1. US government strikes controversial Big Tech deal

On Monday (August 11), the Washington Post reported on a deal between the US government and tech giants NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA) and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) (NASDAQ:AMD). It stipulates that the tech companies must surrender 15 percent of revenue from Chinese sales of NVIDIA’s H20 chips and AMD’s MI308 chips.

Anonymous sources told the news outlet that this condition was imposed as a prerequisite for granting the companies export licenses to sell their products in China. The move that has prompted legal concerns among trade experts who say the fee could be construed as an unconstitutional trade tax.

“To call this unusual or unprecedented would be a staggering understatement,” Stephen Olson, a former US trade negotiator, told Bloomberg. “What we are seeing is in effect the monetization of US trade policy in which US companies must pay the US government for permission to export.”

AMD, NVIDIA and Intel performance, August 12 to 15, 2025.

Chart via Google Finance.

Meanwhile, shares of Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) rose as much as 4.6 percent on Tuesday (August 12) following a ‘candid and constructive’ meeting between CEO Lip-Bu Tan and US President Donald Trump on Monday.

The meeting came after Trump called for Tan’s removal last week.

According to a separate Bloomberg article, the US government is considering taking a stake in the chipmaker to help it establish a planned factory hub in Ohio; the company once promised it would be the world’s largest chipmaking facility. Tan has not confirmed or denied the report, but discussions are said to be ongoing. Sources told Bloomberg the government is considering using funds from the Biden administration’s Chips Act to fund the stake.

2. Amazon to expand grocery delivery services

Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) shares rose as much as 1.3 percent on Wednesday (August 13) after the commerce company announced plans to significantly expand its grocery services.

On Wednesday, the company said its same-day delivery service will now include fresh groceries, including produce, meat and dairy, in over 1,000 cities, with plans to expand into more than 2,300 by the end of the year.

The service is included in Amazon Prime memberships for orders over US$25. Smaller orders and orders from non-members will require fees of US$2.99 and US$12.99, respectively.

3. CoreWeave shares drop after mixed earnings report

Artificial intelligence (AI) data center operator CoreWeave (NASDAQ:CRWV) reported mixed Q2 results on Tuesday, with revenue more than doubling year-on-year to US$1.2 billion, beating estimates of US$1.08 billion, and a revenue backlog of US$30.1 billion. However, the growth came at a high cost. The company reported a record US$2.9 billion in capital expenditures for the quarter, and operating expenses jumped by 276 percent to US$1.19 billion.

CoreWeave performance, August 12 to 15, 2025.

Chart via Google Finance.

The company also reported losses of US$291 million, larger than the US$190.6 million analysts had estimated.

Shares of CoreWeave opened more than 10 percent lower on Wednesday and declined throughout the week, closing at US$99.97 on Friday (August 15) compared to Monday’s opening price of US$134.80.

4. Perplexity bids on Chrome, prepares for fresh funding round

AI startup Perplexity made a US$34.5 billion bid for Google’s (NASDAQ:GOOGL) web browser, Chrome, in a move to secure its future in the AI search market. Perplexity told the Wall Street Journal that the unsolicited offer would be funded with the help of outside investors. The company’s advance comes as Google faces a potential divestiture following an antitrust trial that found it had illegally monopolized online search and search advertising.

OpenAI has also expressed interest in acquiring Chrome.

On Thursday, Business Insider reported that Perplexity is preparing for another round of funding, which would mark its sixth fundraiser in 18 months. The company is reportedly seeking a post-money valuation of US$20 billion. This comes barely one month after the startup achieved a US$18 billion valuation.

The rapid succession of these events underscores the intense, high-stakes competition among AI startups to secure foundational assets and challenge established tech giants.

Canadian AI startup Cohere secured US$500 million in fresh funding on Thursday from a group of investors that included NVIDIA and AMD, bringing its valuation to US$6.8 billion. The company also onboarded former executives from Uber Technologies (NYSE:UBER) and Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META).

5. Apple plans product expansion

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) shares climbed as high as 1.7 percent on Wednesday after Bloomberg reported on the company’s planned expansion into robotics, home security and smart displays.

The new products are aimed at strengthening Apple’s product ecosystem, which has paled in comparison to offerings from tech rivals like Amazon and Meta.

Apple performance, August 12 to 15, 2025.

Chart via Google Finance.

Some of the new devices slated for future release include a tabletop virtual companion robot, a long-planned advanced Siri model with a visual personality, a smart speaker with display capabilities and home security cameras.

Apple finished the week at US$231.59, a 1.7 percent gain from Monday.

Bitcoin and Ethereum price update

Bitcoin (BTC) was priced at US$116,999, a 0.8 percent decline in 24 hours. Its lowest valuation of the day was US$116,956, while its highest was US$118,192.

Bitcoin price performance, August 15, 2025.

Chart via TradingView.

Bitcoin surged to a new all-time high of US$124,533 on Thursday (August 14), driven by increased institutional interest and expectations that the US Federal Reserve will cut interest rates.

However, the rally was short-lived, as the price fell as low as US$117,263 early on Friday.

The decline was attributed to hotter-than-expected US producer price index data for July, which dampened investor optimism about a rate reduction. Additionally, comments from US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent revealed that the country holds less Bitcoin in reserve than previously thought, further unsettling the market.

Ethereum (ETH) experienced one of its most successful weeks of the year, with on-chain data further underscoring this bullish trend. Daily active addresses, stablecoin transfer volume and daily transactions all reached record highs this week. Additionally, decentralized exchange volume hit its highest point since 2022.

As of Friday’s close, ETH was priced at US$4,391.13, a 3.3 percent decline over 24 hours. Its lowest valuation on Friday was US$4,381.31, and its highest was US$4,614.81.

Altcoin price update

• Solana (SOL) was priced at US$184.03, down by 4.8 percent over 24 hours. Its lowest valuation of the day was US$183.837, while its highest valuation was US$193.02.

• XRP was trading for US$3.07, down 0.3 percent in the past 24 hours. Its lowest valuation of the day was US$3.01, and its highest was US$3.11.

• Sui (SUI) was trading at US$3.66, down by 2.4 percent over the past 24 hours. Its lowest valuation of the day was US$3.63, while its highest was US$3.85.

• Cardano (ADA) was trading at US$0.93, up 0.3 percent over 24 hours. Its lowest valuation of the day was US$0.9186, while its highest was US$0.9526.

Today’s crypto news to know

Ethereum ETF inflows hit nearly US$3 billion for the week

Ethereum-focused exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have seen an unprecedented surge in investor demand, attracting almost US$3 billion in net inflows over the past week. According to SoSoValue data, this amount is more than five times the US$562 million that flowed into Bitcoin ETFs during the same period.

The spike coincides with a rapid increase in Ethereum holdings by crypto treasury firms — their exposure has climbed from US$600 million to US$11 billion in just six weeks. It also follows the US Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) approval of in-kind creations and redemptions for spot Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs. The change makes the funds more cost efficient and attractive to institutional investors.

ETF Store President Nate Geraci said in a post on X that three of the four largest single-day inflows for Ethereum ETFs since their inception occurred this week alone. Prices for the cryptocurrency have rallied nearly 19 percent over the past seven days, coming within reach of their 2021 all-time high of US$4,878.

Galaxy Digital secures US$1.4 billion loan for AI data center

Galaxy Digital (NASDAQ:GLXY) has secured a US$1.4 billion term loan facility to accelerate the development of its Helios artificial intelligence (AI) data center campus in Texas.

The loan, announced on Friday, will cover approximately 80 percent of the construction costs for the project’s first phase, with Galaxy Digital contributing US$350 million in equity. According to an SEC filing, the loan is secured by all assets of Galaxy Helios I, a subsidiary of Galaxy Digital, and is set to mature on August 15, 2028.

The capital infusion will fund the expansion of the Helios AI datacenter, enabling it to deliver power for AI workloads under a long-term agreement with GPU cloud provider CoreWeave (NASDAQ:CRWV), commencing in early 2026.

Galaxy Digital also announced the expansion of a power capacity deal with CoreWeave to 800 megawatts for AI and high-performance computing operations at its Helios campus, projecting over US$1 billion in annual revenue from this deal, or US$15 billion over 15 years. The Helios data center is expected to reach a 3.5 gigawatt capacity when fully developed, with 2.7 gigawatts available for other clients after the CoreWeave agreement.

DOJ seizes over US$2.8 million in crypto from alleged ransomware operator

On Thursday, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the seizure of over US$2.8 million in cryptocurrency, as well as cash and other assets, as part of a criminal case against an alleged ransomware operator.

Ianis Aleksandrovich Antropenko, the alleged operator, faces charges of conspiring to commit computer fraud and abuse, as well as conspiracy to commit money laundering.

On Thursday, the DOJ unsealed six warrants, authorizing the seizure of US$2.8 million in cryptocurrency from a wallet controlled by Antropenko, along with US$70,000 in cash and a luxury vehicle.

According to the notice, these assets are believed to be the proceeds of ransomware activity, or involved in laundering those proceeds. The laundered assets were disguised through various methods, including the use of ChipMixer, a cryptocurrency mixing service that was shut down in a coordinated international operation in 2023.

Antropenko also laundered cryptocurrency by converting it to cash and making structured cash deposits.

Saylor bets on US$100 billion ‘Bitcoin credit’

Michael Saylor, executive chairman of Strategy (NASDAQ:MSTR), is pursuing a high-risk plan to finance further Bitcoin purchases through perpetual preferred stock offerings.

The new securities — nicknamed “Stretch” — do not mature, lack voting rights and can skip dividends under certain conditions, giving the issuer flexibility while raising investor concerns about risk.

This marks a departure from the company’s earlier reliance on common stock sales and convertible bonds to fund what is now a US$75 billion Bitcoin treasury. Saylor aims to retire billions in outstanding debt and replace it with preferred equity, which he says could theoretically scale to US$100 billion or more in capital raised.

The model hinges on investor appetite for yield backed indirectly by Bitcoin’s performance, while avoiding the dilution impact of issuing more common stock.

Federal Reserve Board to sunset crypto supervision program

In a notice on Friday, the US Federal Reserve Board said it will sunset a program created in August 2023 to supervise certain activities related to crypto assets and distributed ledger technology.

The Fed said it will return to monitoring activity through the normal supervisory process.

“Since the Board started its program to supervise certain crypto and fintech activities in banks, the Board has strengthened its understanding of those activities, related risks, and bank risk management practices,” it said.

“As a result, the Board is integrating that knowledge and the supervision of those activities back into the standard supervisory process and is rescinding its 2023 supervisory letter creating the program.”

Hong Kong SFC rolls out stricter rules for licensed crypto platforms

Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) has introduced new custody rules for licensed virtual asset trading platforms, setting stricter benchmarks for how client assets must be stored and secured.

The updated framework includes specific requirements for cold wallet usage, senior management accountability and real-time cyber threat monitoring, alongside rules for using third-party wallet providers.

These measures follow an SFC review earlier this year that identified security and operational gaps among some licensed exchanges. The regulator says the changes are part of its ASPIRe strategy, a five point plan to address liquidity fragmentation, regulatory arbitrage and volatility, while expanding regulated product offerings.

The policy also aims to position Hong Kong as a safer, more structured alternative to other Asian crypto hubs, notably Singapore, which has imposed tighter limits on retail trading.

Investor Insight

Asra Minerals is an emerging gold explorer with a compelling investment case as it focuses on strategic expansion and development of high-grade resources across its Leonora gold project in Western Australia.

Overview

Asra Minerals (ASX:ASR) is unlocking the potential of its portfolio of existing resources and underexplored prospects within Western Australia’s renowned Leonora Goldfields. The company controls one of the largest and most prospective land positions in the district, strategically surrounded by high-profile gold producers such as Genesis Minerals’ (ASX:GMD) with its 8.9 million oz (Moz) Leonora Operations; Vault Minerals (ASX:VAU), which operates the 1.9 Moz Darlot mine and 4.1 Moz King of the Hills mine; and Northern Star (ASX:NST), which operates the 4.2 Moz Thunderbox mine.

With existing JORC 2012 resources of 200,000 oz gold and a clear strategy to reach 500,000 oz in the near-term, Asra Minerals is leveraging its 936 sq km Leonora landholding in one of Australia’s most prolific gold belts. Asra’s tenements span 75 km of strike length, including two primary zones – Leonora North and Leonora South – each with resource-stage projects, brownfields upside and newly identified high-priority drill targets.

A strategic reset in late 2024 led to a new CEO, technical team and drilling strategy aimed squarely at resource growth and project consolidation. With global unrest supporting sustained high gold prices and WA’s regulatory stability, Asra’s ground – historically underexplored and fragmented – is now primed for discovery, growth and value creation.

Company Highlights

• District-Scale Gold Project in Tier-One Jurisdiction: 936 sq km landholding in WA’s Leonora region, proximal to more than 15 Moz of gold resources across neighboring major mines.
• JORC Resource of 200 koz at 1.8 g/t gold: Existing resource includes high-grade shallow mineralization at Orion, Sapphire, Mt Stirling and Stirling Well.
• Aggressive Growth Strategy: Targeting >500 koz resource base in 2025 through near-resource and greenfield drilling.
• Ongoing Exploration: Systematic exploration underway across the portfolio with multiple high-priority targets identified for further follow-up.
• New High-impact Leadership: Rebuilt management and technical team in late 2024, including renowned gold discoverers behind Gruyere (6.2 Moz) and Raleigh (1 Moz).
• Undervalued Opportunity: With a ~$10 million market cap, Asra offers substantial re-rating potential amid rising gold prices and renewed institutional interest.

Key Project

Leonora Gold Project

Asra Minerals’ flagship Leonora gold project spans more than 936 sq km in Western Australia’s prolific Eastern Goldfields. The asset is subdivided into the Leonora North and Leonora South project areas. The region hosts multiple world-class gold operations, including Genesis Minerals’ Leonora operations, Vault Minerals’ King of the Hills, and Northern Star’s Thunderbox mine, all within trucking distance. Asra’s tenements lie along the highly prospective granite-greenstone contacts and major fault systems such as the Ursus Fault, known for controlling high-grade orogenic gold mineralization.

Leonora South

The Leonora South project is 549 sq km with eight granted mining leases, located within the historic Kookynie goldfields. This area is host to numerous high-grade deposits, including Genesis Minerals’ Ulysses Hub (~2 Moz gold). Asra is focused on the Sapphire and Orion open pit deposits, which together comprise a JORC 2012 inferred resource of 48,014 oz grading at 2.2 grams per ton (g/t) gold. High-grade intercepts include standout results such as 166 g/t gold over 6 m from 135 m, including 248.8 g/t gold over 4 m (Sapphire), and 46.4 g/t gold over 4 m from 3 m (Orion), demonstrating a potential for bonanza-grade extensions at depth.

Diamond drilling completed in Q4/2024 confirmed down-dip continuity of high-grade gold zones approximately 30 to 50 m below historical intercepts, with assays such as 47.95 g/t gold over 1 m from 115.2 m, 23.12 g/t gold over 1 m from 148.7 m, and 23.97 g/t gold over 0.8 m from 161.2 m. A new 1,300 m RC and diamond-tail drilling program commenced in Q2/2025 to test these high-priority targets, aiming to significantly increase the resource base. The mineralized quartz veins at Sapphire and Orion trend east-northeast and dip steeply – 50 to 80 degrees – southwards and remain open at depth and along strike.

Exploration across Leonora South has identified 21 high-priority targets, of which 15 have never been drill tested. These were derived from detailed 2025 airborne magnetics, structural reinterpretation and geochemical mapping. Planned work includes follow-up aircore and RC drilling to expand the mineralized footprint, including at Gladstone and Jessop Creek, with approvals already received from the Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety.

Leonora North

Situated 40 km northeast of Leonora and just 5 km from Vault’s King of the Hills mine, Leonora North is a brownfields gold asset with significant exploration and expansion potential. The area lies within the Eastern Goldfields Superterrane of the Yilgarn Craton and is hosted along the structurally controlled Ursus Fault Zone, a major gold-bearing shear corridor. The project contains multiple zones with a total JORC 2012 resource of 152,000 oz grading at 1.7 g/t gold, including:

• Mt Stirling–Viserion Deposit: 2.16 Mt @ 1.6 g/t gold for 111,000 oz (inferred), plus 391,000 t @ 2.1 g/t for 26,000 oz (indicated).
• Stirling Well: 198,000 t @ 2.3 g/t gold for 15,000 oz (inferred).

The Mt Stirling resource remains open along strike and at depth, with high-grade shoots identified to the north. The flat-lying Stirling Well orebody has potential for parallel lodes and deeper extensions into mafic host rocks. A major aeromagnetic and litho-structural reinterpretation, completed in December 2024, identified +20 high-priority gold targets across the northern strike extensions. Several of these are situated adjacent to the historically mined Diorite King Mine, which reportedly produced at high grades. The untested 12 km Ursus Fault corridor remains a key focus, with ~9 km still unexplored.

Importantly, Asra secured 100 percent ownership of the Mt Cutmore prospect in May 2025, consolidating a highly strategic zone within the Mt Stirling region. This acquisition covers multiple live and pending tenements, and enhances Asra’s ability to deploy a focused drilling campaign across the Leonora North project area. Drill permits have been secured, and both AC and RC programs are planned for H2/2025 to evaluate new geophysical anomalies, follow up on known mineralization, and grow the current resource base.

Management Team

Paul Stephen – Managing Director

A seasoned mining executive, Paul Stephen has held various executive and directorship roles across ASX and LSE-listed companies prior to joining Asra. He was a co-founder and executive director of Crusader Resources, where he was instrumental in the discovery, development and operation of the Posse Iron Ore mine in Brazil. During his tenure, he oversaw the delineation of over 2.6 million ounces of gold, significantly contributing to Crusader’s market capitalization exceeding AU$160 million.

Paul Summers – Non-executive Chair

Paul Summers has been a legal practitioner since 1985, and founded his own firm, Summers Legal in 1989. He has been Asra’s counsel for more than 10 years and has provided extensive advice and service during the recent takeover of Cascade Resources. Summers is currently lead counsel – commercial, corporate and property of Summers Legal and is familiar with the company’s affairs, projects and strategy.

Mathew Longworth – Non-executive Director

Mathew Longworth is a geologist with over 35 years’ experience in large projects, exploration and discoveries in Australia, Greenland, Africa, South America and the Pacific. He is currently chairman of Ardea Resources and Greenfields Exploration, and non-executive chairman of Northam Resources. As a director and chairman, he has guided companies through challenging corporate times including IPO listings, takeovers, major capital raisings, 249D notices and joint venture negotiations while maximizing value for shareholders.

Leonard Math – Non-executive Director, Chief Financial Officer and Company Secretary

Leonard Math is a chartered accountant with more than 15 years of resource industry experience. He was an auditor at Deloitte and is experienced with public company responsibilities including ASX and ASIC compliance, control and implementation of corporate governance, statutory financial reporting and shareholder relations. He previously held company secretary and directorship roles for a number of ASX listed companies.

Ziggy Lubieniecki – Technical Consultant

Ziggy Lubieniecki is a highly experienced geologist with over three decades of expertise spanning exploration, mining, management, property acquisition and company listings. His previous senior roles include chief mine geologist at Plutonic, exploration manager at Australian Platinum Mines, and executive director at Gold Road Resources. Along with a successful exploration track record, Lubieniecki is credited for the discovery of the 6.2 Moz Gruyere gold deposit.