AI build out: AI gold rush draws crypto firms away from Bitcoin

Like AI systems, Bitcoin relies on vast networks of powerful computers housed in data centres.

Because Bitcoin operates without a central authority, these computers verify transactions and are rewarded with newly-created digital coins.

But the rewards have reduced and the value of coins has dropped since last year.

One bitcoin was worth about $124,000 (£91,000) at its peak in October 2025, but has since fallen sharply.

More recently, it has rallied to around $80,000 – meaning it is up almost 30% so far in August.

But, for companies that have already made the change, even that may not be enough to get them to return to the crypto industry, because the switch of use – once made – is expensive to undo.

Industry analysts say Bitcoin mining companies have been pivoting to AI because they have years of experience in finding cheap electricity and efficiently running large data centres.

TerraWulf, Ionic Digital, Core Scientific, Iris Energy, Bitdeer, Riot Platforms and Hut 8 are just some of the companies increasingly diverting investment and infrastructure from bitcoin mining towards AI.

Riot Platforms signed a $9bn, 20-year compute deal with Anthropic earlier this month.