These stock categories are crushing it in 2025; Time to buy?

Core Insights - The stock market is experiencing new highs, with cryptocurrency mining and data center infrastructure stocks emerging as significant winners for 2025 [1] - Leading companies include IREN Ltd, Cipher Mining, Applied Digital, and Nebius, with year-to-date gains exceeding 300% [1][2] Company Performance - IREN Ltd has surged over 540% year-to-date, followed by Cipher Mining at 345%, Applied Digital at 338%, and Nebius at 323% [1] - Other notable performers include CoreWeave at 231%, Bitfarms at 209%, and TeraWulf at 142% [2] - Companies like Hut 8, CleanSpark, and Riot Platforms have also advanced over 100%, while Galaxy Digital and Marathon Holdings have seen gains of 69% and 16%, respectively [2] Industry Trends - Traditional Bitcoin miners are transitioning into data infrastructure providers, with IREN repositioning as a renewable-energy-powered data center operator [4] - Applied Digital has secured a $5 billion multi-year AI infrastructure lease and expanded capacity by 150 megawatts, indicating a shift towards stable, recurring data-hosting income [5] - Cipher Mining and Nebius are leveraging existing mining sites to meet the rising demand for AI and high-performance computing (HPC) hosting [6] Market Dynamics - The rally in these stocks is supported by rising Bitcoin prices, increasing institutional interest, and significant global investment in AI infrastructure [7] - Companies that were once solely focused on cryptocurrency are now being re-rated as hybrid plays on both digital assets and the AI boom, reflecting a structural advantage in the digital economy [7]