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Questcorp Mining Inc. (CSE: QQQ,OTC:QQCMF) (OTCQB: QQCMF) (FSE: D910) (the ‘Company’ or ‘Questcorp’) announces that it has revised the terms of its previously announced non-brokered private placement (the ‘Offering’). The Company will now offer up to 7,500,000 units (each, an ‘AI Unit’) at a price of $0.20 per AI Unit for gross proceeds of up to $1,500,000 pursuant to the accredited investor exemption (the ‘Accredited Investor Exemption’) under Section 2.3 of National Instrument 45-106 – Prospectus Exemptions (‘NI 45-106’). In addition, the Company will also offer up to 11,111,112 units (each, a ‘LIFE Unit’) at a price of $0.18 per LIFE Unit for gross proceeds of up to $2,000,000 pursuant to the listed issuer financing exemption under Part 5A of NI- 45-106 (the ‘Listed Issuer Financing Exemption’).

Each AI Unit will consist of one common share of the Company (each, a ‘Share‘) and one-half-of-one share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, an ‘AI Warrant‘). Each AI Warrant will entitle the holder to acquire an additional common share of the Company at a price of $0.30 for a period of twenty-four months following closing of the Offering, subject to accelerated expiry in the event the closing price of the Shares is $0.50 or higher for ten consecutive trading days.

Each LIFE Unit will consist of one Share and one-half-of-one share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, an ‘LIFE Warrant‘). Each LIFE Warrant will entitle the holder to acquire an additional common share of the Company at a price of $0.24 for a period of twenty-four months following closing of the Offering.

The Company expects to utilize the proceeds of the Offering for advancement of ongoing exploration and drill work at the La Union Gold and Silver Project, upcoming exploration work at the North Island Copper Property, and for general working capital purposes. The Company anticipates that UK-based institutional investor, Sorbie Bornholm LP, will participate in a portion of the Offering.

There is an offering document related to the Offering that will be made available under the Company’s profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company’s website at: www.questcorpmining.ca. Prospective investors should read this offering document before making an investment decision.

In connection with completion of the Offering, the Company will pay finders’ fees to eligible third-parties who have introduced subscribers to the Offering. All securities issued in connection with the Accredited Investor Exemption will be subject to restrictions on resale for a period of four-months-and-one-day in accordance with applicable securities laws. All securities issued in connection with the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption will not be subject to a hold period. Completion of the Offering remains subject to receipt of regulatory approvals.

About Questcorp Mining Inc.

Questcorp Mining Inc. is engaged in the business of the acquisition and exploration of mineral properties in North America, with the objective of locating and developing economic precious and base metals properties of merit. The Company holds an option to acquire an undivided 100% interest in and to mineral claims totaling 1,168.09 hectares comprising the North Island Copper Property, on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, subject to a royalty obligation. The Company also holds an option to acquire an undivided 100% interest in and to mineral claims totaling 2,520.2 hectares comprising the La Union Project located in Sonora, Mexico, subject to a royalty obligation.

Contact Information

Questcorp Mining Corp.

Saf Dhillon, President & CEO

Email: saf@questcorpmining.ca
Telephone: (604) 484-3031

This news release includes certain ‘forward-looking statements’ under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the intended use of proceeds from the Offering. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: the ability of Riverside to secure geophysical contractors to undertake orientation surveys and follow up detailed survey to confirm and enhance the drill targets as contemplated or at all, general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties, uncertain capital markets; and delay or failure to receive board or regulatory approvals. There can be no assurance that the geophysical surveys will be completed as contemplated or at all and that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/269182

News Provided by Newsfile via QuoteMedia

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The platinum price broke US$1,600 per ounce on Monday (September 29), its highest level since April 2013.

What’s moving the platinum price? A number of factors are at play in this notoriously volatile market.

As a precious metal, nearly a quarter of demand for platinum comes from the jewelry sector. When the gold price is high, as it is now at nearly US$3,900 per ounce, platinum jewelry becomes an attractive, lower-cost alternative.

With more than 70 percent of demand for platinum metal coming from the industrial and automotive sectors, the market is highly price sensitive to economic cycles. However, despite the current economic uncertainty that’s driving gold higher, the platinum price is being buoyed by stable demand in the auto sector, emerging demand in the hydrogen fuel cell industry and persistent supply challenges out of major platinum-producing nations like South Africa.

Platinum supply under pressure

Supply constraints are an ongoing trend in the platinum market and a major driver of prices in 2025.

In its Q2 Platinum Quarterly, the World Platinum Investment Council (WPIC) predicts that global platinum mine supply will drop by 6 percent to 5.43 million ounces for this year.

Heavy rainfall and flooding in top producer South Africa in the first quarter of the year had a major impact on an industry already reeling from high-cost electricity and dwindling reserves.

In late August, Paul Dunne, CEO of Northam Platinum Holdings (JSE:NPH) in South Africa, told Reuters that a higher platinum price in 2025 will likely not do much to alleviate the pressures facing production in the country.

“Recent price appreciation is offering some relief to the (platinum-group metals) sector,” he said in a statement. “However, it is still not yet at levels that will support sustainable mining across the industry and certainly not the much-needed development of new operations.”

Suffice it to say that problems in the supply side will continue to support platinum over the longer term.

Platinum demand seen as sustainable

As for platinum demand, Mykuliak sees a few key important drivers, including autocatalysts for hybrid vehicles, increased hydrogen adoption for industrial uses and Chinese demand for platinum jewelry as an alternative to gold.

In the automotive industry, platinum is used in catalytic converters for vehicle exhaust systems for emissions control. The rise of electric vehicles (EVs), which do not require catalytic converters to control emissions, is expected to cut into platinum demand over time.

However, high costs and range anxiety are leading auto buyers to choose hybrids over battery EVs. Because hybrid engines still require catalytic converters, the auto sector continues to be a reliable source for platinum demand.

In the hydrogen sector, platinum has a role as a catalyst in the proton exchange membrane electrolyzers used for green hydrogen production and in hydrogen fuel cells. The WPIC has noted that the hydrogen market be ‘a meaningful component of global demand by 2030 and potentially the largest segment by 2040.’

As for jewelry demand, the WPIC is predicting an increase of 11 percent year-on-year to 2.23 million ounces in 2025. China is expected to represent more than one quarter of that growth as the fabrication of platinum jewelry in the region is expected to grow by 42 percent to 585,000 ounces.

Platinum price outlook

The platinum price has since pulled back from the US$1,600 level, coming in at US$1,558 in midday trading on Thursday (October 2). But a correction is expected in the short term, explained Mykuliak, who believes the fundamental outlook for the precious metal is still positive.

“Looking ahead, I expect volatility. My base case is a US$1,650-US$1,750 range by the year-end, with possible dips toward US$1,450 if profit-taking intensifies,” she said. “On the upside, if South African power disruptions worsen or hydrogen policies accelerate, US$1,850-US$1,950 is realistic, with US$2,000 also within reach.”

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

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The big news impacting markets this week is the shutdown of the US government.

While lawmakers were trying to find a funding solution, Democratic and Republican lawmakers were at loggerheads over maintaining funding for Medicaid programs. It marks the first time in seven years that the government has been shut down — the last time came during negotiations over the disputed US-Mexico border wall in December 2018.

President Donald Trump has resolved to use the closure to push through the firing of thousands of federal government employees and cut funding to projects promised by Democrats.

Additionally, the jobs report, scheduled for release on Friday (October 3), was delayed, causing greater uncertainty for analysts and investors who were trying to gauge the strength of the economy in September.

Despite the lack of official government data, payroll processor ADP reported a loss of 32,000 jobs in September. The decline represents a significant difference from the 45,000 jobs analysts had expected to be added.

Lawmakers aren’t scheduled to return to the negotiating tables until early next week.

For more on what’s moving markets this week, check out our top market news round-up.

Markets and commodities react

Canadian equity markets were in positive territory this week by the end of trading Friday.

The S&P/TSX Composite Index (INDEXTSI:OSPTX) continued its record breaking performance this week, gaining 2.33 percent on the week to close Friday at 30,471.68.

The S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index (INDEXTSI:JX) performed even better, ending the week up 4.38 percent to 964.04. The CSE Composite Index (CSE:CSECOMP) was up 3.3 percent on to close out the week at 180.03.

The gold price continued to climb this week, setting another new record, as it achieved an intraday high of US$3,893.82 per ounce on Thursday (October 2). It was still up 3.63 percent on the week at US$3,884.19 by Friday’s close.

The silver price saw more significant gains, rising 6.31 percent to set a year-to-date high of US$48.30 per ounce during trading on Friday before settling at US$47.95 per ounce by 4:00 p.m. EDT.

The silver price is trading at 14 year highs and has been closing in on records set in April of that year.

Copper had sizable gains this week as the fallout from the closure of Freeport’s Grasberg mine continued to ripple through the market. The copper price was up 7.13 percent this week to US$5.11 per pound.

The S&P Goldman Sachs Commodities Index (INDEXSP:SPGSCI) fell 2.12 percent to end Friday at 546.27.

Top Canadian mining stocks this week

How did mining stocks perform against this backdrop?

Take a look at this week’s five best-performing Canadian mining stocks below.

Stocks data for this article was retrieved at 4:00 p.m. EDT on Friday using TradingView’s stock screener. Only companies trading on the TSX, TSXV and CSE with market caps greater than C$10 million are included. Mineral companies within the non-energy minerals, energy minerals, process industry and producer manufacturing sectors were considered.

1. Prospector Metals (TSXV:PPP)

Weekly gain: 355.56 percent
Market cap: C$128.18 million
Share price: C$1.23

Prospector Metals is a gold explorer working to advance its flagship ML project in the Yukon, Canada.

The 10,869 hectare property, situated near Dawson City, is located within the Tintina Gold Belt, which is home to significant historic mining operations and current exploration and development projects.

Exploration at the site has led to the discovery of more than two dozen high-grade gold surface occurrences, including the Bueno target, which has delivered samples with grades of up to 156 grams per metric ton (g/t).

Shares of Prospector surged following the release of assay results on Wednesday (October 1). In its announcement, the company reported significant near-surface, high-grade assays, with one highlighted sample returning grades of 13.79 g/t gold over 44 meters, and another showing 21.93 g/t gold over 24.65 meters, including 288 g/t gold over 1 meter.

2. Sokoman Minerals (TSXV:SIC)

Weekly gain: 200 percent
Market cap: C$45.92 million
Share price: C$0.165

Sokoman Minerals bills itself as a discovery-oriented company with a portfolio of gold projects and one of the largest land positions in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. It also owns a 40 percent stake in the Killick lithium project, a 40/40/20 joint venture with Benton Resources (TSXV:BEX) and Piedmont Lithium (ASX:PLL).

Its primary focus is its flagship Moosehead gold project, located in Central Newfoundland. The project consists of 98 claims covering 2,450 hectares and hosts an orogenic Fosterville-style gold system, according to Sokoman. The company has defined seven zones with high-grade mineralization through over 130,000 meters of drilling.

Sokomon reported on September 12 that it planned to start diamond drilling at the site with a focus on testing the Eastern and Western Trend zones for depth extensions, as well as undiscovered parallel zones. Additionally, the company said on September 2 that it had expanded its land position at the Crippleback Lake gold-copper property to 13,000 hectares and planned to mobilize for induced-polarization surveys, sampling and mapping of the site.

The most recent news from the company came on Monday (September 29), when it announced that Denis Laviolette was appointed to the roles of director, executive chair and CEO. Laviolette joins the company with over two decades of experience in the mining industry, including roles in geology and production, and as an industry analyst.

The company also announced that Timothy Froude will be transitioning to the role of company president, having previously held both the president and CEO roles. Additionally, Gary Nassif, former senior vice president of Lode Gold Resources (TSXV:LOD,OTCQB:LODFF), was appointed as a director, and Greg Matheson, former COO of New Found Gold (TSXV:NFG,NYSEAMERICAN:NFGC), was named vice president of exploration.

3. Kesselrun Resources (TSXV:KES)

Weekly gain: 118.18 percent
Market cap: C$10.82 million
Share price: C$0.12

Kesselrun Resources is an explorer working to advance the Huronian gold project in Ontario, Canada.

The project is located in a region with significant exploration and mining assets, including Agnico Eagle Mines’ (TSX:AEM,NYSE:AEM) Hammond Reef project and New Gold’s (NYSE:NGD,TSX:NGD) Rainy River mine. Historic indicated resources at Huronian are 45,000 ounces of gold, with inferred quantities of 501,000 ounces or gold.

Shares of Kesselrun surged this week after Gold X2 Mining (TSXV:AUXX,OTCQB:GSHRF) announced on Wednesday that it had signed a definitive agreement to acquire Kesselrun. Gold X2 said the transaction will give it a 100 percent interest in the Huronian project, which is located adjacent to its own Moss gold project.

4. Royal Road Minerals (TSXV:RYR)

Weekly gain: 104.35 percent
Market cap: C$55.80 million
Share price: C$0.235

Royal Road is an exploration company working to advance its Güintar and Margaritas projects and the El Aleman mining concession in Colombia. The company acquired the adjacent Güintar and Margaritas properties, located near Medellin, from major miner AngloGold Ashanti (NYSE:AU,JSE:ANG) in 2019. Since that time, Royal Road has drilled a total of 13,700 meters across 45 drill holes at Güintar, while Margaritas remains untested.

Assays have produced a highlighted intersection of 1 g/t gold equivalent over 303.7 meters, which includes 2.1 g/t gold, 12.4 parts per million silver and 0.6 percent copper over 62 meters.

Shares of Royal Road gained this week alongside a pair of news releases. On Monday, the company announced that Rio2 (TSXV:RIO,OTCQX:RIOFF) has acquired approximately 15 percent of Royal Road’s issued and outstanding shares as part of a block trade; they were previously held by a single investor.

The other release came on Tuesday (September 30), when Royal Road reported that it has engaged with state and local authorities, as well as the local community, to restart work at Güintar and Margaritas.

5. StrikePoint Gold (TSXV:SKP)

Weekly gain: 103.85 percent
Market cap: C$12.06 million
Share price: C$0.265

StrikePoint Gold is an explorer with a focus on its Hercules gold project in Nevada, US.

The 100 square kilometer site, located within the Walker Lane Trend, hosts five drill-tested targets, with over 300 holes. The company acquired the property in August 2024 from Elevation Gold Mining for a total consideration of C$250,000, along with a 3 percent royalty on certain claims. On April 28, the company released results from its spring drilling program, with one highlighted assay returning values of 0.54 g/t gold and 4.62 g/t silver from 32.04 meters below surface; that includes an interval of 1.14 g/t gold and 10.53 g/t silver over 4.57 meters.

The most recent news from the project was announced on September 23, when StrikePoint said it had received drill permits for the Pony Meadows target. The company noted that it is permitted to mobilize up to three rigs, and will focus on a 2.6 kilometer structure that was revealed during surface exploration.

StrikePoint said it has two additional permits for the Sirens and Como Comet targets.

FAQs for Canadian mining stocks

What is the difference between the TSX and TSXV?

The TSX, or Toronto Stock Exchange, is used by senior companies with larger market caps, and the TSXV, or TSX Venture Exchange, is used by smaller-cap companies. Companies listed on the TSXV can graduate to the senior exchange.

How many mining companies are listed on the TSX and TSXV?

As of May 2025, there were 1,565 companies listed on the TSXV, 910 of which were mining companies. Comparatively, the TSX was home to 1,899 companies, with 181 of those being mining companies.

Together, the TSX and TSXV host around 40 percent of the world’s public mining companies.

How much does it cost to list on the TSXV?

There are a variety of different fees that companies must pay to list on the TSXV, and according to the exchange, they can vary based on the transaction’s nature and complexity. The listing fee alone will most likely cost between C$10,000 to C$70,000. Accounting and auditing fees could rack up between C$25,000 and C$100,000, while legal fees are expected to be over C$75,000 and an underwriters’ commission may hit up to 12 percent.

The exchange lists a handful of other fees and expenses companies can expect, including but not limited to security commission and transfer agency fees, investor relations costs and director and officer liability insurance.

These are all just for the initial listing, of course. There are ongoing expenses once companies are trading, such as sustaining fees and additional listing fees, plus the costs associated with filing regular reports.

How do you trade on the TSXV?

Investors can trade on the TSXV the way they would trade stocks on any exchange. This means they can use a stock broker or an individual investment account to buy and sell shares of TSXV-listed companies during the exchange’s trading hours.

Article by Dean Belder; FAQs by Lauren Kelly.

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

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

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The gold price continued to move this week, approaching the US$3,900 per ounce level and setting a fresh all-time high on the back of a US government shutdown.

The closure came after Congress failed to reach an agreement on a spending bill ahead of the new American fiscal year, which began on Wednesday (October 1).

Democrats and Republicans are at odds as Democrats push for changes to the bill, including an extension to billions of dollars in Obamacare subsidies; meanwhile, President Donald Trump has threatened thousands of permanent layoffs, not just temporary furloughs.

This shutdown is the 15th since 1981, and according to Senate Majority Leader John Thune, it could continue on until next week as the two sides negotiate. The longest government shutdown happened between 2018 and 2019, during Trump’s first presidency, and lasted for 35 days.

Part of the reason market watchers see this shutdown as significant is that it will delay the release of the latest nonfarm payrolls report, which was set to come out on Friday (October 3).

Depending on how long the shutdown lasts, September consumer price index data, which is scheduled for publication on October 15, may also not be on time.

The US Federal Reserve is due to meet later this month, from October 28 to 29, and normally would use this and other data to help make its decision on interest rates. The central bank cut rates by 25 basis points at its September meeting, and CME Group’s (NASDAQ:CME) FedWatch tool currently shows strong expectations for another 25 basis point reduction at the next gathering.

Although gold took a breather after nearing US$3,900, it remains historically high, with many market watchers suggesting US$4,000 is in the cards in the near term.

In the longer term, some experts have even loftier expectations — for example, Adam Rozencwajg of Goehring & Rozenwajg sees a path to a five-figure gold price.

‘It’s not going to happen under normal circumstances — it’s not going to happen when everything’s going great. But by the end of this cycle, will we get there? I think we probably will,’ he said.

It’s also worth touching on silver, which pushed past the US$48 per ounce mark this week. Unlike gold, silver has not yet broken its all-time high during this bull run — it’s pushing up against uncharted territory, raising questions about how high it can go this time.

On that note, David Morgan of the Morgan Report shared several factors that would tell him the market is reaching a top. Here’s what he said:

‘You want to look at exchange-traded fund flows like the GDX, GDXJ, SIL and SILJ. At the same time, more important than almost anything is trading volume at the stock level. When mid-tier and smaller producers suddenly trade three, four or five times their normal daily volume, and prices are rising, that isn’t random. That’s retail money coming back into the market, and fund buying and probably institutions.

‘One more layer of confirmation is relative to performance. When the mining sector starts to outperform the S&P 500 (INDEXSP:.INX), which it has, and the Nasdaq (INDEXNASDAQ:.IXIC), which it has, it’s a telltale sign that the generalist money, not just the hard money crowd, is beginning to rotate in.’

Bullet briefing — CEO shakeup at Barrick, Newmont

Barrick Mining (TSX:ABX,NYSE:B) and Newmont (NYSE:NEM,ASX:NEM) both announced major executive changes this week, with the CEOs of both companies departing.

Barrick’s Mark Bristow unexpectedly stepped down from his position on Monday (September 29) after nearly seven years at the helm of the firn. His exit, which was effective immediately, comes after big changes at the firm, including a shift toward copper and an asset divestment program designed to hone the company’s focus on tier-one assets.

It also follows persistent issues in Mali, where Barrick lost control of its gold-mining complex and had 3 metric tons of the yellow metal seized by the government.

According to Reuters, Bristow’s handling of that ongoing situation was the final straw that prompted the company’s board to push for a change in leadership.

Newmont announced the retirement of Tom Palmer the same day. He had held the position since 2019, and will be succeeded by the company’s president and COO. Analysts note that Newmont had been signaling that a succession plan was in the works.

Similar to Barrick, the company has been in the midst of an extensive program geared at streamlining its portfolio. Newmont acquired Newcrest Mining in 2023, and in February 2024 announced a program to sell non-core assets. It completed the program in April of this year, but has continued to make portfolio adjustments, and to pursue other cost-saving measures.

Market watchers note that despite efforts to boost efficiency, Barrick and Newmont have both failed to match the performance of their peers during today’s bull market.

Year-on-year share price performance of major gold miners.

Chart via Google Finance.

With gold-mining companies conscious of not repeating missteps made during the precious metal’s last runup, investors will no doubt be keen to see how they perform under new management.

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

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Here’s a quick recap of the crypto landscape for Monday (September 29) 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

After opening on Monday at its lowest valuation of the day, US$112,168, Bitcoin (BTC) reached a high of US$114,336, a 3.6 percent increase in 24 hours. The cryptocurrency dipped below US$110,000 last week, but its Sunday (September 28) night rebound liquidated roughly US$250 million in short positions.

Bitcoin price performance, September 29, 2025.

Chart via TradingView.

Despite the rally, some market participants aren’t convinced the bull market is back in full force. Crypto investor and entrepreneur Ted Pillows noted that Bitcoin’s pump is “mostly due to short positions getting closed.”

Meanwhile, bulls argue that Bitcoin usually follows gold’s price moves with a three to four month delay, suggesting a strong rally could come in October or November.

Targets mentioned range from US$150,000 to as high as US$300,000 over the next few months.

Ether (ETH) is also performing well, up 3.8 percent over 24 hours to US$4,190.47. Like Bitcoin, Ether opened at its lowest daily valuation, US$4,112.40, before peaking at US$4,202.65.

Supply reduction, increased DEX activity and seasonal bullish trends could set the stage for an Ether price pump in October, with predictions pointing toward US$4,300 or higher.

A looming US government shutdown could increase short-term volatility in the cryptocurrency market this week due to delayed economic data and regulatory uncertainties.

Decisions on 16 crypto exchange-traded funds (ETFs) — including those tied to Solana, XRP, Litecoin and Dogecoin — are expected from the US Securities and Exchange Commission throughout October.

Altcoin price update

  • Solana (SOL) was priced at US$212.91, an increase of 3.3 percent over the last 24 hours and its highest valuation of the day. SOL opened at US$206.31, its lowest valuation of the day, and trended upward.
  • XRP was trading for US$2.90, up by 2.5 percent over the last 24 hours. Its lowest valuation of the day was US$2.85, while its highest was US$2.91.

ETF data and derivatives trends

The Fear & Greed Index currently reads 39, indicating fear amongst market participants.

Bitcoin dominance in the crypto market is at 56.66 percent, showing a slight fall week-over-week.

Last week, the cumulative net flow for spot Bitcoin ETFs was predominantly negative, with several days of outflows. According to data from the week of September 22 to September 26, spot Bitcoin ETFs had outflows on four days, with September 24 being the only day of inflows at US$241 million. The inflows were led by BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (NASDAQ:IBIT) and the ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF (BATS:ARKB).

Overall, the weekly trend showed significant withdrawal pressures despite the one day inflow exception. Cumulative total inflows for spot Bitcoin ETFs stood at US$56.78 billion as of September 26.

On the derivatives side, CoinGlass data shows Bitcoin futures open interest at US$82.89 billion, an increase of 6.73 percent over 24 hours and a rise of 0.32 percent over four hours. Open interest for Ether futures is at US$56.04 billion, up 2.71 percent over 24 hours and a 0.06 percent boost over four hours.

Bitcoin leveraged positions have resulted in liquidations totaling US$5.61 million in four hours. Ether saw significantly greater liquidations, amounting to US$9.53 million. Bitcoin’s max pain price is US$114,000.

The Ether funding rate is positive, signaling bullish sentiment and more demand for long positions, while the Bitcoin funding rate is in the red, signaling bearish sentiment.

Today’s crypto news to know

SWIFT to debut blockchain to facilitate cross-border payments

According to a Monday announcement, the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) is developing a blockchain in collaboration with over 30 financial institutions and Consensys.

The initial focus is on developing infrastructure for “real-time 24/7 cross-border payments.” SWIFT CEO Javier Pérez-Tass made the announcement at SWIFT’s annual Sibos conference, held in Frankfurt, Germany, on Monday:

“We provide powerful and effective rails today and are moving at a rapid pace with our community to create the infrastructure stack of the future. Through this initial ledger concept we are paving the way for financial institutions to take the payments experience to the next level with Swift’s proven and trusted platform at the centre of the industry’s digital transformation.’

SWIFT will consider feedback on its design from financial institutions from 16 countries.

Polkadot users show support for potential stablecoin

Bryan Chen, co-founder of Polkadot and chief technology officer of its Acala blockchain, introduced a proposal on Sunday to develop a native stablecoin for the Polkadot network.

The stablecoin (pUSD) would be algorithmic and backed by Polkadot tokens, and would use the pUSD ticker. It would also include an optional savings module, allowing holders to lock their stablecoins and earn interest from stability fees. It will utilize the Honzon protocol on the Acala network. The aim is to reduce reliance on USDt and USDC.

The proposal is gathering support among users. The ballot will close in 24 days.

Qatar financial group adopts Kinexys

One of the largest financial institutions in the Middle East, Qatar’s QNB Group, has switched to JPMorgan Chase’s (NYSE:JPM) blockchain platform for US dollar corporate payments processing.

By adopting JPMorgan’s Kinexys Digital Payments system, QNB can now process US dollar-based payments for its business clients in Qatar in minutes and 24/7, the companies said in a statement.

Kazakhstan debuts crypto fund

Kazakhstan, in partnership with Binance, has launched a state-backed crypto reserve called the Alem Crypto Fund, according to an announcement on the country’s government website.

The fund, established by the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development and managed by Qazaqstan Venture Group, aims for long-term digital asset investments and strategic reserves. Its initial asset is BNB, Binance’s utility token. The announcement does not specify the amount of BNB purchased or future investments.

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

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