Group 1 - Google is increasing its involvement in the Bitcoin mining sector by acquiring a more than 5% stake in Nasdaq-listed miner Cipher through a deal that includes a 10-year high-performance computing colocation agreement with Fluidstack [1][2] - The agreement will enable Cipher to deliver 168 MW of critical IT load, supported by a maximum of 244 MW of gross capacity at its Barber Lake site in Texas [1] - Google will backstop $1.4 billion of Fluidstack's lease obligations, which will facilitate project-related debt financing, and in return, Google will receive warrants to acquire approximately 24 million shares of Cipher common stock, equating to a 5.4% pro forma equity ownership stake [2] Group 2 - Cipher's CEO expressed enthusiasm about collaborating with Fluidstack and welcomed Google as an investor, highlighting the transformative nature of the transaction for their high-performance computing (HPC) momentum [2][3] - The Bitcoin mining industry is increasingly linked with HPC data centers due to the high energy demands of both sectors, prompting some miners to adapt their infrastructure to meet AI demands when Bitcoin prices decline [4] - Last month, Google also provided a $1.4 billion backstop to Bitcoin miner TeraWulf, raising its total stake to $3.2 billion, which included warrants for 32.5 million shares of the company [5]
Google Dives Deeper Into Bitcoin Mining by Backstopping AI Hosting Deal