Miners Stop Mining Bitcoin, Sell Electricity to AI
Amid a severe mining profitability crisis in early 2026, with Bitcoin's price below production costs, major mining firms are strategically pivoting from Bitcoin mining to selling power to AI data centers. Publicly traded miners, including Core Scientific, Marathon Digital (MARA), and Bitdeer, have collectively sold over 15,000 BTC to fund this transition. They are repurposing their energy-intensive operations into high-density AI computing facilities, capitalizing on the explosive demand for AI inference workloads, which offers more stable, long-term dollar-denominated contracts compared to the volatility of crypto mining revenues. Financial analysts note that shifting power from mining to AI can increase asset valuation by over 10x. While this mass sell-off has contributed to negative market sentiment and some of the longest "miner capitulation" periods on record, on-chain metrics simultaneously suggest Bitcoin may be nearing a cyclical bottom. Ultimately, this shift transforms these companies from perpetual Bitcoin sellers into neutral or even potential future buyers, strengthening the Bitcoin network's long-term health by removing structural selling pressure and creating a more efficient mining ecosystem.
marsbit16m ago
