Bitcoin mining firms' total AI-related transaction scale exceeds 7.5 gigawatts, equivalent to $150 billion in contracts

Bernstein stated in a research report on Thursday that its Bitcoin mining industry transaction tracker recorded a new AI-related transaction every week in July, totaling over 7.5 gigawatts, equivalent to $150 billion when calculated over multi-year contracts.

Bernstein stated that as new data centers in the U.S. face greater political resistance, access to electricity remains the practical bottleneck for the AI industry, and the third-party computing power provided by Bitcoin mining companies will retain its value.

This Monday, Bitcoin mining stocks recorded double-digit gains after Hut 8 and IREN announced major AI infrastructure deals. Hut 8 announced a 15-year, $9.8 billion lease agreement for its AI data center campus, and IREN disclosed a $2.8 billion cloud services contract with an AI developer.

Earlier in July, MARA Holdings announced plans to acquire a site in Texas with a capacity of up to 2 gigawatts to expand its AI and digital infrastructure business. TeraWulf previously signed a 20-year data center lease agreement with AI startup Anthropic, a deal the company says could generate approximately $19 billion in contract revenue. (Cointelegraph)