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.
About The Author
More Stories
CME slips behind Binance as bitcoin futures see weaker institutional participation
According to Galaxy Digital’s research chief, Bitcoin faces a highly unpredictable 2026.
APT climbs 4.5% to $1.63, leading gains in the crypto sector