Why IREN (IREN) Is Down 33.5% After Pivoting From Bitcoin Mining To Microsoft-Funded AI Cl
February 5, 2026
-
In the past week, IREN reported Q2 FY26 results showing a shift away from Bitcoin mining toward AI cloud infrastructure, underpinned by its multi-year US$9.70 billion Microsoft contract, US$3.60 billion in GPU financing commitments, and plans to deploy 140,000 GPUs supported by more than 4.50 gigawatts of secured power capacity.
-
An interesting element is that Microsoft has already provided US$1.90 billion in customer prepayments, meaning a major AI hyperscaler is effectively funding a large portion of IREN’s build-out while the company exits its legacy mining-focused model.
-
Next, we’ll examine how this Microsoft-backed AI cloud expansion reshapes IREN’s investment narrative amid its move away from Bitcoin mining.
Find 55 companies with promising cash flow potential yet trading below their fair value.
To own IREN today, you have to believe its pivot from Bitcoin mining to AI cloud will justify the scale of its recent commitments. The Q2 FY26 update crystallizes that story: the US$9.70 billion Microsoft contract, US$3.60 billion in GPU financing at under 6%, and 140,000 planned GPUs now sit alongside more than 4.50 gigawatts of secured power, effectively recasting IREN as a hyperscale compute utility rather than a crypto miner. In the short term, the biggest catalysts look execution‑heavy: meeting Microsoft deployment milestones, ramping AI cloud revenue from a still-small base, and proving that the recent equity and convertible raises translate into durable returns rather than just dilution. The earnings miss and sharp share-price pullback suggest the market is already stress‑testing those execution and balance sheet risks, not dismissing them.
But while Microsoft’s prepayments help fund growth, they also concentrate IREN’s customer and contract risk in one place. Upon reviewing our latest valuation report, IREN’s share price might be too pessimistic.
Twenty three fair value estimates from the Simply Wall St Community span roughly US$23 to US$136 per share, reflecting sharply different expectations. Against that backdrop, IREN’s Microsoft funded AI rollout, high recent volatility and execution risks give you several contrasting scenarios to weigh, so it makes sense to compare multiple community views before deciding how this story might fit into your portfolio.
Explore 23 other fair value estimates on IREN – why the stock might be worth over 3x more than the current price!
Disagree with this assessment? Create your own narrative in under 3 minutes – extraordinary investment returns rarely come from following the herd.
-
A great starting point for your IREN research is our analysis highlighting 4 key rewards and 3 important warning signs that could impact your investment decision.
-
Our free IREN research report provides a comprehensive fundamental analysis summarized in a single visual – the Snowflake – making it easy to evaluate IREN’s overall financial health at a glance.
Early movers are already taking notice. See the stocks they’re targeting before they’ve flown the coop:
-
The best AI stocks today may lie beyond giants like Nvidia and Microsoft. Find the next big opportunity with these 30 smaller AI-focused companies with strong growth potential through early-stage innovation in machine learning, automation, and data intelligence that could fund your retirement.
-
The future of work is here. Discover the 27 top robotics and automation stocks leading the charge in AI-driven automation and industrial transformation.
-
AI is about to change healthcare. These 25 stocks are working on everything from early diagnostics to drug discovery. The best part – they are all under $10b in market cap – there’s still time to get in early.
This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
Companies discussed in this article include IREN.
Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com
Terms and Privacy Policy
Search
RECENT PRESS RELEASES
Related Post
