AI contracts, not bitcoin, now drive miner valuations, and Cipher and TeraWulf look cheap
coindesk.com Jul 10, 2026

AI contracts, not bitcoin, now drive miner valuations, and Cipher and TeraWulf look cheap

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

Compass Point analysts Michael Donovan and Ed Engel argue that the market undervalues crypto‑mining firms that are pivoting to AI data centers. Their report shows Applied Digital, TeraWulf and Cipher Mining trade below the net present value of signed AI lease contracts, which total billions of dollars. The analysts propose a valuation framework that treats these companies as landlords, focusing on guaranteed rental income rather than volatile bitcoin mining revenues. By subtracting remaining construction costs from projected lease cash flows, they compare the resulting asset value to each firm’s enterprise value, revealing a discount on future development projects. The report predicts that project completions and lease start‑ups over the next two years will become the primary drivers of stock performance.

💡 Why It Matters

  • · Investors overlooking the lease‑backed cash flow are missing a low‑risk upside as AI infrastructure demand accelerates.