Blockspace reported that IREN, a publicly traded Bitcoin mining company formerly known as Iris Energy, has signed a multi-year cloud agreement with Anthropic, a leading artificial intelligence research firm. Despite this, neither IREN nor Anthropic has publicly confirmed such a deal. This lack of official confirmation has raised questions about the reliability and scope of recent AI-related contract announcements within the mining sector.
Unconfirmed deals and revenue gaps
Blockspace cited a report from The Information stating that a potential deal exists between IREN and Anthropic. However, key details regarding the contract’s size, value, and operational timeline remain undisclosed. In company filings on August 27, IREN referenced a new AI lab customer without explicitly naming Anthropic. The actual client’s identity remains unverified, highlighting a transparency challenge in large-scale AI cloud contracts.
IREN reported having secured $4 billion in contracted annualized run-rate revenue (ARR) for its 2026 data center capacity. However, as of August 26, only $1 billion of that ARR was considered operational. Notably, ARR is not equivalent to realized sales, and IREN’s filings with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) caution that:
…recognized revenue may be materially lower.
In the fiscal year 2026, IREN’s cloud services for AI generated $128.8 million in revenue, a substantial increase from $16.4 million in 2025. Still, its core Bitcoin mining business contributed a larger revenue share at $578.2 million. The company reported a net loss of $702.6 million, driven in part by $638.8 million in non-cash impairment charges stemming mainly from mining equipment decommissioning.
Scale of contracts and industry challenges
CoinShares, a digital asset research and investment firm, estimates that listed miners are holding $100 billion in AI and high-performance computing (HPC) contract backlogs. These backlogs are tied to annual revenue expectations of $1.1 billion. However, only 550 megawatts (MW) of data center capacity are currently being billed, compared to more than 4 gigawatts (GW) under contract.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Contracted Capacity | 4 GW+ |
| Currently Billed | 550 MW |
| AI/HPC Backlog | $100 billion |
| Annual Revenue from AI/HPC | $1.1 billion |
By the end of the second quarter in 2026, Bitcoin closed at $58,400, falling below what several miners report as the cash cost of $75,500 per coin. This discrepancy has pressured profit margins throughout the mining industry.
Recent industry moves reflect these pressures: Core Scientific paid over $41.9 million to cancel equipment orders, and Keel ceased mining operations on June 29, 2026. Potential exits from IREN and Cipher could lead to the removal of more than 35 exahash per second (EH/s) from the listed mining capacity.
Facility buildouts and contract risks
IREN fulfilled delivery of Horizon 1, a liquid-cooled facility with 50 MW of capacity, to Microsoft. Horizon 2 is currently in commissioning, with Horizons 3 and 4 projected for completion in the final quarter of 2026. The actual timeline for these projects depends on equipment availability, stable power access, and final approvals from customers.
Financing remains a challenge. IREN secured $3.6 billion at a 6% interest rate for Microsoft’s GPU initiatives and $2.4 billion at a 9% rate to support growth at its Mackenzie site. Customer prepayments currently cover between 45% and 55% of new contract GPU infrastructure costs. However, adapting legacy mining facilities for advanced AI workloads is significantly more expensive compared to pure mining operations.
According to CoinShares, the cost to retrofit 1 MW of data center for AI is between $8 million and $15 million, while building similar Bitcoin mining capacity costs less than $1 million.
Mini dictionary: CoinShares is a global investment firm specializing in digital assets and cryptocurrency research, offering financial data and analytics to the blockchain industry.
Contrast with confirmed deals and infrastructure limits
Akamai, a major provider of cloud computing and content delivery services, finalized a contract with Anthropic valued at $11.6 billion and set to last seven years from September 24, 2026, with a potential total value up to $20 billion. Anthropic also received a warrant for up to 5% of Akamai shares. This agreement centers on providing CPU workloads rather than the GPU capacity sought by miners in the AI sector.
Grid access and infrastructure are increasingly important. As reported by VanEck, another prominent asset manager, securing powered land and reliable energy supply is the sector’s primary bottleneck. CoinShares has identified 225 data-center limitations and an interconnection queue totaling 2,600 gigawatts in the United States. Leased facilities for AI now command prices near $27 million per MW, while unleased mining sites may be valued under $3 million per MW.
Even with substantial contract backlogs, only grid connections, operational facilities, and effective cash management turn agreements into profits.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) projects global data-center electricity demand will reach 950 terawatt-hours by 2030. However, industry analysts warn that physical infrastructure, financing challenges, and the ability to commission megawatts take precedence over announced contract volumes when assessing long-term profitability.
