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MARA Seals Starwood Deal to Convert U.S. Mining Sites Into AI Data Centers as Shares Surge 17%

Investor reaction underscores confidence in a Starwood-led plan to monetize MARA’s power-rich sites for AI.

Overview

  • The partnership targets about 1 gigawatt of near-term computing capacity with plans to scale beyond 2.5 gigawatts over time.
  • Starwood Digital Ventures will lead design, construction and tenant sourcing, with the projects jointly financed and operated by the partners.
  • Analysts said any earnings shift hinges on securing long-term AI or enterprise leases, with MARA holding 10%–50% equity per site and Starwood serving as managing member.
  • CEO Fred Thiel said Bitcoin remains a core pillar of the company’s strategy even as it diversifies into hosting AI and enterprise compute.
  • MARA reported Q4 revenue of $202.3 million, down 6% year over year, and a $1.7 billion net loss driven by digital asset valuation markdowns, while shares climbed roughly 15%–17% after-hours on the announcement.