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Built inside a mountain and hardened against bunker-busting bombs. Here’s what we know about Iran’s Fordow nuclear site

Five tunnels burrowing into a group of mountains, a large support structure and a wide security perimeter: That’s all you can see of Iran’s mysterious Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant from recent satellite imagery.

The secretive, heavily guarded complex built close to the holy city of Qom has been fueling speculation about its true nature and size since it was first made public in 2009.

A chunk of what we do know about it comes from a trove of Iranian documents stolen years ago by Israeli intelligence.

Its main halls are an estimated 80 to 90 meters (around 262 to 295 feet) beneath the ground – safe from any aerial bomb known to be possessed by Israel, making destroying the facility from the air a near-impossible task.

As Iran’s leadership reels from a series of devastating Israeli strikes, some analysts say that it is at Fordow that Iran may rush to convert enriched uranium stockpiles into a nuclear bomb.

Israel has targeted the facility in recent days but, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), so far it has either been unwilling – or unable – to damage it.

Tehran has long maintained the objectives of its nuclear program are peaceful, but Fordow has been at the heart of concern over Iran’s ambitions.

“The size and configuration of this facility is inconsistent with a peaceful program,” then US President Barack Obama said in 2009 as he, along with then French President Nicolas Sarkozy and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown revealed the existence of Fordow to the world.

Just days before the announcement, the Iranians, apparently knowing Western agencies had learned about the facility, told the IAEA of their desire to build a new fuel enrichment facility. By that point construction at Fordow had been underway for years.

Tehran pushed back against the accusations, but condemnation even from ally Russia and concerns from China left it with little room to maneuver.

Construction started in the early 2000s

The US and its allies have not provided much detail on when the construction of Fordow started, but publicly available historical satellite imagery shows work at the site as far back as 2004, with photographs revealing two white square structures where the tunnel entrances are located today. The IAEA says it has additional imagery showing construction as far back as 2002.

“Fordow is actually a project that started during what we call the crash nuclear weapons program of the early 2000s,” said David Albright, head of the Washington, DC-based Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS), a nonpartisan institution dedicated to stopping the spread of nuclear weapons. “The idea was they (the Iranians) would make weapon-grade uranium in that plant, and they would obtain low-enriched uranium from the civil nuclear program in Iran.”

In 2009, a large outside support structure was already fully built and excavation was ongoing for what experts believe to be a ventilation shaft, crucial to allow air circulation into the facility. That shaft was later concealed and camouflaged, more recent imagery also shows.

Tehran explained to the IAEA in a letter dated October 2009 that the decision to build the facility underground was a result of “threats of military attacks against Iran,” adding that Fordow would serve as a contingency for the nearby Natanz plant, which, it claimed, “was among the targets threatened with military attacks.”

Iran told the IAEA the facility could house up to 3,000 centrifuges.

Nuclear deal and Israeli accusations

The dangers posed by Fordow were largely tamed as a result of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) the so-called “Iran nuclear deal,” that required Iran to remove two-thirds of the centrifuges inside the facility, along with all nuclear material, after the facility was banned from any such work.

That process was slowly reversed when US President Donald Trump pulled out of the deal in 2018.

Further details about the facility were made public by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in 2018, after his country’s intelligence services seized more than 55,000 documents from what Israel said was Iran’s “atomic archive.”

Among the documents were detailed blueprints of Fordow and information on its objectives: To produce weapons-grade uranium, as part of Iran’s nuclear weapons program, for at least one or two nuclear weapons per year.

“We never saw any, any inconsistency,” Albright, who has combed through the documents, said of Iran’s push to develop nuclear weapons. “It’s hundreds of thousands of pages. I mean you just can’t make that amount of stuff up. I don’t think anyone challenges it, and that’s probably why there is an (IAEA) Board of Governors resolution against Iran.”

At the time, then Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called the revelations and Netanyahu’s comments “childish” and “laughable.” Then US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the US had known about the material “for a while” and believed the documents were authentic.

Protected from even the largest bombs

Recent IAEA reports suggested Iran had ramped up production of enriched uranium to a level of 60% at the Fordow facility, which, according to experts and the IAEA, now contains 2,700 centrifuges.

“The significantly increased production and accumulation of highly enriched uranium by Iran, the only non-nuclear-weapon state to produce such nuclear material, is of serious concern,” the IAEA said in a report on May 31.

“One of the things that elevated the tension, was they have no reason to do that, other than to be able to then go the next step and turn it into weapon-grade uranium,” Albright said.

“It was interpreted as they’re preparing themselves to be able to do it if they decide to. And if you’re 60%, you can turn it into weapon-grade uranium very quickly,” he added.

According to the ISIS think tank, “Iran can convert its current stock of 60 percent enriched uranium into 233 kg of weapon-grade uranium in three weeks at the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant,” enough for nine nuclear weapons.

That is why Fordow is a major focus of Israel’s attempts to degrade and destroy Iran’s nuclear program. But is it even feasible?

The US is the only country that possesses the kind of bomb required to strike Iran’s Fordow nuclear site, Israel’s ambassador to the US, Yechiel Leiter, said in an interview with Merit TV on Monday.

“For Fordow to be taken out by a bomb from the sky, the only country in the world that has that bomb is the United States. And that’s a decision the United States has to take, whether or not it chooses to actually pursue that course,” Leiter said. But, he added, that wasn’t the only option: “There are other ways of dealing with Fordow.”

Destroying Fordow from the air would be almost impossible for Israel, according to a March report from the UK-based Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) think tank and would require significant firepower and assistance from the United States.

It would not even be reachable by the US’ GBU-57 massive ordnance penetrator bombs, which only reach about 60 meters deep, according to the RUSI report. And the GBU-57 can only be delivered by US Air Force B-2 stealth bombers, something Israel doesn’t have – even if the US would give it the bombs.

“Even the GBU-57/B would likely require multiple impacts at the same aiming point to have a good chance of penetrating the facility,” said the report.

Other analysts agree, saying, if the US were to try to hit Fordow, it probably couldn’t be done with one bomb.

Albright says there could be other ways to disable Fordow.

“Israel could probably destroy the tunnel entrances pretty far back, and certainly destroy the ventilation system,” he said. “If you destroyed (the tunnels) and the electric electrical supply, it would be months before they could really operate.”

Despite its crucial role in Iran’s nuclear program, Albright believes Fordow is just another piece of the puzzle.

“If you destroy it, it’s not the end of the line, because you then go to the next threat, which is, how many centrifuges has Iran made that they didn’t deploy at Fordow and Natanz? And where are they?” he said.

“I think people over-emphasize the need to destroy it by bringing down its ceilings, which admittedly, probably only the US can do.”

This post appeared first on cnn.com
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Burgum Endorses Colosseum Rare Earths Project in Continued Critical Minerals Push

The Trump administration is fast tracking development of Dateline Resources’ (ASX:DTR,OTC Pink:DTREF) Colosseum rare earths project in California as part of its push to boost domestic critical minerals supply.

In a recent interview, Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum highlighted the project as a priority under the government’s critical minerals strategy, stating that the US has ‘to get back in the game in a serious way around critical minerals.”

For his part, US President Donald Trump has called the project ‘America’s second rare earths mine.” He first announced Colosseum’s approval in an April 21 Truth Social post, listing it as a weekly achievement.

The Colosseum project sits in the Walker Lane Trend in East San Bernardino County, California, only 10 kilometers north of MP Materials’ (NYSE:MP) Mountain Pass mine, the only operating rare earths mine in the US.

Mountain Pass is also the highest-grade rare earths mine in the world.

According to Burgum, the endorsement from the government stems from the US’ push to restart domestic rare earths production and reduce dependence on other countries such as China.

Currently, China remains the biggest rare earths producer by far, producing 270,000 metric tons in 2024. That’s about 70 percent of the total production for the year, which was recorded at 390,000 metric tons.

The ongoing trade war has created tensions between the US and China, raising questions about supply chain security.

Some relief was seen last week — the BBC reported that China has agreed to supply US companies with magnets and rare earths as part of Trump’s deal with Xi Jinping, president of China. In return, the US said it will walk back its threats to revoke the visas of Chinese nationals at US colleges and universities.

Trump addressed the arrangement via a June 11 Truth Social update, stating that he has “always been good” with including Chinese students in colleges and universities.

Dateline has a green light to explore and extract rare earths from Colosseum, as well as gold.

“We have seen growing interest out of the US, particularly after recent milestones at Colosseum,” the Sydney Morning Herald quotes Dateline Managing Director Stephen Baghdadi as saying.

Dateline said in May that it had started the process to uplist to the OTCQB. Should the OTCQB listing go through, the company will still continue to meet its ASX disclosure requirements.

The same month, the company said it had begun preparations for a rare earths-focused drill program at Colosseum, and would complete it alongside a planned gold feasibility study for the site.

Securities Disclosure: I, Gabrielle de la Cruz, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com
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14 killed in worst Russian strikes on Kyiv in weeks

Russian overnight drone and missile attacks on Kyiv killed 14 people, officials said on Tuesday, in the deadliest strikes on the capital in weeks.

More than 55 people were wounded in the city, according to Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko, making it one of the deadliest nights for its residents in weeks.

Kyiv residents heard loud sirens from late Monday, through the early morning hours of Tuesday, making it a loud and sleepless night for many in the city. The sirens continued as day broke Tuesday – an alarm purportedly for a ballistic threat, according to the Ukrainian Air Force.

Of those wounded, more than 40 have been taken to hospitals, Klitschko said, with residential buildings and other infrastructure severely damaged.

“We hope that no dead will be found under the rubble, but we cannot rule it out,” Klitschko added. “The death toll may increase.”

“During the attack on Kyiv in the Solomyanskyi district, a 62-year-old US citizen died in a house opposite to the one where medics were providing assistance to the victims,” Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said in a message on Telegram, without giving details.

Paramedics and police were seen working to rescue people wounded in a building that appears partially collapsed, according to video posted by the State Emergency Service of Ukraine.

Smoke could be seen rising from the site and debris was strewn all over the ground. Vehicles in front of the building were charred and destroyed.

Some 27 locations in different districts came under fire, according to a statement from Ukraine’s Minister of Internal Affairs, Ihor Klymenko.

“Rescuers, police and medics are working. They are doing everything they can to help the victims, clear the rubble and save lives,” he said.

The strikes come as Trump announced he would return to Washington a day early from the Group of 7 summit in Canada.

His early departure means he will miss a key meeting with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of the event.

It would have been the leaders’ third meeting since Trump took office in January.

Ukrainian officials had been hoping that a positive interaction with Trump could advance Kyiv’s case as Russia has ramped up its airborne attacks in recent weeks.

Meanwhile, Russian Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoigu arrived in Pyongyang on a “special mission” from Russian leader Vladimir Putin, according to Russian state news agency TASS.

Shoigu is scheduled to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Tass reported Tuesday.

Pyongyang has continued support for Moscow’s war on Ukraine as world leaders push for an end to the three-year conflict.

North Korea has sent soldiers and millions of munitions, including missiles and rockets, to Russia over the past year, according to a May report by an international watchdog, the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team.

The US has warned that Russia may be close to sharing advanced space and satellite technology with North Korea in exchange for continued support for the war in Ukraine.

In April, Russia launched its deadliest wave of attacks on Kyiv in nine months, sending 70 missiles and 145 drones toward Ukraine, mainly targeting the capital city, killing at least 12 people and injuring 90 more.

Under Trump, the US has been less willing to equip badly outgunned Ukraine directly, has pushed European partners to pick up more of the support and threatened to walk away altogether from peace talks.

This post appeared first on cnn.com
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Starbucks moves to the next phase in its turnaround: Winning over employees

As Starbucks aims to bring back customers and assuage investors with its turnaround strategy, it is also winning over its store managers with promises to add more seating inside cafes and promote internally.

Since CEO Brian Niccol’s first week at the company, he’s been pledging to bring the company “back to Starbucks” to lift sluggish sales. That goal was in full view at the company’s Leadership Experience, a three-day event in Las Vegas for more than 14,000 store leaders this week.

Starbucks unveiled a new coffee called the 1971 Roast, a callback to the year that its first location opened at Pike Place in Seattle. The finalists at Starbucks’ first-ever Global Barista Championships referred to “back to Starbucks” as they prepared drinks for judges. Even the Wi-Fi password was “backtostarbucks!”

To investors, Niccol has already presented a multi-part strategy that involves retooling the company’s marketing strategy, improving staffing in cafes, fixing the chain’s mobile app issues and making its locations cozier. The company also laid off roughly 1,100 corporate workers earlier this year, saying it aimed to operate more efficiently and reduce redundancies.

Starbucks shares have climbed nearly 20% since April and are trading just shy of where they were after a nearly 25% spike the day Niccol was announced as CEO.

While Starbucks has taken major steps to win back customers and Wall Street, it’s also trying to regain faith among its employees. Staffers have had concerns about hours and workloads for years, sparking a broad union push across the U.S.

To excite the chain’s store managers, Starbucks executives’ pitch this week focused on giving them more control. Before launching new drinks, like a protein-packed cold foam, the company is first testing them in five stores to gain feedback from baristas.

When the chain increases its staffing this summer, managers will have more input on how many baristas they need. And next year, most North American stores will add an assistant manager to their rosters.

“You are the leaders of Starbucks. Your focus on the customer is critical. Your leadership is critical. And as you return to your coffeehouses, please remember: coffee, community, opportunity, all the good that follows,” Niccol said on Tuesday.

Niccol’s “back to Starbucks” strategy centers on the idea that the company’s culture has faltered. Its Leadership Experience, typically held every couple of years, was the first since 2019 — three CEOs ago.

“We are a business of connection and humanity,” Niccol said on Tuesday afternoon, addressing a crowd of more than 14,000 managers. “Great people make great things happen.”

As more customers order their lattes via the company’s app, its cafes have lost their identity as a “third place” for people to hang out and sip their drinks.

To return to Starbucks’ prior culture, the company is unwinding previous decisions — like removing seats from its cafes. In recent years, the chain has removed 30,000 seats from its locations. Those renovations have irritated both customers and employees; the manager of Niccol’s local Starbucks in Newport Beach, California, even asked him to remove her store from its renovation list because she wanted to keep the seating, according to Niccol.

“We’re going to put those seats back in,” Niccol said, bringing a big wave of applause from the audience.

He earned more applause from the audience when discussing the chain’s plans to promote internally as it eventually adds 10,000 more locations in the U.S.

Although historically roughly 60% of Starbucks store managers have been internal promotions, the company wants to raise that to 90% for its retail leadership roles. Thousands of new cafes means 1,000 more district managers, 100 regional directors and 14 regional vice presidents for the company — and more upward career mobility for its store leaders.

Staffing more broadly has been a concern for Starbucks and its employees, fueling a wave of union elections across hundreds its stores. Past management teams have cut down on the labor allotted to stores, helping profit margins at the cost of burning out baristas and slowing service.

Under Niccol, Starbucks is changing the trend. The company is accelerating plans to roll out its new Green Apron labor model by the end of the summer, because tests have shown that it improves service times and boosts traffic. As part of the model, managers will have more input on how much labor their store needs.

And Chief Partner Officer Sara Kelly received a standing ovation from the crowd for her announcement that most North American locations will receive a full-time, dedicated assistant store manager next year.

“For much of the time, your store is operating without you there, and you share that even when you’re not in the store, you’re not able to fully disconnect, and it can feel like the weight of everything is on your shoulders. … It affects everything, the partner experience, the customer experience, the performance of your store,” Kelly said, addressing the store managers in the audience.

Underscoring the challenges Niccol faces in recapturing the company’s brand, the two speakers who scored the most applause from store managers are no longer actively involved in the company.

Former chairwoman Mellody Hobson scored standing ovations during both her entry and exit onto the arena’s stage. Hobson, wiping tears from her eyes, thanked the Starbucks employees whom she said always made her feel welcome in their stores.

She stepped down from her position earlier this year, ending a roughly two-decade tenure that culminated with her becoming the first African American woman to become the independent chair of a Fortune 500 company. Hobson also serves as co-CEO of Ariel Investments.

Hobson ceded her position as chair of the board to Niccol when he joined the company in September. Niccol credited her with poaching him from Chipotle as Starbucks sought to find a leader who could turn around its flailing business.

“A quick conversation [with Hobson] turned into something really special for me,” Niccol said.

And Hobson’s longtime friend Howard Schultz also earned standing ovations from store managers.

Schultz, the three-time CEO who grew Starbucks from a small chain into a coffee powerhouse, made a surprise appearance at the Leadership Experience on Wednesday morning. It marked the first time that he’s appeared with Niccol publicly since the board tossed out his handpicked successor, Laxman Narasimhan, and selected the then-Chipotle CEO to take the reins.

Starbucks has long been plagued by questions about its succession, given Schultz’s former willingness to return to the helm of the company. But since Niccol’s appointment, industry analysts have thought that he might finally be the CEO who manages to escape Schultz’s lingering influence over the coffee giant.

The ghost of Schultz lingered earlier in the event. Niccol shared a story about being inspired hearing Schultz speak at Yum Brands, Niccol’s then-employer, back in 2008. The 71-year-old chairman emeritus also appeared in video form on Tuesday afternoon to thank Hobson for her service to the company.

During his conversation with Niccol on Wednesday, Schultz co-signed his plan to get “back to Starbucks,” saying that he did a cartwheel in his living room the first time that he heard about it.

He also asked managers to bring that energy back to their own Starbucks locations.

“Be true to the coffee, be true to your partners,” Schultz told the audience. “And I know we’re going to come out of here … like a tidal wave and surprise and delight the world and prove all those cynics wrong again, just as we did in 1987.”

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS
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Critical One Sells Uranium Assets to Dark Star, Hones Focus on Antimony-Gold Project

Critical One Energy (CSE:CRTL,OTCQB:MMTLF), formerly Madison Metals, announced on June 12 that it has entered into an agreement with uranium-focused Dark Star Minerals (CSE:BATT) to sell 100 percent of its interests in the Khan West and Cobra North uranium projects in Namibia’s Erongo uranium province.

The acquisition will transfer Critical One’s Namibian uranium assets — specifically the Khan West and Cobra North projects — through staged cash payments and share issuances over a two year period.

The move signals a strategic shift by Critical One toward its Howells Lake antimony-gold project in Ontario, Canada, as it aims to capitalize on growing demand for critical minerals.

The Khan West and Cobra North projects are situated in a well-established Namibian uranium-mining district near the Rössing uranium mine, one of the world’s largest uranium-producing properties.

Cobra North includes two exclusive prospecting licenses and has a historical NI 43-101 inferred resource estimate of 15.6 million metric tons grading 260 parts per million U3O8 for a contained metal total of 9 million pounds of U3O8.

Dark Star said it won’t be treating the historical resource as current.

Similarly, Khan West encompasses a mining license and an exclusive prospecting license. Geological characteristics of the Khan West site reportedly mirror those of Rössing, featuring uranium-anomalous granites within a prominent structural deformation corridor. The mining license includes a license to extract uranium.

For Dark Star, the deal represents a bolstering of its uranium portfolio. In early April, the company announced plans to acquire the Bleasdell Lake uranium project in Northern Saskatchewan, Canada, which has historical uranium resources.

Later in the month, the company entered into a definitive mineral purchase agreement for the property.

Critical One’s pivot away from uranium is part of a broader refocus on critical minerals with promising market dynamics.

The Howells Lake antimony-gold project offers exposure to antimony, an increasingly valuable critical mineral that is tied to clean energy and advanced technology sectors, including the defense industry.

Duane Parnham, executive chair and CEO, emphasized the project’s potential for “higher growth potential and improved returns,” noting the added gold exploration upside amid record-high gold prices.

“The project provides gold exploration upside in a period when the yellow metal’s value is reaching all-time market highs,” Parnham said. To support its refocused strategy, Critical One simultaneously announced a non-brokered private placement financing, saying it is targeting gross proceeds of up to C$1 million.

Parnham highlighted insider participation in the financing, stating that the “ongoing support underscores management’s confidence in the value and potential of the Howells Lake antimony-gold project.”

Proceeds will be used for data processing, geophysics, permitting, drilling and other activities related to advancing Howells Lake, as well as strengthening the company’s financial position and supporting general working capital.

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com
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Mobile Gaming Stocks: 10 Biggest Companies in 2025

According to market intelligence firm Newzoo, global gaming revenue came in at US$177.9 billion in 2024, with mobile gaming accounting for more than half of that amount at US$97.6 billion.

The firm states that the mobile gaming market has reached maturity but still achieved higher growth than the console and PC segments, with revenue up by 2.8 percent globally last year. The regions driving that growth are North America and Europe, where markets rebounded due to big releases and diversified revenue streams.

Mobile games are typically accessed through three core operating systems: Apple’s (NASDAQ:AAPL) iOS, Microsoft’s (NASDAQ:MSFT) Windows and Alphabet’s (NASDAQ:GOOGL) Android. Notably, the iOS App Store generated nearly 37 percent of its revenue from mobile gaming apps in 2024, totaling US$3.83 billion. However, figures show that most mobile games on the market today are developed for Android, representing 75 percent of total mobile game downloads.

For investors interested in getting exposure to mobile gaming as the market gains momentum, here’s a look at the top 10 mobile gaming stocks by market cap. All data and figures were accurate as of June 2, 2025.

1. Roblox (NYSE:RBLX)

Market cap: US$60.97 billion

Roblox is the company behind the well-known game platform of the same name. First launched on PC in 2006, in recent years Roblox has become the most popular free-to-play online gaming platform, particularly amongst children and teenagers.

The company draws a majority of its revenues by selling virtual currency known as Robux for in-app purchases.

According to the company’s Q1 2025 report, Roblox garnered over 97.8 million daily active users in the first quarter of 2025, up 26 percent from the same period last year. The platform’s most popular games are role-playing games Brookhaven and Blox Fruits.

2. Take-Two Interactive Software (NASDAQ:TTWO)

Market cap: US$40.15 billion

New York-headquartered Take-Two Interactive Software is a holding company that owns several significant gaming labels that develop and publish video games for Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo consoles as well as PCs and mobile devices. Some of Take-Two’s most popular game series are widely recognized around the world, including Grand Theft Auto (GTA), Red Dead Redemption and Borderlands.

The majority of Take-Two’s mobile games are published by Zynga, a developer of free-to-play games that Take-Two acquired in 2022 for US$12.7 billion. The publisher’s properties include 2009 hits FarmVille and Words with Friends.

Last year, Zynga’s highest grossing game according to Statista was Empires & Puzzles: Dragon Dawn with approximately US$147 million in revenue, and its most-downloaded title was CSR 2 Realistic Drag Racing.

While Rockstar is largely focused on console and PC games, several of its older games were ported to mobile, such as the classic GTA III, GTA San Andreas and GTA The Trilogy Definitive Edition.

3. Electronic Arts (NASDAQ:EA)

Market cap: US$36.6 billion

Electronic Arts (EA) is a leading gaming and esports company with video game offerings across many genres, from sports to action/adventure to role playing to family games. The California-headquartered company owns many well known series, including the Sims, Madden NFL, FIFA, Battlefield, Need for Speed, Dragon Age and Plants vs. Zombies.

EA has increased its focus on the mobile gaming segment in recent years, and in early 2024 announced it would focus on its fully owned mobile games portfolio instead of its licensed games with other brands. Leading up to that, the company merged its mobile and HD franchise teams across EA Sports FC, Madden NFL and The Sims.

In March 2025, EA announced a partnership with games marketing company Flexion, who will help EA publish its mobile games on the Amazon Appstore, Samsung Galaxy Store, Xiaomi’s GetApps and ONE Store.

4. Tencent Holdings (OTC Pink:TCEHY,HKEX:0700)

Market cap: US$25.78 billion

Tencent Holdings is a Chinese conglomerate with significant holdings through a wide array of sectors. Its large gaming segment built through acquisitions and investments has made it the world’s largest gaming company by revenue.

Tencent owns Riot Games, maker of the popular PC game League of Legends, a multiplayer online battle arena game with a monthly active player base of between 117 million to 135 million. The expanding League of Legends franchise also features three mobile games: Wild Rift, Team Fight Tactics and Legends of Runeterra.

The company also released PUBG Mobile based on the PC game PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds. The multiplayer battle royale game is available on Android and iOS.

Tencent is now focusing on building up its in-house AAA and console gaming business segment in order to better compete with western gaming companies.

5. Unity Software (NYSE:U)

Market cap: US$10.91 billion

San Francisco-based Unity Software develops the core software technology or building video games and interactive experiences. It offers developers a suite of tools for designing and launching 2D and 3D games as well as virtual and augmented reality applications. This includes the ability to create and host large-scale, multi-player games.

Two of the most popular mobile games built on the Unity Software engine are the online multiplayer social deduction game Among Us, developed by game studio Innersloth, and augmented-reality mobile game Pokémon Go, developed and published by Niantic in collaboration with Nintendo Co. (LSE:0K85,TSE:7974) and The Pokémon Company.

Although in its Q1 2025 financials, Unity saw its grow revenue and create revenue drop by 4 percent and 8 percent, respectively, year-over-year, its financial performance still included exceeding the high-end of its revenue guidance by 5 percent, and its adjusted EBITDA by 29 percent.

6. Playtika (NASDAQ:PLTK)

Market cap: US$1.79 billion

Headquartered in Israel, Playtika Holdings claims to be among the first mobile gaming entertainment companies to offer free-to-play social games on social networks and on mobile platforms. Today, Playtika has a diverse portfolio of game titles accessed by more than 29 million monthly active users last year.

Playtika has built its mobile entertainment platform through eleven strategic acquisitions totaling US$337 million aimed at increasing its breadth of entertainment genres and leveraging its Boost platform to enhance game operations. Playtika’s most recent acquisition was mobile gaming company SuperPlay, which it picked up for US$700 million in late 2024.

In its first quarter of 2025, the company reported a record quarterly revenue of more than US$700 million. This is up 8.4 percent over the same period in the previous year.

7. Corsair Gaming (NASDAQ:CRSR)

Market cap: US$951.33 million

Corsair Gaming is a global powerhouse in the development and manufacturer of high-performance gamer gear, including keyboards, mice, game controllers and headsets.

While the company primarily targets PC gamers, Corsair has moved into the mobile games market in recent years with the launch of its SCUF Nomad, a compact Bluetooth controller designed for competitive gamers with iPhones. The controller expands to fit the user’s phone in the center and work with any games that offer controller support.

8. Inspired Entertainment (NASDAQ:INSE)

Market cap: US$208.84 million

Inspired Entertainment is a gaming technology company that offers content, tech, hardware and services both offline and online gaming, betting and social gaming platforms. This includes digital games across more than 170 websites.

Last year, the company launched a number of online and mobile slot games, including Gold Cash Free Spins and Big Piggy Bank. In January 2025, Inspired announced the release of its online and mobile slot games into the regulated Brazilian market.

9. PLAYSTUDIOS (NASDAQ:MYPS)

Market cap: US$186.86 million

PLAYSTUDIOS develops free-to-play mobile games for its brand partners in the travel, leisure and entertainment sectors. Through its playAWARDS platform, mobile gamers can earn brand offerings as in-game rewards. The platform has a player network of more than 4.2 million gamers and 737 award partners, including brands such as Royal Caribbean International, MGM Grand and Cirque de Soleil.

The company will be offering its social casino games players an opportunity to win trips to the Atlantis Paradise Island resort in the Bahamas, and seats in the second annual US$1 million myVIP World Tournament of Slots, which will take place at the resort in October 2025.

PLAYSTUDIOS’ full year 2025 guidance for net revenue is US$250 million to US$270 million.

10. MotorSport Games (NASDAQ:MSGM)

Market cap: US$16.24 million

Florida-based Motorsport Games develops and publishes motorsport games, and organizes esports racing competitions and content.

It is officially licensed to develop and publish video games for the FIA World Endurance Championship and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Motorsport Games’ rFactor 2 is an official racing simulation platform of Formula E, and it powers the F1 Arcade venue chain via a partnership with Kindred Concepts.

In April 2025, Motorsport announced a strategic investment of US$2.5 million led by virtual reality hardware company Pimax Innovation. The two companies plan to combine their offerings to create immersive VR racing sims.

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com
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Crypto Market Recap: Whales Flock to Ethereum, Trump Media Eyes Bitcoin-Ether ETF

Here’s a quick recap of the crypto landscape for Monday (June 16) as of 9:00 p.m. UTC.

Get the latest insights on Bitcoin, Ethereum and altcoins, along with a round-up of key cryptocurrency market news.

Bitcoin and Ethereum price update

Bitcoin (BTC) was priced at US$108,585, an increase of 3.1 percent in the last 24 hours. The day’s range for the cryptocurrency brought a low of US$106,615 and a high of US$108,785.

u200bBitcoin price performance, June 16, 2025.

Bitcoin price performance, June 16, 2025.

Chart via TradingView.

Bitcoin has entered the week in recovery mode, erasing recent losses tied to geopolitical tensions. It surged from around US$106,600 to US$108,800 on Monday in the first half of the trading day.

This rebound puts the bulls back in control and may mark the beginning of a new price discovery phase. BTC is now eyeing US$110,500, with some traders forecasting targets of up to US$170,000 to US$230,000 in this cycle.

Ethereum (ETH) is currently priced at US$2,655.05, a 4.7 percent increase over the past 24 hours, after opening at its lowest valuation of US$2,612.07 and reaching a high of US$2,661.06.

Altcoin price update

  • Solana (SOL) is priced at US$157.83, up 3.5 percent over 24 hours. SOL experienced a low of US$155.28 at the open and reached a high of US$158.57.
  • XRP is trading at US$2.33, up by 7.8 percent in 24 hours, and at its highest valuation today. The cryptocurrency’s lowest valuation was US$2.25.
  • Sui (SUI) is trading at US$3.14, showing an increaseof 3.7 percent over the past 24 hours. Its lowest valuation was US$3.10 as the markets opened, and it reached an intraday high of US$3.15.
  • Cardano (ADA) is priced at US$0.6550, up four percent over the past 24 hours. Its lowest valuation on Monday was US$0.6441, its price as the markets opened, and its highest valuation was US$0.6565.

Today’s crypto news to know

Ethereum whales accumulating

Ethereum wallets with 1,000 to 10,000 ETH are accumulating at the fastest pace since 2018, adding over 800,000 ETH on Sunday (June 15) evening according to Glassnode data, signaling strong insider confidence.

Meanwhile, institutional interest continues to surge, with Ethereum staking platforms like Lido attracting significant capital inflows despite short-term price dips.

This robust stacking and staking activity suggests that foundational demand remains strong despite ETH price consolidation. Market insiders and institutions appear poised for a potential breakout, supporting a positive medium- to long-term outlook for Ethereum.

Tron to go public in reverse merger

SRM Entertainment (NASDAQ:SRM) announced a reverse merger to rebrand as Tron, launching a US$210 million Tron treasury funded by a US$100 million equity investment. The move will bring Tron to the public market.

According to the press release, SRM Entertainment will issue 100,000 Series B convertible preferred shares, which can be converted to 200 million common shares at US$0.50 each, along with 220 million warrants to acquire 220 million common shares at an exercise price of US$0.50 each.

Tron founder Justin Sun will advise the new company.

This follows reports of suspicious activity around the January launch of US President Donald Trump’s memecoin, $TRUMP. At the time, a cold wallet was identified with the user name “Sun” and was noted to hold a very significant amount of $TRUMP. This wallet quickly rose to become the top holder. Sun later confirmed he was the largest holder.

Dominari Securities, which hired Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump as advisors in February, structured the deal, and Eric Trump is reportedly expected to take a role, according to sources for the Financial Times. This occurs as the GENIUS Act faces a Senate vote on Tuesday (June 17) and amidst scrutiny of Trump’s crypto ties, evidenced by his US$57.7 million in earnings from World Liberty Financial, a firm he and his sons founded.

Trump Media files for Bitcoin-Ether ETF

US President Donald Trump’s media empire is doubling down on digital assets, filing for a dual Bitcoin and Ethereum exchange-traded fund (ETF) under the Truth Social brand.

The proposed ETF, which aims to offer direct exposure to BTC and ETH, will be managed by Yorkville America Digital and marketed as a low-barrier, cost-effective gateway into crypto investing. This follows the firm’s earlier filing for a standalone Bitcoin ETF and public plans to use debt financing to buy BTC outright.

Critics warn of potential conflicts of interest as Trump simultaneously promotes crypto policy and holds a controlling stake in Trump Media & Technology Group (NASDAQ:DJT), now valued in the billions. The White House has denied any crossover influence, saying the president is “walled off” from personal business decisions.

Meanwhile, Trump Jr. and Eric Trump have been actively marketing crypto products and even launched a new “Trump Phone” — all under a nationalist “Made in America” campaign that plays well with Trump’s base.

Strategy buys another US$1.05 billion worth of Bitcoin

Michael Saylor’s Strategy (NASDAQ:MSTR) has added another US$1.05 billion in Bitcoin to its balance sheet, acquiring 10,100 BTC between June 9 and June 15, per a new SEC filing. This brings the company’s total holdings to over 592,000 BTC — purchased at a cumulative cost nearing US$42 billion since August 2020.

Despite Bitcoin’s recent price volatility, Saylor reaffirmed the firm’s “buy and hold indefinitely” strategy and its mission to promote BTC as a global reserve asset.

Shares of Strategy initially slipped 0.4 percent on the news, even as the S&P 500 climbed 1 percent.

Nonetheless, the company’s long-term bet on Bitcoin has paid off handsomely: its stock is up nearly 3,000 percent since entering the crypto space, compared to a 78 percent gain for the S&P over the same period.

Vietnam passes landmark law to regulate crypto

Vietnam’s National Assembly has officially passed the Law on Digital Technology Industry, making it the country’s first legal framework that directly regulates cryptocurrencies and virtual assets.

Set to take effect on January 1, 2026, the law separates digital assets into two core categories — crypto and virtual — excluding traditional securities and CBDCs from its scope.

The legislation also empowers the central government to define asset classes and regulate compliance standards around anti-money laundering, cybersecurity, and terrorism financing.

Officials said the move responds to “persistent gaps” flagged by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), which gray-listed Vietnam in 2023 for weak AML controls. Analysts believe the law could pave the way for FATF delisting and unlock further international investment.

In parallel, the law extends incentives like tax relief and land-use perks to AI, chip, and data center firms — a clear attempt to position Vietnam as a hub in the global semiconductor supply chain.

Gemini, Coinbase near EU approval

Anonymous sources for Reuters say crypto exchanges Gemini Group Global and Coinbase Global (NASDAQ:COIN) are nearing approval to operate in the EU, joining a growing list of exchanges expanding their operations under the MiCA system. Gemini is expected to receive licensing in Malta, and Coinbase in Luxembourg.

Neither company confirmed the report, but a Coinbase spokesperson told Reuters that Luxembourg is a “well-respected global financial center.”

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

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com
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