Riot Platforms (RIOT), a publicly listed bitcoin mining company that develops and operates large-scale data centers, stepped up its bitcoin selling at year-end, offloading 1,818 BTC ($161.6 million) and 383 BTC ($37 million) in November. The sales reduced Riot’s bitcoin balance to 18,005 BTC by the end of 2025.

While bitcoin miner sales of coins can occur for various reasons, Matthew Sigel, head of digital assets research at VanEck, suggested that funding for the company's AI build-out could be at play. The amount sold, he noted, is “roughly the entire capex Riot has guided for the first 112 MW core/shell build at Corsicana, targeting completion in Q1 2027. In other words, one winter of BTC sales equals funding Phase 1 of the AI data center pivot.”

Sigel added that the AI trade and bitcoin are increasingly linked, arguing that miners have been among the largest marginal sellers of BTC as they fund AI related capex, especially when credit conditions tighten. It could be one of many reasons for bitcoin's decline during 2025.

Riot shares are lower by 2% on Tuesday alongside a 1.2% retreat in the price of bitcoin to $92,500.