LONDON: Power Metal Resources PLC (AIM: POW, OTCQB: POWMF), a London-listed natural resources exploration company, said on Thursday it has signed a binding investment agreement to acquire up to 49% of Dubai-based Kingia FZCO, which will be renamed Minestarters, for up to £3 million in cash.
Minestarters plans to launch a blockchain-enabled decentralised finance (DeFi) tokenisation platform aimed at providing institutional-grade, compliant access to early-stage mining ventures. The platform will issue tokens that offer investors exposure to a curated portfolio of global mineral exploration and development projects.
Power Metal has acquired an initial 35% stake for £1 million in cash, with an option to increase its holding to 49% through a further £2 million investment, subject to milestones including onboarding mining partners and listing Minestarters tokens on a regulated exchange.
The move positions Power Metal to capitalise on the rapidly expanding real-world asset (RWA) tokenisation market, which has grown from US$8.6 billion at the start of 2025 to over US$25 billion by mid-year, driven by institutional adoption of tokenised private credit and U.S. Treasuries.
“Minestarters opens the door to a range of tokenised mining exposures, from royalties and streaming agreements to equity-backed tokens and milestone-triggered rewards,” said Sean Wade, CEO of Power Metal. “This partnership has the potential to scale rapidly and reshape the sector.”
Minestarters aims to bridge the funding gap in early-stage mining, where less than 2% of the US$200 billion annual investment reaches exploration. The platform will target both institutional and retail investors, offering 24/7 liquidity, automated benefit sharing, and ESG-compliant transparency.
Founded by geologist Marcel Nally, co-founder of Moxico Resources plc, and led by CEO Ian Freeman, Minestarters combines mining expertise with fintech execution. The platform will feature smart contracts, multilingual dashboards, and scalable infrastructure to onboard dozens of projects annually.
Power Metal said the investment aligns with its strategy to incubate high-potential ventures and expand its exposure to energy-transition metals through innovative financing mechanisms.