Bitcoin miner Riot's shares jump 8% after expanding AMD data center deal, signaling AI pivot

Riot Platforms (RIOT) shares jumped about 8% on Friday after Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) expanded its capacity at the company’s Rockdale, Texas campus, highlighting Riot’s continued pivot from bitcoin mining into AI and high-performance computing.

According to the Q1 financial results, AMD exercised an option to double its contracted capacity to 50 megawatts (MW), with the potential to upsize to 150MW. According to the earnings transcript, Riot said the agreement could generate roughly $636 million over a 10-year term.

Riot also secured improved terms on its $200 million bitcoin-backed credit facility with Coinbase, lowering the rate to a fixed 6.15% from 8.3% and releasing 1,544 of pledged collateral bitcoin, signaling growing lender confidence in its expanding data center business.

Together with the AMD deal and improved credit terms, investors are paying a premium for the stock. “Market pricing in lower cost of capital as the expanded AMD deal drives lender confidence,” said Matthew Sigel, head of digital assets research at VanEck.

Riot was one of the last few 'pure play' mining companies left that didn't get into hosting AI computing, while others opened up their data centers to move away from mining. Until recently, activist investor Starboard started to urge the management to accelerate its transition from bitcoin mining to an AI infrastructure provider.

The move to expand its data center business to host AI computers appears to be paying off for the Castle Rock, Colorado-based company.

The firm reported total revenue of $167.2 million for the quarter ended March 31, up from $161.4 million a year earlier, supported by $33.2 million in initial data center revenue. However, bitcoin mining revenue fell to $111.9 million from $142.9 million, mainly due to lower bitcoin prices and increased mining competition. The mining company's shares are up about 147% over the last 12 months, while bitcoin fell nearly 17%.

The company, which previously held onto all its mined bitcoin, is also accelerating its bitcoin sales. According to Bitcoin Treasuries data, the company sold 3,688 $BTC during Q1. The company ended March with 15,679 $BTC and $282.5 million in cash.

Read more: The bitcoin treasury boom is unwinding as some companies and governments sell holdings