, low-impact copper project to life in Botswana, using cutting-edge ISR technology. This isn’t just about producing copper — it’s about doing it smarter and more sustainably,” said CEO Adam Wooldridge.
The company has already completed injection and pumping tests, simulating fluid movement between wells to build a three-dimensional model of the orebody’s hydrology. Initial results indicate excellent permeability and fluid flow characteristics. Bottle roll tests have yielded copper recoveries as high as 90.7 percent, with low reagent consumption. In addition, long-term leach box tests designed to simulate the in-situ environment have been successfully completed with recoveries of up to 82 percent copper.
The company is backing this technical progress with a comprehensive exploration and development strategy. It has outlined a significant exploration target, recently completed infill drilling to upgrade parts of the resource into the JORC category, and is pursuing engineering and financial modeling to support future feasibility studies.
These milestones, coupled with an earn-in agreement with mining giant BHP (ASX:BHP,NYSE:BHP,LSE:BHP), strengthen Cobre’s position as a credible ISR innovator in the African region.
Investor takeaway
Cobre’s ISR approach reflects the broader trend of aligning mineral extraction with ESG principles. By minimising land disturbance, using water-efficient systems and reducing surface infrastructure, ISR fits well into modern sustainability frameworks. In Botswana — a country ranked among the top 10 mining jurisdictions, globally — Cobre is also benefiting from strong institutional support and a clear regulatory environment.
As copper demand continues to outpace traditional supply growth, in-situ copper recovery offers a timely and compelling alternative. For investors seeking exposure to scalable, ESG-conscious mining opportunities, ISR is no longer just an experimental method; it is a practical solution with growing momentum.
This INNspired article is sponsored by Cobre Limited (ASX:CBE). This INNspired article provides information which was sourced by the Investing News Network (INN) and approved by Cobre Limited in order to help investors learn more about the company. Cobre Limited is a client of INN. The company’s campaign fees pay for INN to create and update this INNspired article.
This INNspired article was written according to INN editorial standards to educate investors.
INN does not provide investment advice and the information on this profile should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any security. INN does not endorse or recommend the business, products, services or securities of any company profiled.
The information contained here is for information purposes only and is not to be construed as an offer or solicitation for the sale or purchase of securities. Readers should conduct their own research for all information publicly available concerning the company. Prior to making any investment decision, it is recommended that readers consult directly with Cobre Limited and seek advice from a qualified investment advisor.
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