The Bitcoin Miner That Scaled to 50 EH/s Without Third-Party Crutches
Most Bitcoin mining companies tout hashrate growth. What they rarely mention is how much of that capacity relies on third-party hosting—data centers operated by others where the mining company simply plugs in equipment. When Matt Schultz celebrated CleanSpark's achievement of 50 EH/s in June 2025, he could claim something competitors like Marathon and Riot could not: every single hash came from infrastructure CleanSpark owned and operated. This vertical integration strategy, pursued since Schultz co-founded the company, creates operational control that translates into efficiency advantages. While competitors negotiated hosting fees and dealt with third-party operational constraints, CleanSpark optimized energy procurement, facility cooling, and equipment deployment across 32 wholly controlled sites. The results speak: $42,667 cost per Bitcoin mined, 16.15 J/Th fleet efficiency, and a Bitcoin treasury of 13,011 BTC built entirely without equity dilution since November 2024.
Business Model & Competitive Moat
CleanSpark generates revenue by mining Bitcoin through computational power (hashrate) deployed across self-operated data centers. Unlike competitors who purchase or lease third-party hosting capacity, CleanSpark develops, owns, and operates every facility—acquiring land, securing power contracts, building infrastructure, and deploying mining rigs. This approach requires higher upfront capital but creates moats competitors cannot easily replicate:
- •Energy Cost Control: Direct power purchase agreements across four states (GA, TN, WY, MS) totaling 915 MW enable negotiated rates unavailable to hosted miners
- •Operational Flexibility: Full control allows real-time optimization of equipment deployment, energy curtailment participation, and maintenance scheduling
- •Efficiency Execution: 16.15 J/Th fleet efficiency and $42,667 mining costs reflect operational expertise applied consistently across all sites
- •Scale Economics: 241,319 deployed miners across 32 sites create procurement leverage and operational best practices unavailable to smaller operators
The S&P SmallCap 600 Index inclusion in March 2025—making CleanSpark only the second Bitcoin miner ever accepted—validates the operational credibility this self-operated model delivers.
Financial Performance
- •Q3 FY2025 (ending June 30): Revenue $198.6M (+91% YoY), net income $257.4M, EPS $0.90—record quarter
- •Q2 FY2025 (ending April 30): Revenue $181.7M (+62.5% YoY), EPS -$0.49 (missed estimates at -$0.04)
- •Mining Costs: Approximately $42,667 per Bitcoin for Q1-Q2 2025, among lowest in publicly traded sector
- •Energy Efficiency: Energy costs 46% of Bitcoin mining revenue (Q2), up from 40.4% (Q1) but competitive
- •Bitcoin Treasury: 13,011 BTC as of Sept 30, 2025 (worth $1.08B+), 6th largest public holder
- •Capital Structure: $650M convertible notes (0% interest) + $400M Bitcoin-backed credit facilities
- •No Dilution: Zero equity offerings since November 2024 despite treasury growth to 13,011 BTC
The swing from Q2's -$0.49 EPS miss to Q3's record $0.90 EPS demonstrates both Bitcoin price sensitivity and operational leverage when conditions align.
Growth Catalysts
- •Hashrate Expansion: Path from 50 EH/s to 60+ EH/s through continued site development and equipment deployment
- •Bitcoin Halving Dynamics: Fewer competitors post-2024 halving improves market share for efficient operators like CleanSpark
- •Energy Grid Participation: Demand response programs allow curtailment revenue during high-price grid events
- •Fleet Efficiency Gains: Continuous improvements to J/Th through equipment upgrades and operational optimization
- •Index Inclusion Effects: S&P SmallCap 600 membership drives institutional ownership and liquidity
- •Strategic Acquisitions: Self-operated model enables tuck-in acquisitions of distressed mining facilities at attractive valuations
- •Bitcoin Price Appreciation: 13,011 BTC treasury provides significant operating leverage to BTC price increases
Risks & Challenges
- •Bitcoin Price Volatility: Revenue and profitability swing dramatically with BTC price (Q2 miss vs. Q3 record)
- •Network Difficulty: Mining difficulty increases compress margins even when Bitcoin prices are stable
- •Energy Cost Inflation: 46% of revenue consumed by energy; power price spikes materially impact profitability
- •Capital Intensity: Self-operated model requires continuous infrastructure investment vs. hosted competitors
- •Regulatory Risk: Potential energy use restrictions, environmental regulations, or crypto mining taxation
- •Equipment Obsolescence: 241,319 miners require constant upgrades as newer ASICs deliver better J/Th efficiency
- •Geographic Concentration: 508 MW (55%) of capacity in Georgia creates regulatory and energy price concentration risk
- •Equity Dilution Risk: While avoided since Nov 2024, future growth may require equity raises if Bitcoin prices decline
Competitive Landscape
CleanSpark competes directly with Marathon Digital (MARA), Riot Platforms (RIOT), Core Scientific (CORZ), and Iris Energy (IREN) in the publicly traded Bitcoin mining sector. Marathon leads in hashrate scale (~50+ EH/s) but relies more heavily on third-party hosting than CleanSpark. Riot operates significant self-hosted capacity but at higher energy costs per Bitcoin. Core Scientific emerged from bankruptcy in 2023 and focuses on hybrid mining plus HPC hosting. CleanSpark's differentiation lies in pure-play self-operated mining at competitive costs.
In operational efficiency, CleanSpark's $42,667 cost per Bitcoin and 16.15 J/Th fleet efficiency rank among sector leaders. The company's 5.8% share of global Bitcoin network hashrate positions it as a top-five public miner. Unlike Marathon's diversification into energy credits or Riot's power marketing business, Matt Schultz keeps CleanSpark focused singularly on Bitcoin mining operational excellence—a strategy that delivered 16.4% YTD gains while Marathon declined 7%.
Who Is This Stock Suitable For?
Perfect For
- ✓Bitcoin bulls seeking leveraged exposure to BTC price appreciation (13,011 BTC treasury)
- ✓Investors prioritizing operational efficiency over pure hashrate scale
- ✓Those comfortable with extreme volatility (50%+ quarterly swings)
- ✓Believers in Bitcoin's long-term value proposition with 2-5 year horizons
- ✓Investors valuing self-operated infrastructure over third-party hosting models
Less Suitable For
- ✗Risk-averse investors or retirement accounts (massive volatility, no dividend)
- ✗Income investors seeking cash flow (no dividend, volatile profitability)
- ✗Those bearish on Bitcoin or uncertain about crypto's future
- ✗Short-term traders without position sizing discipline (Q2-Q3 swing: -$0.49 to +$0.90 EPS)
- ✗Investors requiring consistent quarterly profitability
Investment Thesis
CleanSpark represents a leveraged bet on Bitcoin price appreciation combined with best-in-class operational execution in the mining sector. The bull case centers on Matt Schultz continuing to scale hashrate efficiently while maintaining industry-leading mining costs, allowing CleanSpark to accumulate Bitcoin profitably even when competitors struggle. With 13,011 BTC on the balance sheet (worth $1.08 billion at recent prices), the treasury alone provides significant operating leverage as Bitcoin appreciates. The self-operated infrastructure model creates efficiency moats that third-party hosted competitors cannot match, evidenced by competitive $42,667 mining costs. S&P SmallCap 600 inclusion drives institutional ownership that stabilizes volatility and provides liquidity.
The bear case questions whether Bitcoin mining economics remain viable long-term as network difficulty increases and halving events reduce block rewards. Even efficient operators like CleanSpark face margin compression if Bitcoin enters an extended bear market below $60,000-70,000. The company's self-operated model, while creating control advantages, requires continuous capital investment in infrastructure and equipment upgrades. Energy cost inflation (rising from 40.4% to 46% of revenue Q1-Q2) threatens profitability if power prices spike. For investors bullish on Bitcoin's trajectory through 2025-2030 and seeking operational quality in the mining sector, CleanSpark offers compelling exposure. Size as a satellite position (2-5% of portfolio) given volatility, not a core holding. Suitable only for those who can tolerate potential 50-70% drawdowns if Bitcoin corrects.