DENVER - Marylandian -- Vortex Brands Co., a diversified holding company focused on scalable, asset-backed ventures, is pleased to announce it has officially commenced gold purchases under a newly formed joint venture with a Dubai Free Zone company. The JV is focused on acquiring gold dore and bullion from artisanal miners in Africa and exporting it to Dubai for refining and sale.

The initial purchase of 10 kilograms of gold dore has been fully funded and is currently being picked up and transported to Dubai for refining and monetization. Upon completion of this transaction, an additional 10-kilogram purchase will immediately follow, with transactions scheduled to occur on a biweekly basis. The gold dore being acquired is approximately 95% pure, ensuring high recovery value upon refining.

The joint venture is expected to scale to as much as 1,000 kilograms (1 metric ton) of gold per month, based on the current production capacity and supply commitments offered to the JV partners by artisanal sources.

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The JV partner, a Dubai Free Zone company, is responsible for overseeing the handling, refining, and sale of the gold, ensuring full regulatory compliance, efficient processing, and streamlined access to global buyers in one of the world's most trusted gold trading centers.

"This is a transformative moment for Vortex Brands," said Todd Higley, CEO of Vortex Brands. "We've spent months establishing reliable supply chains and refining partners and now we're positioned to participate in the global gold trade with a structure that is scalable, secure, and profitable. With increasing global demand for gold and tightening supply, we believe this JV opens the door to long-term value creation for our shareholders."

This move comes at a time when gold continues to gain prominence as both a hedge against inflation and a reserve asset in uncertain markets. According to the World Gold Council, central bank gold purchases remain at multi-decade highs, and artisanal mining continues to supply a significant portion of the global gold market--making this JV both timely and strategically important.

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The joint venture supports VTXB's broader objective of building diversified, revenue-generating verticals in real assets. The Company will provide further updates as additional milestones are achieved under this partnership.

About Vortex Brands Co. (VTXB)

Leveraging its digital asset background, Vortex Brands is expanding into real assets with a sharpened focus on commodities trading. This strategy is underscored by a new gold joint venture and the active pursuit of high-value partnerships and acquisitions in sectors like oil and gas technology, all aimed at building a robust portfolio of asset-backed, revenue-generating ventures.