Core Scientific liquidates over 1,900 bitcoins as part of its transformation toward AI infrastructure

The mining industry landscape is undergoing a radical shift. In early 2026, Core Scientific made a strategic decision reflecting the broader sector repositioning: selling a significant amount of bitcoins to fund expansion into AI-focused data centers.

The Bitcoin sale that marked a turning point

In January of this year, Core Scientific liquidated 1,900 bitcoins for approximately $175 million, resulting in an average sale price of $92,100 per bitcoin. This figure is particularly interesting when compared to the current bitcoin price, which hovers around $70,550, highlighting the strategic timing of the sale.

According to Jim Nygaard, the company’s CFO, the firm “timely sold just over 1,900 bitcoins for around $175 million.” He added that after this sale, Core Scientific reduced its bitcoin holdings to fewer than 1,000 units, with plans to remain selective in future transactions.

From mining business to data centers

Core Scientific’s transition is not merely a liquidation exercise. It represents a fundamental shift in business strategy. At the end of the previous year, the company held 2,537 bitcoins; after the described sale, that number dropped to approximately 630 units.

CEO Adam Sullivan was clear in describing the mining segment: he called it “essentially in a phase of reduction.” Under this new focus, mining operations are maintained only to meet minimal energy consumption requirements, while legacy facilities are gradually transformed into colocation infrastructure supporting intensive computational loads for AI applications and high-performance computing (HPC).

Financing and projections

Core Scientific ended the period with approximately $530 million in available liquidity. More significantly, the company has potential access to up to $4 billion in financing linked to its 590-megawatt contract with CoreWeave for AI infrastructure. Funds from the bitcoin sales are primarily allocated to expanding this capacity, not rebuilding mining operations.

The company’s Q4 financial performance was challenging, with revenues of $79.8 million versus an estimated consensus of $122.08 million, and a loss per share of $0.42 compared to expectations of an $0.08 loss.

A broader industry movement

Core Scientific’s repositioning is symptomatic of deeper sector changes. Marathon Digital (MARA) finalized an agreement with investment firm Starwood to build AI-oriented data centers. Riot Platforms (RIOT) liquidated about $200 million in bitcoins during the last two months of 2025. Both Cipher Digital (CIFR) and Bitfarms (BITF) have rebranded to emphasize their exposure to AI and HPC technologies, moving away from a purely mining identity.

Current market dynamics

Bitcoin remains near $70,500, up 3.54% in the last 24 hours. This performance coincided with geopolitical announcements from U.S. President Donald Trump regarding pauses in actions against Iranian energy infrastructure.

Altcoins showed positive movements, with Ether, Solana, and Dogecoin gaining about 5%. Meanwhile, stocks of crypto-related mining companies rebounded in sync with broader equity markets, where the S&P 500 and Nasdaq each advanced about 1.2%.

Analysts note that Bitcoin’s next move will depend on geopolitical factors related to maritime transport in the Strait of Hormuz. If tensions stabilize and oil prices normalize, prices could head toward the $74,000 to $76,000 range. Conversely, if geopolitical pressures intensify, there is a risk of retreating toward mid-$60,000s.

The strategic shift by players like Core Scientific underscores an unavoidable reality: the era of pure bitcoin mining is giving way to more sophisticated infrastructure centered on artificial intelligence.