Volato Group shares surge 10.43% premarket as merger with M2i Global advances $320B strategic mineral reserve initiative.

Volato Group surged 10.43% in premarket trading following the announcement of its strategic merger with M2i Global to develop the U.S. Strategic Mineral Reserve (SMR). The collaboration aims to digitize critical mineral supply chains, reducing reliance on adversarial nations and leveraging $1 billion in U.S. government funding to scale infrastructure in a $320 billion market. The 85%-15% merger structure aligns incentives, with M2i owning the majority stake, and the SMR platform is designed to enable secure, auditable transactions for AI, EV, and green energy sectors. This move addresses supply-demand gaps through direct contracts and collateralized mineral assets, creating recurring revenue potential and positioning the combined entity to capitalize on energy transition and defense modernization trends. The news aligns with the stock’s upward trajectory, emphasizing geopolitical tailwinds and long-term growth catalysts.