Bitcoin News: MARA Sent 1,000 BTC to Exchanges as Saylor Hints at Another Buy. Is the Biggest Miner Selling?

MARA Holdings (NASDAQ:MARA | MARA Price Prediction), the largest publicly traded Bitcoin miner, transferred 1,000 Bitcoin (CRYPTO:BTC), valued at around $82.8 million, to the Binance and Gate exchanges over five days, according to the on-chain tracker Lookonchain. MARA hasn’t explained these transfers. So, is MARA selling Bitcoin?

In contrast, Michael Saylor, executive chairman of Strategy Inc. (NASDAQ:MSTR), signaled more Bitcoin purchases. He tweeted, “We found room for more orange,” his usual hint at another purchase. Strategy Inc. holds 848,250 BTC and last reported buying 250 BTC, though it has not made a new announcement yet.

Bitcoin trades at approximately $82,720. MARA shares were at $7.70 premarket, up 2.3% from the previous close of $7.53, even though they remain down 20.2% for the week and 30.3% for the month.

Meanwhile, Strategy Inc. was trading at around $140 premarket, down 9.6% for the week, as investors worry that a stock index could drop the company.

MARA’s Mining Revenue Falls as Its Costs Climb

MARA primarily earns revenue through Bitcoin mining, where specialized computers compete to add new blocks to the network and earn newly mined coins. Its revenue decreased to $174.9 million in the second quarter, down from $238.5 million the previous year. A 28% drop in Bitcoin’s average price cut revenue by $65.9 million.

MARA’s hashrate, the total computing power its machines contribute to the network, rose to 70.3 exahashes per second. However, the cost of energy needed to mine each Bitcoin has increased to $38,690 from $33,735 a year ago. Management attributed this rise to increased mining difficulty, which occurs when more machines come online.

About $343 million of MARA’s $611.3 million net loss came from a mark-to-market loss, which is a paper loss from valuing its Bitcoin at lower prices without selling any coins. Management noted that every $10,000 change in Bitcoin’s price affects that line by approximately $350 million. MARA ended the quarter with $421.3 million in cash.

MARA Is Spending Heavily on Power and AI

MARA is also moving into energy and is acquiring Long Ridge Energy, a gas-fired power plant, in a $1.5 billion deal, including debt. MARA plans to assume about $900 million of Long Ridge’s debt, and the deal is pending approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).

MARA has also secured rights to a 2 GW-powered site in Matagorda County, Texas, with plans to convert most of its capacity for AI and high-performance computing through a joint venture with Starwood. Its Exaion unit already operates an AI cloud in Europe, ensuring customer data complies with European regulations. We also cover seven suppliers benefiting from similar shifts in a free AI infrastructure report.

To finance these ventures, MARA borrowed $600 million using Bitcoin-backed credit facilities with Coinbase (NASDAQ:COIN) and Two Prime at an average interest rate of 7.6%. Lenders can claim the pledged Bitcoin if MARA fails to repay, and the new loans left 54% of MARA’s Bitcoin pledged as collateral.

Management has indicated that MARA will continue to sell Bitcoin selectively to fund operations. Its filings support this, showing MARA held 35,577 BTC at the end of June, down from 49,951 BTC a year earlier, with no updated figures released since its August 6 earnings call.

Saylor’s Buy Hint Cannot Offset MARA’s Exchange Deposits

Companies that send coins to an exchange are often preparing to sell, as exchanges facilitate trades between buyers and sellers. However, companies also move coins for other reasons, like lending them out, using them as collateral, or hedging against price fluctuations. MARA does engage in lending; in the second quarter, it had 4,742 BTC out on loan, generating about $4.3 million in interest.

While the deposits may imply a sale, they don’t prove one. MARA reported Coinbase and Two Prime as lenders for the new credit lines, yet the coins were sent to Binance and Gate. MARA has not disclosed any specific buyers, sale prices, or proceeds, and it hasn’t confirmed the wallet labels Lookonchain assigned.

Saylor’s tweet also warrants close examination. As the head of the largest corporate holder of Bitcoin, he promotes the asset central to his company’s balance sheet, but his post mentions no specific amounts, dates, or funding sources. Strategy Inc. has also sold Bitcoin this year, with $218.4 million sold to date under its Bitcoin monetization program as of its second-quarter report.

During the same period as Strategy Inc.’s last 250 BTC purchase, the company also spent $192.4 million buying back preferred shares instead of buying more Bitcoin. MARA’s deposit of 1,000 BTC is four times that 250 BTC buy.

Is MARA Selling Bitcoin? What Does It Mean for Prices?

Signs suggest MARA may be selling, or preparing to sell, some of its Bitcoin. The coins went to trading platforms, and MARA has said it sells Bitcoin selectively. It also has a power plant deal, AI expansion plans, and rising mining costs to fund. Selling Bitcoin can generate cash without diluting shareholders, but it may weigh slightly on Bitcoin prices since the proceeds go into infrastructure.

MARA’s next update should settle it. If the report shows fewer than 35,577 BTC and mentions any sales, the coins were sold; steady holdings, with more coins lent or pledged, would suggest a collateral move. An 8-K filing showing Strategy Inc. buying more than 1,000 BTC would mean one buyer absorbed the miner’s coins. MARA’s shares could still rise on FERC approval or new leases, even if Bitcoin prices stall.

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