AI and HPC Hype Fuels Pre-Market Rally in Bitcoin (BTC) Mining Stocks

Bitcoin has sustained its rally above $123,000, which it broke on Friday , finishing week 39 up 10% for its best weekly performance of the year, according to CoinDesk market data . Crypto stocks with exposure to Artificial Intelligence (AI) and High-Performance Computing (HPC) are doing better than their peers that lack the same exposure. Cipher Mining (CIFR) is up 5% to $15.40, set to break a new all-time highs. BitDigital (BTBT) has gained 3% to $3.61, and IREN (IREN) is up 5% to $53, also at record levels. CleanSpark (CLSK) is up more than 3% to $16.46, revisiting highs last seen in November 2024. BTC treasury companies, which by their nature lack the same AI/HPC component, are underperforming in comparison. Metaplanet (3350) is down 5% on Monday to 591 yen, while Strategy (MSTR) is up just 2% pre-market at $359. So far this year, crypto-linked stocks have performed very differently: Iris Energy (IREN) has surged 382%, Cipher Mining (CIFR) 205%, Metaplanet 74%, MicroStrategy (MSTR) 17%, and Bit Digital (BTBT) 12%. The wide gap in gains highlights how investors are favoring some Bitcoin-exposed firms over others, underscoring a growing divergence within the sector.