New York, Jan 18, 2026, 07:10 ET — Market closed
- Shares of RIOT jumped in the last session following the announcement of a long-term data-center lease with AMD.
- The deal kicks off with 25 MW of “critical IT load,” with options to scale up to 200 MW at Rockdale, Texas.
- Traders will face their next test when U.S. markets reopen following the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday.
Riot Platforms shares surged 16% on Friday following an announcement that the bitcoin miner secured a long-term data center lease with chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices. The stock closed at $19.24, with roughly 53.7 million shares traded.
This matters because investors are chasing crypto-linked companies that can bring in more stable, contract-backed revenue by leasing power and space for AI and high-performance computing. Riot’s agreement offers the kind of strategic shift traders have been expecting from miners with large operations in Texas. TheStreet
Riot revealed AMD will lease an initial 25 megawatts of “critical IT load” — the server power — at its Rockdale, Texas site under a 10-year deal expected to bring in about $311 million in contract revenue. Delivery is set to begin January 2026 and wrap by May 2026. The contract features three five-year extension options, potentially pushing total revenue to around $1 billion, with capacity possibly expanding to 200 megawatts, Riot said. The company also disclosed it purchased the 200-acre Rockdale property for roughly $96 million, financed by selling approximately 1,080 bitcoin. Riot anticipates $89.8 million in retrofit costs for the initial deployment, with net operating income — revenue minus direct costs — near $25 million annually, under a modified gross lease with yearly escalators. Riot Platforms
Riot CEO Jason Les described the AMD lease as a strong “validation” of Riot’s infrastructure, emphasizing the company’s swift response to AMD’s requirements. AMD’s chief information officer, Hasmukh Ranjan, highlighted the need for partners who can “match our pace and scale” as the firm expands its AI computing capabilities. markets.businessinsider.com
Other crypto miners saw gains on Friday. Marathon Digital jumped roughly 6.6%, CleanSpark added around 5%, and AMD was up about 1.7%.
Bitcoin hovered near $95,086 on Sunday, slipping about 0.2% from its previous close, as miner stocks remained in focus for their usual correlation with the token’s moves.
Riot continues to generate the bulk of its revenue from bitcoin mining. The AMD lease, a long-term, dollar-denominated agreement, grabbed the market’s attention.
But there’s execution risk baked into the deal. Riot needs to retrofit buildings and get the first capacity online as planned. The expansion hinges on AMD opting to draw more power; if that doesn’t happen, the potential upside evaporates quickly, leaving RIOT tied mostly to bitcoin prices and energy costs.
Traders will next watch for clues on whether Riot can secure more tenants and how much of its Texas power it can lease out without hurting its core mining business. Any updates on timing, costs, or expansion plans could hit the stock hard after it already surged in a single day.
U.S. stock and bond markets remain closed Monday, Jan. 19, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Trading resumes Tuesday, when investors will watch closely to see if RIOT can maintain its gains from Friday. investopedia.com
