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Bitcoin miners shift to ai as losses soar to $19,000

Bitcoin Miners Pivot to AI | Losses Ascend to $19,000 per Coin

By

Elena Petrova

Mar 30, 2026, 06:39 PM

Edited By

Maria Gonzalez

Updated

Mar 31, 2026, 08:15 AM

2 minutes needed to read

Bitcoin miners shifting operations to artificial intelligence technology and data centers while struggling with losses.

Bitcoin miners face mounting losses averaging $19,000 for each mined coin. While BTC values hover around $70,000, many miners are abandoning traditional crypto mining in favor of artificial intelligence projects.

Industry Shift Underway

Data from the CoinShares Q1 report sheds light on the drastic changes occurring in the mining landscape:

  • Q4 2025 production costs soared to about $80,000 per Bitcoin.

  • Companies are selling their BTC holdings to finance AI initiatives, with contracts exceeding $70 billion in total.

MARA, the largest public Bitcoin holder, sold 15,133 BTC between March 4 and March 25, netting around $1.1 billion. This trend reflects a strategic pivot among key players.

Major Contracts Driving Change

Several firms are restructuring their business models:

  • CoreWeave and Core Scientific sealed a $10.2 billion contract for 12 years.

  • TeraWulf expects to secure $12.8 billion in HPC revenue.

  • Hut 8 has entered into a $7 billion lease for AI infrastructure.

Industry experts predict some companies may earn up to 70% of their revenue from AI by end of 2026, a significant jump from the current 30%. Core Scientific reports 39% of its income now comes from AI as operations evolve from just mining to full-fledged data services.

Concerns over Bitcoin Security

Amidst these transitions, the security of the Bitcoin network is at risk. The hashrate has dropped sharply from a peak of 1,160 EH/s to about 920 EH/s. Despite this decline, the network remains stable, but many wonder how sustainable this is.

The core question remains: What happens to Bitcoin if most miners abandon their traditional role? If Bitcoin climbs back to $100,000, the situation could reverse quickly. However, if it stays at or below $70,000, further acceleration towards AI could reshape the mining sector permanently.

Community Perspectives

Reactions in online forums highlight mixed feelings:

  • One user remarked, "What happens to Bitcoin if most BTC miners move to AI?" expressing concern for Bitcoin's future.

  • Another observed, "Nonsense. No one is selling. Learn about ETFs," dismissing claims of liquidation.

  • A participant pointed out, "I figured if AI flops, the data centers can just mine crypto,” hinting at a potential alignment between AI and crypto mining as backup alternatives.

Notable Takeaways 📊

  • △ MARA sold 15,133 BTC for approximately $1.1 billion.

  • ▽ Over $70 billion in AI contracts across the mining sector.

  • ※ "What used to be side projects for some of these mining companies has flipped," noted an industry expert.

As miners transition to AI, the impact on Bitcoin's stability raises critical questions. Will this shift ultimately stabilize the market, or signal deeper challenges ahead?