News linked to both this project and an event.
According to the UK’s Financial Times, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump merged with Kazakhstan’s Key Minerals Group—a company operating through shell entities. Last year, the group received up to $1.6 billion in support from the U.S. government to develop a tungsten mining project. The report states that the tungsten project involves the Katpar and Upper Kairakty deposits in northern Kazakhstan. Financing was provided by institutions including the U.S. Export-Import Bank. Trump’s sons joined the advisory board of the relevant company and acquired equity stakes at the end of 2024. The report suggests this is yet another instance linking the Trump family’s business empire with U.S. government interests.
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) released its 2025 Annual Report. In the section on key priorities and outlook for 2026, the HKMA stated that it will continue participating in international discussions and cooperation on digital asset policies—particularly regarding the implications of stablecoin-related arrangements for monetary and financial stability—and ensure that its regulatory framework remains aligned with international standards and best practices. Additionally, another key focus area under “Fintech 2030” is advancing Hong Kong’s tokenization ecosystem: further promoting the tokenization of real-world assets (including financial assets), and enabling settlement of these assets on blockchains via new forms of digital currency—such as e-HKD, tokenized deposits, and regulated stablecoins—to support faster and smoother financial transactions.