Mr. Sean Charland reports

APEX CRITICAL METALS ANNOUNCES EXTENSION OF MARKETING AGREEMENT WITH RUMBLE STRIP MEDIA INC.

Apex Critical Metals Corp. has extended its marketing and investor awareness agreement with Rumble Strip Media Inc. to support continuing investor outreach initiatives. Pursuant to the agreement, Rumble will provide digital marketing, content creation, advertising development, media planning and buying, and related consulting services to Apex.

In consideration, Apex will pay $500,000 to Rumble for a 60-day term commencing on or about May 1, 2026. The services to be provided by Rumble constitute investor relations activities within the meaning of applicable securities laws and the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange, and all materials will be reviewed and approved by the company prior to dissemination. Rumble and its principals are arm's length to the company, and, to the knowledge of the company, Rumble does not own, control or direct any securities of the company.

About Apex Critical Metals Corp.

Apex Critical is a Canadian exploration company focused on advancing rare earth element and niobium projects that support the growing demand for critical and strategic metals across the United States and Canada. The company's flagship Rift project, located within the highly prospective Elk Creek carbonatite complex in Nebraska, United States, hosts extensive rare earth rights surrounding one of North America's most advanced niobium-rare-earth-element deposits. Historical drilling across the complex has reported broad intervals of high-grade REE mineralization, including intercepts such as 155.5 metres of 2.70 per cent rare earth oxides and 68.2 m of 3.32 per cent REO.

In Canada, Apex continues to advance its 100-per-cent-owned Cap project, located 85 kilometres northeast of Prince George, B.C. The 2025 drill program confirmed a significant niobium discovery with 0.59 per cent Nb2O5 over 36 metres, including 1.08 per cent Nb2O5 over 10 metres, within a 1.8-kilometre-long niobium trend. The Cap project continues to demonstrate strong potential for niobium mineralization within a large and previously unrecognized carbonatite system.

The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Nathan Schmidt, PGeo, a qualified person under National Instrument 43-101 on standards of disclosure for mineral projects. Mr. Schmidt is a geologist with Dahrouge Geological Consulting Ltd., the consulting firm engaged by Apex Critical to conduct and oversee all of the company's exploration work, including the 2026 drill program.

Mr. Schmidt has verified all scientific and technical data disclosed in this news release, including the sampling and quality assurance/quality control results, and certified analytical data underlying the technical information disclosed.

With a growing portfolio of critical mineral projects in both Canada and the United States, Apex Critical Metals is strategically positioned to help strengthen domestic supply chains for the minerals essential to advanced technologies, clean energy and national security. Apex is publicly listed in Canada on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the symbol APXC and quoted on the OTCQX market in the United States under the symbol APXCF and in Germany on the Borse Frankfurt under the symbol KL9 and/or WKN: A40CCQ.

We seek Safe Harbor.