NEW YORK, Jan 18, 2026, 06:33 ET — Market closed
- Cipher Mining shares gained 7.3% on Friday, closing at $18.80 and outperforming numerous U.S.-listed crypto miners
- Bitcoin stayed close to $95,000 over the weekend, a crucial level for miners’ cash flow.
- U.S. stock markets remain closed Monday in observance of MLK Day; trading will pick back up Tuesday
Cipher Mining Inc shares closed Friday, Jan. 16, 7.3% higher at $18.80, after fluctuating between $17.23 and $19.69 during a lively session that saw roughly 45.6 million shares traded.
This matters because miners such as Cipher act as high-beta proxies for bitcoin, which trades nonstop, including weekends and U.S. holidays. The difference between bitcoin’s price movements and the next equity market open is often where significant losses or gains emerge.
U.S. stock and options markets will be closed Monday in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. That means Tuesday is the earliest opportunity for equity investors to adjust valuations on crypto-related stocks. (NASDAQ Trader)
Bitcoin hovered near $95,060, slipping roughly 0.2% from its previous close. Miners often see sharper swings in their stock prices since their revenue is tied to bitcoin’s value, while key expenses like electricity tend to lag behind.
Friday’s surge wasn’t a one-off. Riot Platforms climbed nearly 16%, Marathon Digital rose around 6.6%, and IREN jumped about 11.5% that day, highlighting how closely these names move together as a single risk category.
Cipher is aiming to expand beyond just bitcoin mining. In a business update filed with regulators on Nov. 3, the company revealed it inked a roughly $5.5 billion, 15-year lease with Amazon Web Services. The deal covers space and power for AI workloads, with 300 megawatts due for delivery in 2026 and rent kicking in by August. CEO Tyler Page described the period as “truly transformative” in the release. (SEC)
In November, Cipher also expanded its partnership with AI cloud provider Fluidstack, announcing a deal expected to add about $830 million in contracted revenue over the next 10 years. This move pushes the total contracted revenue from the partnership to roughly $3.8 billion. Page described the agreement as further proof of Cipher’s strength in high-performance computing (HPC), which powers AI and other intensive data-center operations. (GlobeNewswire)
Bitcoin mining still drives the bulk of earnings, and the stock reflects that reality. When the coin swings, miners often act quickly, leaving questions for afterward.
But leverage works both ways. A steep bitcoin plunge or an uptick in mining “difficulty”—the regular adjustment that ramps up competition for new coins—can quickly squeeze margins. Delays in expanding data-center capacity for major clients might also challenge the emerging AI story.
Cipher has several upcoming events that could shift investor sentiment. The company said CEO Page might speak at the Jefferies Power, Energy, Clean Energy & Utilities Conference on March 2. Then, he’s expected at the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media & Telecom Conference running March 3-5. (GlobeNewswire)
The next immediate checkpoint is just the reopen. Nasdaq’s earnings calendar lists Feb. 24 as a tentative date for Cipher’s report, though the company hasn’t confirmed it yet. For now, eyes stay on Tuesday, Jan. 20 — plus bitcoin’s moves before the opening bell. (Nasdaq)
