Marathon Digital Holdings, Inc.
(NASDAQ:MARA) ("Marathon"
or "Company"), a leader in supporting and securing the
Bitcoin ecosystem, today published unaudited bitcoin (“BTC”)
production and miner installation updates for January 2024.
Management Commentary
“In January, we increased our energized hash
rate 7% to 26.4 exahash as our team worked to address several
temporary disruptions that negatively impacted our production,”
said Fred Thiel, Marathon’s chairman and CEO. “These disruptions
included weather-related curtailment and equipment failures that
led to site outages and reduced our average operational hash rate
14% to 19.3 exahash in January. Additionally, total network rewards
decreased 14% month-over-month as transaction fees, which spiked in
the prior month and represented 22% of our overall production in
December, declined to 11% of our overall production in January. As
a result, we produced 1,084 BTC in January, 42% less than we
produced in December. Our team is addressing the short-term
disruptions and working to bring our sites back to full strength.
We expect hash rate to improve over the next few weeks.
“While our team began addressing these domestic
challenges, we also made notable progress internationally. In
collaboration with our regional partner, we completed the
construction and energization all 250 megawatts of our joint
venture in Abu Dhabi, which is among the most technologically
advanced immersion deployments globally and operates at nearly 100%
uptime. At the same time, we continued executing our joint venture
in Paraguay. This deployment now has 2,100 miners, or 0.3 exahash,
operational, and we continue to expect the full 1.1 exahash to be
online in Q2 2024.
“After closing the acquisition of the data
centers in Granbury, Texas and Kearney, Nebraska in January, we
announced last week that we would be terminating Hut8 as the
operator of these sites and we intend to assume full operational
control ourselves by April 30. By directly owning and operating
these sites, we believe we can reduce our operating fees, thereby
improving our cost to produce bitcoin, more effectively participate
in energy hedging and other energy management services and
streamline the implementation of our proprietary technology to
improve operational efficiency.
“We have already added another 0.9 exahash of
capacity at our newly owned facility in Granbury, Texas, and we
expect progress to accelerate as we gain more operational
influence. As we closed the acquisition, our team immediately began
engaging with the local community in Granbury, and we look forward
to a long and mutually beneficial relationship. With the
acquisition closed and seven exahash of miners on order and almost
entirely paid, we have a clear path to grow our hash rate another
30% this year and reach 50 EH/s by the end of 2025.”
Operational Highlights and
Updates
Figure 1: Operational Highlights
Metric |
|
1/31/2024 |
|
|
1/31/2023 |
|
|
% Δ |
|
|
1/31/2024 |
|
|
12/31/2023 |
|
|
% Δ |
|
Bitcoin
Produced |
|
|
1,084 |
|
|
|
687 |
|
|
|
58 |
% |
|
|
1,084 |
|
|
|
1,853 |
|
|
|
-42 |
% |
Average Bitcoin Produced per Day |
|
|
35.0 |
|
|
|
22.2 |
|
|
|
58 |
% |
|
|
35.0 |
|
|
|
59.8 |
|
|
|
-42 |
% |
Share of Available Miner Rewards1 |
|
|
3.5 |
% |
|
|
2.3 |
% |
|
|
52 |
% |
|
|
3.5 |
% |
|
|
5.1 |
% |
|
|
-31 |
% |
Number of Blocks Won5 |
|
|
140 |
|
|
|
68 |
|
|
|
106 |
% |
|
|
140 |
|
|
|
222 |
|
|
|
-37 |
% |
Transaction Fees as % of Total5 |
|
|
11.4 |
% |
|
|
2.3 |
% |
|
|
396 |
% |
|
|
11.4 |
% |
|
|
21.8 |
% |
|
|
-48 |
% |
Energized Hash Rate
(EH/s)2 |
|
|
26.4 |
|
|
|
7.3 |
|
|
|
262 |
% |
|
|
26.4 |
|
|
|
24.7 |
|
|
|
7 |
% |
Average Operational Hash Rate (EH/s)3 |
|
|
19.3 |
|
|
|
5.7 |
|
|
|
239 |
% |
|
|
19.3 |
|
|
|
22.4 |
|
|
|
-14 |
% |
Installed Hash Rate
(EH/s)4 |
|
|
26.7 |
|
|
|
11.0 |
|
|
|
143 |
% |
|
|
26.7 |
|
|
|
25.2 |
|
|
|
6 |
% |
1. Defined as the total amount of block rewards
including transaction fees that Marathon earned during the period
divided by the total amount of block rewards and transaction fees
awarded by the Bitcoin network during the period.
2. Defined as the amount of hash rate that could
theoretically be generated if all miners that have been energized
are currently in operation including miners that may be temporarily
offline. Hash rates are estimates based on the manufacturers’
specifications. All figures are rounded.
3. Defined as the average hash rate that was
actually generated during the month from all operational miners.
All figures are estimates and are rounded.
4. Defined as the sum of energized hash rate
(see above) and hash rate that has been installed but not yet
energized. Hash rates are estimates based on the manufacturers’
specifications. All figures are rounded.
5. These metrics are MaraPool only, do not
include the joint ventures
Approximately 13,700 of Marathon’s Bitcoin
miners (c. 1.6 EH/s) were energized in January. This energization
helped increase the Company’s operating fleet by 7% to
approximately 212,900 Bitcoin miners, capable of producing
approximately 26.7 EH/s, according to the manufacturer’s
specifications as of January 31, 2024.
Figure 2: Operational Details by
Site
Hash Rates in
EH/s |
|
|
|
Installed Hash Rate |
|
|
Energized Hash Rate |
|
|
Avg Operating Hash Rate |
|
|
Avg % of Energized |
|
Site |
|
State |
|
Host |
|
Jan 2024 |
|
|
Dec 2023 |
|
|
Jan 2024 |
|
|
Dec 2023 |
|
|
Jan 2024 |
|
|
Dec 2023 |
|
|
Jan 2024 |
|
|
Dec 2023 |
|
McCamey |
|
TX |
|
US Bitcoin |
|
|
7.7 |
|
|
|
7.7 |
|
|
|
7.7 |
|
|
|
7.7 |
|
|
|
6.4 |
|
|
|
7.1 |
|
|
|
82 |
% |
|
|
92 |
% |
Ellendale |
|
ND |
|
Applied |
|
|
7.8 |
|
|
|
7.8 |
|
|
|
7.8 |
|
|
|
7.8 |
|
|
|
4.0 |
|
|
|
7.4 |
|
|
|
51 |
% |
|
|
95 |
% |
Garden City |
|
TX |
|
Applied |
|
|
4.5 |
|
|
|
4.5 |
|
|
|
4.5 |
|
|
|
4.5 |
|
|
|
3.8 |
|
|
|
3.6 |
|
|
|
83 |
% |
|
|
80 |
% |
Granbury |
|
TX |
|
US Bitcoin |
|
|
2.8 |
|
|
|
1.9 |
|
|
|
2.8 |
|
|
|
1.9 |
|
|
|
2.2 |
|
|
|
1.9 |
|
|
|
78 |
% |
|
|
99 |
% |
Jamestown |
|
ND |
|
Applied |
|
|
1.4 |
|
|
|
1.4 |
|
|
|
1.4 |
|
|
|
1.4 |
|
|
|
1.3 |
|
|
|
1.2 |
|
|
|
90 |
% |
|
|
86 |
% |
All Other |
|
|
|
Various |
|
|
2.7 |
|
|
|
1.3 |
|
|
|
2.2 |
|
|
|
1.3 |
|
|
|
1.8 |
|
|
|
1.1 |
|
|
|
82 |
% |
|
|
83 |
% |
Total |
|
|
|
|
|
|
26.9 |
|
|
|
24.6 |
|
|
|
26.4 |
|
|
|
24.6 |
|
|
|
19.3 |
|
|
|
22.3 |
|
|
|
73 |
% |
|
|
90 |
% |
As of January 31, the Company holds a total of
15,741 unrestricted BTC. With a substantial cash position at
year-end 2023, Marathon opted not to sell any bitcoin in January
and instead purchased an additional 183.5 bitcoin at an average
price of $39,738. The Company intends to continue to sell a portion
of its bitcoin holdings in future periods to support monthly
operations, manage its treasury, and for general corporate
purposes.
Financial Highlights and
Updates
Figure 3: Financial Highlights
|
|
Year-Over-Year Comparison |
|
|
Prior Month Comparison |
|
Metric |
|
1/31/2024 |
|
|
1/31/2023 |
|
|
% Δ |
|
|
1/31/2024 |
|
|
12/31/2023 |
|
|
% Δ |
|
Total Cash,
Cash Equivalents, & Restricted Cash ($, in
millions) |
|
|
318.9 |
|
|
|
142.6 |
|
|
|
124 |
% |
|
|
318.9 |
|
|
|
356.8 |
|
|
|
-11 |
% |
Unrestricted Cash |
|
|
318.9 |
|
|
|
133.8 |
|
|
|
138 |
% |
|
|
318.9 |
|
|
|
356.8 |
|
|
|
-11 |
% |
Restricted Cash |
|
|
0.0 |
|
|
|
8.8 |
|
|
|
-100 |
% |
|
|
0.0 |
|
|
|
0.0 |
|
|
|
NA |
|
Total BTC Holdings (in
whole numbers) |
|
|
15,741 |
|
|
|
11,419 |
|
|
|
38 |
% |
|
|
15,741 |
|
|
|
15,174 |
|
|
|
4 |
% |
Unrestricted BTC Holdings |
|
|
15,741 |
|
|
|
8,091 |
|
|
|
95 |
% |
|
|
15,741 |
|
|
|
15,174 |
|
|
|
4 |
% |
Restricted BTC Holdings |
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
3,328 |
|
|
|
-100 |
% |
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
NA |
|
Pledged BTC Holdings |
|
|
700 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
NA |
|
|
|
700 |
|
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
NA |
|
Marathon held $318.9 million in cash and cash
equivalents on its balance sheet at month end, all of which was
unrestricted. On January 31, 2024, the combined balance of
unrestricted cash and cash equivalents and bitcoin was $988.7
million. The transaction to acquire two operating sites from
Generate Capital closed on January 12, 2024 for approximately
$178.6 million in cash, excluding customary working capital related
purchase price adjustments. In anticipation of the next Bitcoin
network halving, the Company continues to build liquidity on the
balance sheet to capitalize on strategic opportunities, including
industry consolidation.
Investor Notice
Investing in our securities involves a high
degree of risk. Before making an investment decision, you should
carefully consider the risks, uncertainties and forward-looking
statements described under "Risk Factors" in Item 1A of our most
recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2022, filed with the SEC on March 16, 2023. If any of
these risks were to occur, our business, financial condition or
results of operations would likely suffer. In that event, the value
of our securities could decline, and you could lose part or all of
your investment. The risks and uncertainties we describe are not
the only ones facing us. Additional risks not presently known to us
or that we currently deem immaterial may also impair our business
operations. In addition, our past financial performance may not be
a reliable indicator of future performance, and historical trends
should not be used to anticipate results in the future. Future
changes in the network-wide mining difficulty rate or Bitcoin hash
rate may also materially affect the future performance of
Marathon's production of bitcoin. Additionally, all discussions of
financial metrics assume mining difficulty rates as of February
2024. See "Forward-Looking Statements" below.
Forward-Looking Statements
Statements made in this press release include
forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements can be
identified by the use of words such as “may,” “will,” “plan,”
“should,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “continue,” or
comparable terminology. Such forward-looking statements are
inherently subject to certain risks, trends and uncertainties, many
of which the Company cannot predict with accuracy and some of which
the Company might not even anticipate and involve factors that may
cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or
suggested. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on
these forward-looking statements and are advised to consider the
factors listed above together with the additional factors under the
heading “Risk Factors” in the Company's Annual Reports on Form
10-K, as may be supplemented or amended by the Company's Quarterly
Reports on Form 10-Q. The Company assumes no obligation to update
or supplement forward-looking statements that become untrue because
of subsequent events, new information or otherwise.
About Marathon Digital
Holdings
Marathon is a digital asset technology company
that focuses on supporting and securing the Bitcoin ecosystem. The
Company is currently in the process of becoming one of the largest
and most sustainably powered Bitcoin mining operations in North
America.
For more information, visit www.mara.com, or
follow us on:
Twitter: @MarathonDHLinkedIn:
www.linkedin.com/company/marathon-digital-holdings Facebook:
www.facebook.com/MarathonDigitalHoldings Instagram:
@marathondigitalholdings
Marathon Digital
Holdings Company Contact:
Telephone: 800-804-1690Email: ir@mara.com
Marathon Digital Holdings Media
Contact:Email: marathon@wachsman.com
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