Crypto Moves – Sudden crypto drop leads to three-week low for Bitcoin

Several crypto assets fell sharply on Friday, with Bitcoin reaching a three-week low as a result of sudden selling (Shutterstock)
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Updated 21 August 2022
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Crypto Moves – Sudden crypto drop leads to three-week low for Bitcoin

DUBAI: Bitcoin, the leading cryptocurrency internationally, traded lower on Sunday, falling by 0.23 percent to $21,197.99 as of 8 a.m. Riyadh time.

Ethereum, the second most traded cryptocurrency, was priced at $1,583.38 falling by 3.90 percent, according to data from Coindesk.

Bitcoin drops to a three-week low after a sudden crypto drop

Several crypto assets fell sharply on Friday, with Bitcoin reaching a three-week low as a result of sudden selling, with analysts divided over the reasons behind the decrease, Reuters reported. 

As GlobalBlock analyst Marcus Sotiriou noted in a research note, the heavy selling was not triggered by a single catalyst.

He said: “But the S&P 500 rejecting and failing to continue its recovery contributed to Bitcoin’s drop.” Early Friday afternoon, the S&P 500 was down around 1 percent.

The move, according to Susannah Streeter, senior investment and markets analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, resulted from a large sale transaction.

“It’s not showing the pattern of a flash crash, as the assets didn’t immediately rebound sharply but sank even lower in the hours that followed,” she said.

Cardano seemed to be the first cryptocurrency to move, followed by bitcoin and ether, and then other altcoins like Dogecoin.

Despite Federal Reserve rate hikes and ultrahigh inflation, cryptocurrency prices have plummeted this year.

The inability of Bitcoin to recover its losses, according to Craig Erlam, senior market analyst at Oanda, “suggests that there is substance behind the move.” It was the worst day for it since June’s collapse after Friday’s move.

“Speculating in cryptocurrencies is extremely high risk and is not suitable for the vast majority of people,” Streeter said. 

Japan’s SBI withdraws from Russia’s crypto mining industry

The largest online brokerage in Japan, SBI Holdings, is shutting down its crypto mining business in the Russian Federation, according to Bitcoin.com. 

The financial firm is planning to sell its equipment and withdraw due to mounting uncertainty over the future of such investments caused by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

According to Bitcoin.com, low-cost power and suitable climate made Russia an attractive destination for cryptocurrency miners when China cracked down in May 2021.

Bitcoin mining, among other Russian industries, has been affected by sanctions imposed over Moscow’s attack on Ukraine this year.

A representative of SBI, the largest online broker in Japan, told Bloomberg that the Russian-Ukrainian conflict has created uncertainty around the mining business in the energy-rich region, while the crypto market’s downturn has made minting digital currencies less profitable.

Hideyuki Katsuchi, the company’s chief financial officer, announced that it plans to sell its equipment in Russia and withdraw from the country.

In the second quarter, SBI registered a $72 million pre-tax loss from its crypto business due to negative developments that led to a loss of over $15.8 million, a first in a decade for the group. SBI entered the digital asset space earlier than other Japanese financial firms.

 

With inputs from Reuters 


Saudi Maaden reports 156% profit surge to $2bn on strong commodity prices, record production

Updated 05 March 2026
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Saudi Maaden reports 156% profit surge to $2bn on strong commodity prices, record production

RIYADH: Saudi mining and metals company Maaden has reported a 156 percent jump in its net profit attributable to shareholders for 2025, driven by higher commodity prices, record production volumes, and a one-off bargain purchase gain.

The state-backed giant posted a net profit of SR7.35 billion ($1.95 billion) for the full year 2025, an increase from SR2.87 billion in the previous year. The firm’s revenue surged by 19 percent to SR38.58 billion, up from SR32.55 billion in 2024.

This comes as Saudi Arabia steps up efforts to expand its mining sector as a pillar of economic diversification, encouraging international participation and private investment to unlock the Kingdom’s estimated $2.5 trillion in untapped mineral resources under Vision 2030.    

In a statement on Tadawul, the company said: “Performance was led by record phosphate production, near record aluminum production, an increase in all three of Maaden’s main output commodity prices.”

The performance was also fueled by a 60 percent increase in gross profit, which reached SR14.79 billion. In its annual results announcement, Maaden attributed the top-line growth to “higher commodity market prices for phosphate, aluminum and gold business units,” as well as increased sales volumes in its phosphate and aluminum segments. This was partially offset by slightly lower sales volume in the gold unit.

Maaden’s CEO, Bob Wilt, hailed 2025 as a transformative year for the company, marked by strategic growth and operational excellence. “This was a great year for Maaden’s strategic growth. We delivered strong financial results and sustained operational excellence across the business,” he said in a statement.

“This was driven by growth in production across all businesses, including record-breaking DAP (di-ammonium phosphatevolumes), disciplined cost control across and a clear commitment to our role as a cornerstone of the Saudi economy,” Wilt added.

Profitability was further bolstered by an increased share of net profit from joint ventures and an associate. This included a one-off bargain purchase gain of SR768 million related to Maaden’s investment in Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. The company also benefited from lower finance costs.

The fourth quarter of 2025 was strong, with Maaden swinging to a net profit of SR1.67 billion, compared to a loss of SR106 million in the same period of the prior year. Quarterly revenue rose 7 percent to SR10.64 billion.

The firm achieved record production of di-ammonium phosphate, reaching 6.72 million tonnes for the year, a 9 percent increase. Aluminum production remained near-record levels, while the company added a net 7.8 million ounces to its reportable gold mineral resources through discovery and resource development.

The phosphate division saw sales jump 17 percent to SR20.77 billion, with the earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization margin expanding to 47 percent. The aluminum business reported a 9 percent increase in sales to SR10.99 billion, with EBITDA more than doubling in the fourth quarter.

Looking ahead, Wilt emphasized that the pace of growth will accelerate as the company advances key initiatives, including the Phosphate 3 Phase 1 and Ar Rjum projects, which remain on budget and schedule. Maaden has also secured a gas supply for its future Phosphate 4 project.

“This pace of growth will only accelerate. Not only as we advance projects and increase the scale of our exploration program, but as we continue to grow production and implement technology that will further modernize, streamline and unlock value,” Wilt added.

Earnings per share for the year rose sharply to SR1.91, up from SR0.78 in 2024. Total shareholders’ equity increased by 18.7 percent to SR61.59 billion.