Stock Market Today, Jan. 16: Riot Platforms Surges After Securing AMD Data Center Lease
The Motley Fool·2026-01-16 22:59

Core Insights - Riot Platforms has made significant moves in the Bitcoin mining and data center sector, including a long-term lease with AMD and a land purchase in Rockdale, Texas, which highlights its AI ambitions [1][4]. Company Developments - Riot Platforms' stock increased by 16.05% to close at $19.23, following the announcement of a data center lease with AMD and a land acquisition [2]. - The company purchased 200 acres of land for $96 million, utilizing 1,080 of its Bitcoin holdings to finance the transaction [4]. - Riot has signed a 10-year data center lease with AMD, which includes a contract worth $311 million to provide up to 200 megawatts of IT load capacity [4]. Market Response - The trading volume for Riot Platforms reached 53.4 million shares, significantly above its three-month average of 19.7 million shares, indicating strong investor interest [2]. - Other companies in the Bitcoin mining sector, such as Mara Holdings and Hut 8, also saw stock increases, reflecting a positive market sentiment towards recent developments in the industry [3]. Future Potential - If AMD exercises all options in the contract, the total value could rise to approximately $1 billion, showcasing the potential for growth in Riot's data center hosting business [5].