Core Scientific Plans to Sell 2,500+ Bitcoin in Q1 2026 to Finance AI Colocation Expansion

TLDR:

• Core Scientific held 2,537 BTC worth $222M at year-end 2025, all mined through self-operations. 
• The company plans to sell substantially all Bitcoin in 2026 to fund AI capital expenditures. 
• BTC holdings grew nearly tenfold in 2025, from 256 coins to 2,537, before the strategy shifted. 
• Miners like Riot, Cango, and Bitdeer are also liquidating BTC reserves to finance AI expansion.

Core Scientific (NASDAQ: CORZ) plans to sell roughly all of its 2,500 BTC holdings in the first quarter of 2026. The company intends to use the proceeds to boost liquidity and fund capital expenditures.

These are directly tied to its growing AI colocation expansion. As of December 31, 2025, Core Scientific held 2,537 BTC with a carrying fair value of $222.0 million. The decision marks a clear shift in the company’s Bitcoin treasury strategy going into 2026.

Bitcoin Reserves Built in 2025 Now Earmarked for Liquidation

Throughout 2025, Core Scientific retained most of its mined Bitcoin rather than regularly selling it. The company’s holdings grew nearly tenfold from just 256 BTC at end-2024 to 2,537 by December 31.

All of these coins came entirely from self-mining operations during the year. This accumulation occurred even as the company committed capital to high-density colocation projects for AI.

Despite this build-up, the company’s strategy is now changing in 2026. Core Scientific disclosed in its annual report that it “currently anticipates” selling most reserves in Q1.

The timing and amount, however, will depend on market conditions and liquidity needs. The filing did not confirm whether any sales had already occurred as of the report date.

The year-end BTC holdings carried a fair value of $222.0 million on December 31, 2025. This was based on an average price of $101,639 per coin across the full year. The reserve had grown steadily throughout 2025 as the company chose to hold rather than sell.

Going forward, Core Scientific plans to monetize substantially all of its Bitcoin during 2026. The company said it needs the funds to cover planned capital expenditures and other cash requirements.

As AI infrastructure spending grows, this marks a clear departure from its 2025 accumulation strategy.

Broader Miner Trend Toward Liquidating Bitcoin Treasuries

Core Scientific is not alone in shifting toward active Bitcoin liquidation this year. Several other publicly traded miners have adopted comparable strategies in recent months.

Cango, for instance, sold 4,451 Bitcoin for approximately $305 million in proceeds. That capital was directed toward reducing leverage and supporting its own AI transition.

Bitdeer also disclosed that it reduced its Bitcoin treasury balance to zero. The company has been actively repositioning toward AI and data center infrastructure. This move reflected a broader shift among miners away from holding large BTC reserves.

Riot Platforms took a parallel approach, selling 5,363 Bitcoin for about $535.5 million in 2025. The company linked those sales to cash requirements for operations and expansion. These disclosures point to an industry-wide preference for liquidity over Bitcoin accumulation.

Across the sector, miners are clearly choosing infrastructure investment and cash reserves over long-term Bitcoin holdings.

Core Scientific’s Q1 2026 plan fits within this emerging pattern. The trend shows that AI expansion is reshaping how Bitcoin miners manage their treasuries.

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