Q-Gold Taps AI Market Maker to Stabilize Volatile Shares

TORONTO, ON – January 15, 2026 – In a strategic move to enhance its market presence, junior explorer Q-Gold Resources Ltd. (TSXV: QGR; OTCQB: QGLDF) today announced it has engaged ICP Securities Inc. to provide automated market-making services. The partnership aims to improve the liquidity and trading stability of Q-Gold's shares by leveraging ICP’s proprietary algorithmic technology, a critical step for a company advancing ambitious gold projects in North America.

The Volatility Challenge in Junior Mining

For junior resource companies like Q-Gold, the path to production is often mirrored by a volatile journey on the stock market. These firms, while rich in potential, frequently grapple with market challenges that can deter investors: low trading volumes, wide bid-ask spreads, and sharp price fluctuations unrelated to company fundamentals. Q-Gold's recent trading history exemplifies this environment.

Over the past year, the company's stock on the TSX Venture Exchange (TSXV:QGR) has experienced a wide trading range, moving between $0.05 and $0.365. Daily trading volumes have been inconsistent, swinging from as low as 5,901 shares to over 197,000 on more active days. This inconsistency can create a difficult environment for investors looking to enter or exit positions without significantly impacting the share price. The bid-ask spread—the gap between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept—has also been wide at times, a classic sign of illiquidity. For instance, on the day prior to this announcement, the spread for QGR stood at $0.22 / $0.295.

This market behavior is quantified by the stock's high volatility, indicated by a beta coefficient of 3.62, suggesting its price moves with significantly more volatility than the overall market. The company’s OTCQB-listed shares (QGLDF) recently demonstrated this with an extraordinary 194% surge in a single session, only to be followed by a sharp correction. While exciting, such dramatic swings can undermine long-term investor confidence. By engaging a market maker, Q-Gold is directly confronting these structural market issues.

A Technological Approach to Market Health

To address these challenges, Q-Gold is turning to technology. The company has retained Toronto-based ICP Securities, a firm established in 2023 that specializes in automated market making. At the core of ICP's service is ICP Premium™, a proprietary algorithm designed specifically for the modern, high-frequency trading landscape.

Traditional market making involves a human trader providing a two-sided market. In contrast, automated systems like ICP Premium™ use sophisticated algorithms to continuously analyze order flow and maintain a constant bid and ask presence. According to ICP, its technology is designed to do more than just provide liquidity; it actively works to defend against "toxic orders" and negative algorithmic patterns that can harm a stock's quote health. This is particularly relevant for small-cap stocks, which can be vulnerable to predatory trading strategies.

The goal is to create a more orderly and efficient market for Q-Gold's shares. By narrowing the bid-ask spread and ensuring there is always a buyer and seller available, the service aims to reduce friction for investors, potentially increasing daily trading volumes and mitigating extreme price volatility. ICP Securities has reported significant results for its clients, claiming that in the first half of 2025, its client base saw an average 60% increase in daily trading volume and a 33% rise in share prices. For Q-Gold, whose primary assets include the Quartz Mountain project in Oregon and the Mine Centre project in Ontario, a more stable and liquid stock is a vital tool for attracting the capital necessary to fund exploration and development.

Adhering to a Strict Regulatory Framework

The engagement of a market maker, especially one using advanced algorithms, operates under strict regulatory oversight to ensure fairness and prevent market manipulation. The agreement between Q-Gold and ICP Securities is structured to comply with the guidelines of the TSX Venture Exchange and the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO), which governs dealer-members like ICP.

A cornerstone of this compliance is the "arm's length" nature of the relationship. The press release explicitly states that ICP is an independent party with no direct or indirect interest in Q-Gold or its securities, nor does it have any right or intent to acquire such an interest. This separation is critical to prevent conflicts of interest where a market maker could potentially benefit from influencing a stock's price.

Furthermore, the compensation structure is designed to reinforce this independence. Q-Gold will pay ICP a fixed monthly fee of C$7,500, payable in advance. Crucially, the agreement contains no performance-based incentives. ICP's fee is not tied to achieving a specific trading volume, share price target, or any other market outcome. This aligns with TSX Venture Exchange Policy 3.4, which mandates that compensation must be for services rendered, not for market performance, thereby ensuring the market maker's primary function is to facilitate an orderly market rather than to promote the stock. The initial term is four months, with automatic monthly renewals, providing flexibility for both parties.

A Growing Strategy Among Small-Cap Peers

Q-Gold's decision is not an isolated one but rather reflects a growing trend among junior public companies seeking to navigate the complexities of modern capital markets. Many small-cap issuers, particularly in the resource sector where financing is a constant challenge, are turning to specialized market-making firms to improve their visibility and appeal to a broader investor base.

For example, Neptune Digital Assets Corp. (TSXV: NDA) engaged ICP Securities in June 2025 under nearly identical terms, including the same monthly fee and a strict arm's length agreement. Similarly, Thunder Mountain Gold, Inc. (TSXV: THM) retained a different market maker, Independent Trading Group, in December 2025 with a similar fixed-fee structure. This pattern suggests a broader industry recognition that proactive market management is becoming a necessary component of a public company's investor relations and capital markets strategy.

For a junior exploration company focused on advancing its portfolio toward production, maintaining a healthy and liquid public market is paramount. It not only supports a fair valuation based on the company's underlying assets and progress but also ensures continued access to capital markets for future financing rounds. By investing in a sophisticated market-making service, Q-Gold is signaling to investors that it is committed to building a stable and transparent trading environment as it works to unlock the value of its gold and silver projects. The effectiveness of this strategy will be closely watched as the company continues its exploration efforts at Quartz Mountain and Mine Centre.