Bitcoin Mining Stocks Rally Pre-Market on AI and HPC Buzz

Bitcoin has sustained its rally above $123,000, breaking that level on Friday and finishing week 39 up 10%—its strongest weekly gain of the year, according to CoinDesk data.

Crypto stocks tied to Artificial Intelligence (AI) and High-Performance Computing (HPC) are outperforming peers without such exposure. Cipher Mining (CIFR) rose 5% to $15.40, nearing all-time highs, while BitDigital (BTBT) gained 3% to $3.61. Iris Energy (IREN) jumped 5% to $53, also hitting record levels, and CleanSpark (CLSK) climbed over 3% to $16.46, revisiting highs last seen in November 2024.

Meanwhile, BTC treasury companies, which lack the same AI/HPC focus, are underperforming. Metaplanet (3350) dropped 5% to 591 yen, and MicroStrategy (MSTR) rose just 2% pre-market to $359.

Year-to-date performance further highlights the divergence: Iris Energy (IREN) has surged 382%, Cipher Mining (CIFR) 205%, Metaplanet 74%, MicroStrategy (MSTR) 17%, and BitDigital (BTBT) 12%.

The gap underscores a growing investor preference for Bitcoin-exposed firms leveraging AI and HPC, revealing widening differences within the sector.