Crypto mining stocks experienced a significant surge following an announcement that Nebius Group will supply Microsoft with $17.4 billion worth of GPUs over a five-year period. This deal, aimed at strengthening Microsoft's artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, highlighted the increasing value of large-scale computing power, boosting the shares of companies that possess such capabilities.
While the price of Bitcoin saw a slight dip, the crypto mining sector's strong performance showed a shift in investor focus. Instead of solely tying valuations to Bitcoin's price, investors are now rewarding companies with scalable computing infrastructure that can be leveraged for AI and other high-performance tasks.
Leading the market rally were Bitfarms (BITF) and Cipher Mining (CIFR), with gains of 23% and 20% respectively. Other major mining firms like IREN, Hut 8, Riot Platforms, and TeraWulf also saw double-digit percentage increases. In contrast, MARA Holdings, which has shifted its focus to being a Bitcoin treasury company, saw a more modest gain of 4%.
The article suggests that the business model for crypto miners is evolving. The traditional reliance on Bitcoin's halving cycles is giving way to new revenue streams, such as leasing computing capacity for AI and data center services. The Microsoft-Nebius deal is a clear example of this new reality, positioning miners with advanced hardware and power resources as essential players in the global computing ecosystem. This trend could redefine crypto miners, transforming them from traditional miners into critical infrastructure providers for the AI industry.
September 2025, Cryptoniteuae