MARA Holdings Option Alert: Jun, 2027 $5 Puts Sweep (33) near the Ask: 5000 vs 8475 OI; Earnings 2/26 After Close 

MARA Holdings Option Alert: Jun, 2027 $5 Puts Sweep (33) near the Ask: 5000 @ $1.351 vs 8475 OI; Earnings 2/26 After Close Ref=$17.04

MARA Holdings (NASDAQ:MARA) 주식

MARA HOLDINGS INC

MARA Holdings

Marathon Digital Holdings

MARA Holdings Inc leverages digital asset compute to support the energy transformation. It secures the blockchain ledger and supports the energy transformation by converting clean, stranded, or underutilized energy into economic value. The company also offers technology solutions to optimize data center operations, including next-generation liquid immersion cooling and firmware for bitcoin miners. It is focused on computing for, acquiring, and holding digital assets as a long-term investment.

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지난주 급등한 중형주 8종목 (3월 3일~7일) TG 테라퓨틱스 알레그로 마이크로시스템즈 시바니 스틸워터 하모니 골드 마이닝 빌리빌리 지커 존 윌리 앤 손 마라 홀딩스

빌리빌리·마라홀딩스·지커 등 지난주 급등한 중형주 8종목 (3월 3일~7일)

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JP모건의 최신 비트코인 채굴 월간 보고서는 암호화폐 채굴 부문의 특정 문제를 드러내며 비트코인 채굴 ETF에 대한 우려를 제기했다.2월 비트코인 가격은 5% 하락한 평균 95,300달러를 기록했으며, 월말에는 89,700달러로 더 하락했다. 이는 1월 대비 13% 하락한 수치다.

비트코인 채굴 ETF, 수익 하락으로 압박 받아

MARA Holdings Inc.

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마라 홀딩스(NASDAQ:MARA) CEO인 프레드 틸은 수요일(26일) 도널드 트럼프 대통령 행정부와 비트코인(CRYPTO: BTC) 강화하기 위한 적극적인 협력에 대해 논의했다.

마라 홀딩스 시간외 주가 7% 이상 급등, &#34;메이드 인 USA&#34; 비트코인 채굴에 대한 약속 확인

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This whale alert can help traders discover the next big trading opportunities.
Whales are entities with large sums of money and we track their transactions here at Benzinga on our options activity scanner.
Traders will search for circumstances when the market estimation of an option diverges heavily from its normal worth. High amounts of trading activity could push option prices to exaggerated or underestimated levels. 
Below are some instances of options activity happening in the Information Technology sector: 
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>AAPL</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>04/04/25</td>
<td>$222.50</td>
<td>$47.5K</td>
<td>10.1K</td>
<td>12.2K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MSTR</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>04/04/25</td>
<td>$250.00</td>
<td>$33.0K</td>
<td>3.5K</td>
<td>8.6K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CORZ</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>09/19/25</td>
<td>$10.00</td>
<td>$562.1K</td>
<td>14.0K</td>
<td>5.0K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>INTC</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>04/17/25</td>
<td>$22.50</td>
<td>$69.7K</td>
<td>5.3K</td>
<td>3.1K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>NVDA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>04/11/25</td>
<td>$113.00</td>
<td>$54.8K</td>
<td>3.4K</td>
<td>3.1K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>PLTR</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>04/11/25</td>
<td>$88.00</td>
<td>$31.5K</td>
<td>1.1K</td>
<td>2.4K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MARA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$20.00</td>
<td>$43.0K</td>
<td>19.5K</td>
<td>1.9K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>NN</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/15/27</td>
<td>$15.00</td>
<td>$90.0K</td>
<td>5.1K</td>
<td>1.4K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>TSM</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>04/17/25</td>
<td>$160.00</td>
<td>$33.8K</td>
<td>8.7K</td>
<td>1.2K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>SMCI</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>04/04/25</td>
<td>$33.50</td>
<td>$68.7K</td>
<td>37</td>
<td>727</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h2>Explanation</h2>
These bullet-by-bullet explanations have been constructed using the accompanying table. 
• For AAPL (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 7 day(s) on April 4, 2025. This event was a transfer of 250 contract(s) at a $222.50 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 4 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $47.5K, with a price of $190.0 per contract. There were 10184 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 12246 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding MSTR (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSTR#NASDAQ">MSTR</a>), we observe a put option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 7 day(s) on April 4, 2025. Parties traded 100 contract(s) at a $250.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 29 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $33.0K, with a price of $330.0 per contract. There were 3556 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 8601 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For CORZ (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CORZ#NASDAQ">CORZ</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 175 day(s) on September 19, 2025. This event was a transfer of 1519 contract(s) at a $10.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 32 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $562.1K, with a price of $370.0 per contract. There were 14074 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 5002 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For INTC (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/INTC#NASDAQ">INTC</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 20 day(s) on April 17, 2025. This event was a transfer of 684 contract(s) at a $22.50 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 15 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $69.7K, with a price of $102.0 per contract. There were 5342 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 3194 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For NVDA (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 14 day(s) on April 11, 2025. This event was a transfer of 200 contract(s) at a $113.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 13 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $54.8K, with a price of $274.0 per contract. There were 3490 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 3155 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding PLTR (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NASDAQ">PLTR</a>), we observe a put option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 14 day(s) on April 11, 2025. Parties traded 50 contract(s) at a $88.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 5 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $31.5K, with a price of $630.0 per contract. There were 1166 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 2475 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For MARA (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MARA#NASDAQ">MARA</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 294 day(s) on January 16, 2026. This event was a transfer of 200 contract(s) at a $20.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 5 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $43.0K, with a price of $215.0 per contract. There were 19506 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1998 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For NN (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NN#NASDAQ">NN</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 658 day(s) on January 15, 2027. This event was a transfer of 150 contract(s) at a $15.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 30 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $90.0K, with a price of $600.0 per contract. There were 5125 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1471 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For TSM (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSM#NYSE">TSM</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 20 day(s) on April 17, 2025. This event was a transfer of 65 contract(s) at a $160.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 7 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $33.8K, with a price of $520.0 per contract. There were 8797 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1256 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding SMCI (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SMCI#NASDAQ">SMCI</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 7 day(s) on April 4, 2025. Parties traded 290 contract(s) at a $33.50 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 4 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $68.7K, with a price of $237.0 per contract. There were 37 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 727 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
Options Alert Terminology 
 - Call Contracts: The right to buy shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Put Contracts: The right to sell shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Expiration Date: When the contract expires. One must act on the contract by this date if one wants to use it. 
 - Premium/Option Price: The price of the contract. 
For more information, visit our <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/blog/how-to-understand-option-alerts/">Guide to Understanding Options Alerts</a> or read <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/options">more news on unusual options activity</a>. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

Options

AAPL

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INTC

MSTR

NVDA

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SMCI

10 Information Technology Stocks With Whale Alerts In Today's Session

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Shares of Bitcoin miners and crypto-linked stocks are trading lower following greater-than-expected inflation data measured through the PCE price index for February, while personal spending missed estimates. Additionally, recent tariff announcements may be weighing on the space.

Shares of Bitcoin miners and crypto-linked stocks are trading lower as Bitcoin falls, following the broader market decline.

Investors with a lot of money to spend have taken a bullish stance on MARA Holdings (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MARA#NASDAQ">MARA</a>).
And retail traders should know.
We noticed this today when the trades showed up on publicly available options history that we track here at Benzinga.
Whether these are institutions or just wealthy individuals, we don't know. But when something this big happens with MARA, it often means somebody knows something is about to happen.
So how do we know what these investors just did? 
Today, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/">Benzinga</a>'s options scanner spotted 13 uncommon options trades for MARA Holdings.
This isn't normal.
The overall sentiment of these big-money traders is split between 69% bullish and 23%, bearish.
Out of all of the special options we uncovered, 5 are puts, for a total amount of $328,693, and 8 are calls, for a total amount of $1,396,565.
<h3>What's The Price Target?</h3>
Analyzing the Volume and Open Interest in these contracts, it seems that the big players have been eyeing a price window from $5.0 to $27.0 for MARA Holdings during the past quarter. 
<h3>Analyzing Volume &amp; Open Interest</h3>
Looking at the volume and open interest is a powerful move while trading options. This data can help you track the liquidity and interest for MARA Holdings's options for a given strike price. Below, we can observe the evolution of the volume and open interest of calls and puts, respectively, for all of MARA Holdings's whale trades within a strike price range from $5.0 to $27.0 in the last 30 days. 
<h3>MARA Holdings 30-Day Option Volume &amp; Interest Snapshot</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1743001331_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Significant Options Trades Detected:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Ask</th>
<th>Bid</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>MARA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$4.25</td>
<td>$4.2</td>
<td>$4.24</td>
<td>$15.00</td>
<td>$423.8K</td>
<td>9.6K</td>
<td>1.0K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MARA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$4.25</td>
<td>$4.1</td>
<td>$4.2</td>
<td>$15.00</td>
<td>$419.5K</td>
<td>9.6K</td>
<td>2.0K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MARA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>05/16/25</td>
<td>$2.17</td>
<td>$2.03</td>
<td>$2.16</td>
<td>$13.00</td>
<td>$259.2K</td>
<td>38.9K</td>
<td>470</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MARA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$4.2</td>
<td>$4.1</td>
<td>$4.15</td>
<td>$15.00</td>
<td>$141.9K</td>
<td>9.6K</td>
<td>2.3K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MARA</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>04/11/25</td>
<td>$13.2</td>
<td>$12.95</td>
<td>$12.97</td>
<td>$27.00</td>
<td>$107.6K</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>83</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About MARA Holdings</h3>
MARA Holdings Inc leverages digital asset compute to support the energy transformation. It secures the blockchain ledger and supports the energy transformation by converting clean, stranded, or underutilized energy into economic value. The company also offers technology solutions to optimize data center operations, including next-generation liquid immersion cooling and firmware for bitcoin miners. It is focused on computing for, acquiring, and holding digital assets as a long-term investment.
In light of the recent options history for MARA Holdings, it's now appropriate to focus on the company itself. We aim to explore its current performance.
<h3>MARA Holdings's Current Market Status</h3>
<ul>
<li>Trading volume stands at 10,994,155, with MARA's price down by -0.63%, positioned at $14.16.</li>
<li>RSI indicators show the stock to be may be approaching overbought.</li>
<li>Earnings announcement expected in 43 days.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Professional Analyst Ratings for MARA Holdings</h3>
Over the past month, 5 industry analysts have shared their insights on this stock, proposing an average target price of $21.8.
Unusual Options Activity Detected: Smart Money on the Move
Benzinga Edge's Unusual Options board spots potential market movers before they happen. See what positions big money is taking on your favorite stocks. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-checkout/?t=Be8be9arja3be22bz20&amp;adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=options-activity&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">Click here for access</a>. 
&#x2A; An analyst from Barclays persists with their Equal-Weight rating on MARA Holdings, maintaining a target price of $14. 
&#x2A; In a cautious move, an analyst from HC Wainwright &amp; Co. downgraded its rating to Buy, setting a price target of $28. 
&#x2A; Maintaining their stance, an analyst from JP Morgan continues to hold a Neutral rating for MARA Holdings, targeting a price of $18. 
&#x2A; An analyst from Piper Sandler persists with their Overweight rating on MARA Holdings, maintaining a target price of $30. 
&#x2A; An analyst from Rosenblatt has revised its rating downward to Buy, adjusting the price target to $19. 
Trading options involves greater risks but also offers the potential for higher profits. Savvy traders mitigate these risks through ongoing education, strategic trade adjustments, utilizing various indicators, and staying attuned to market dynamics. Keep up with the latest options trades for MARA Holdings with <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/">Benzinga Pro</a> for real-time alerts.

MARA Holdings Unusual Options Activity

MARA Holdings (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MARA#NASDAQ">MARA</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 5 years by 79.14% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 96.21%. Currently, MARA Holdings has a market capitalization of $4.82 billion. 
Buying $1000 In MARA: If an investor had bought $1000 of MARA stock 5 years ago, it would be worth $28,500.00 today based on a price of $14.20 for MARA at the time of writing.
<h3>MARA Holdings's Performance Over Last 5 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1742946308_0.png" alt="comp_fig" />
Finally -- what's the point of all this? The key insight to take from this article is to note how much of a difference compounded returns can make in your cash growth over a period of time.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

If You Invested $1000 In This Stock 5 Years Ago, You Would Have This Much Today

MARA Holdings's (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MARA#NYSE">MARA</a>) short percent of float has risen 5.92% since its last report. The company recently reported that it has 84.86 million shares sold short, which is 33.1% of all regular shares that are available for trading. Based on its trading volume, it would take traders 1.98 days to cover their short positions on average.
<h3>Why Short Interest Matters</h3>
Short interest is the number of shares that have been sold short but have not yet been covered or closed out. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-short-a-stock?adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=short-interest&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">Short selling</a> is when a trader sells shares of a company they do not own, with the hope that the price will fall. Traders make money from short selling if the price of the stock falls and they lose if it rises.
Short interest is important to track because it can act as an indicator of market sentiment towards a particular stock. An increase in short interest can signal that investors have become more bearish, while a decrease in short interest can signal they have become more bullish.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/short-interest?adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=short-interest&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">List of the most shorted stocks</a>
<h3>MARA Holdings Short Interest Graph (3 Months)</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1742918416_0.png" alt="short_fig" />
As you can see from the chart above the percentage of shares that are sold short for MARA Holdings has grown since its last report. This does not mean that the stock is going to fall in the near-term but traders should be aware that more shares are being shorted.
<h3>Comparing MARA Holdings's Short Interest Against Its Peers</h3>
Peer comparison is a popular technique amongst analysts and investors for gauging how well a company is performing. A company's peer is another company that has similar characteristics to it, such as industry, size, age, and financial structure. You can find a company's peer group by reading its 10-K, proxy filing, or by doing your own similarity analysis.
According to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/">Benzinga Pro</a>, MARA Holdings's peer group average for short interest as a percentage of float is 9.05%, which means the company has more short interest than most of its peers.
Did you know that increasing short interest can actually be bullish for a stock? <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-make-money-on-a-short-squeeze?adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=short-interest&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">This post by Benzinga Money explains how you can profit from it.</a>
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and was reviewed by an editor.

Short Sellers

Short Ideas

Looking Into MARA Holdings's Recent Short Interest

Shares of crypto-linked stocks and Bitcoin miners are trading higher after bitcoin rose above $88,000.

Whales with a lot of money to spend have taken a noticeably bullish stance on MARA Holdings.
Looking at options history for MARA Holdings (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MARA#NASDAQ">MARA</a>) we detected 25 trades.
If we consider the specifics of each trade, it is accurate to state that 56% of the investors opened trades with bullish expectations and 36% with bearish.
From the overall spotted trades, 15 are puts, for a total amount of $1,196,974 and 10, calls, for a total amount of $1,697,733.
<h3>Predicted Price Range</h3>
After evaluating the trading volumes and Open Interest, it's evident that the major market movers are focusing on a price band between $5.0 and $25.0 for MARA Holdings, spanning the last three months.
<h3>Volume &amp; Open Interest Trends</h3>
In terms of liquidity and interest, the mean open interest for MARA Holdings options trades today is 5586.85 with a total volume of 76,845.00.
In the following chart, we are able to follow the development of volume and open interest of call and put options for MARA Holdings's big money trades within a strike price range of $5.0 to $25.0 over the last 30 days.
<h3>MARA Holdings Option Volume And Open Interest Over Last 30 Days</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1742581835_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Biggest Options Spotted:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Ask</th>
<th>Bid</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>MARA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>03/28/25</td>
<td>$0.35</td>
<td>$0.34</td>
<td>$0.34</td>
<td>$12.50</td>
<td>$1.0M</td>
<td>2.8K</td>
<td>32.6K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MARA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>12/17/27</td>
<td>$5.35</td>
<td>$2.94</td>
<td>$4.9</td>
<td>$22.00</td>
<td>$194.5K</td>
<td>484</td>
<td>397</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MARA</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$0.64</td>
<td>$0.58</td>
<td>$0.64</td>
<td>$5.00</td>
<td>$190.5K</td>
<td>37.8K</td>
<td>11.0K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MARA</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>12/19/25</td>
<td>$1.86</td>
<td>$1.83</td>
<td>$1.84</td>
<td>$9.00</td>
<td>$184.0K</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>1.0K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MARA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$2.81</td>
<td>$2.79</td>
<td>$2.81</td>
<td>$11.00</td>
<td>$143.0K</td>
<td>1.2K</td>
<td>536</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About MARA Holdings</h3>
MARA Holdings Inc leverages digital asset compute to support the energy transformation. It secures the blockchain ledger and supports the energy transformation by converting clean, stranded, or underutilized energy into economic value. The company also offers technology solutions to optimize data center operations, including next-generation liquid immersion cooling and firmware for bitcoin miners. It is focused on computing for, acquiring, and holding digital assets as a long-term investment.
After a thorough review of the options trading surrounding MARA Holdings, we move to examine the company in more detail. This includes an assessment of its current market status and performance.
<h3>Present Market Standing of MARA Holdings</h3>
<ul>
<li>With a volume of 20,858,896, the price of MARA is down -2.84% at $12.14. </li>
<li>RSI indicators hint that the underlying stock is currently neutral between overbought and oversold.</li>
<li>Next earnings are expected to be released in 48 days.</li>
</ul>
<h3>What The Experts Say On MARA Holdings</h3>
A total of 5 professional analysts have given their take on this stock in the last 30 days, setting an average price target of $21.8.
Unusual Options Activity Detected: Smart Money on the Move
Benzinga Edge's Unusual Options board spots potential market movers before they happen. See what positions big money is taking on your favorite stocks. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-checkout/?t=Be8be9arja3be22bz20&amp;adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=options-activity&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">Click here for access</a>. 
&#x2A; In a cautious move, an analyst from Rosenblatt downgraded its rating to Buy, setting a price target of $19. 
&#x2A; An analyst from Barclays persists with their Equal-Weight rating on MARA Holdings, maintaining a target price of $14. 
&#x2A; Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from JP Morgan keeps a Neutral rating on MARA Holdings with a target price of $18. 
&#x2A; An analyst from HC Wainwright &amp; Co. has revised its rating downward to Buy, adjusting the price target to $28. 
&#x2A; An analyst from Piper Sandler persists with their Overweight rating on MARA Holdings, maintaining a target price of $30. 
Trading options involves greater risks but also offers the potential for higher profits. Savvy traders mitigate these risks through ongoing education, strategic trade adjustments, utilizing various indicators, and staying attuned to market dynamics. Keep up with the latest options trades for MARA Holdings with <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/">Benzinga Pro</a> for real-time alerts.

This Is What Whales Are Betting On MARA Holdings

Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/25/03/44354793/bitcoin-miners-hit-rock-bottom-valuations-slip-below-key-average-for-first-time-in-a-year">miners have faced a challenging year</a>, but analysts at Bernstein remain optimistic, driven by a blend of AI opportunities and Bitcoin's valuation support.
What Happened: In a report released on Thursday, Bernstein analysts revised their models for major Bitcoin mining companies, reflecting shifts in hash rates, AI/high-performance computing (HPC) prospects, and steady Bitcoin price forecasts.
The report highlights a growing institutional focus on miners' AI potential, even as their stock performance lags behind Bitcoin's year-to-date correction.
The Bernstein note points out that despite a 20-40% decline in miner stocks this year—outpacing Bitcoin's 10% drop—cheap valuations and positive EBITDA projections for 2025 justify their Outperform ratings on several firms. 
The analysts point to updated hash rate estimates, power reallocations toward AI/HPC, and new contracts as key drivers behind their revised price targets for miners.
For Core Scientific (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CORZ#NASDAQ">CORZ</a>), Bernstein set a price target of $17, down from an earlier estimate but still reflecting a 150.3% potential upside from its March 19 closing price of $8.68.
The firm's confidence stems from CORZ's robust 590 MW data center contracts with CoreWeave, a significant player in AI computing. 
"Almost 45% of CoreWeave's contracted power capacity is contributed by CORZ, highlighting this power dependence," the report states, dismissing fears of an AI capex slowdown that triggered a 40% correction in CORZ's stock.
Riot Platforms (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RIOT#NASDAQ">RIOT</a>) saw its price target adjusted to $19 from $22, implying a 146.9% upside from $7.78, as the company reallocates 600 MW of its 2 GW Corsicana site power portfolio toward AI/HPC uses, pausing Bitcoin mining expansion. 
Analysts noted, "RIOT with its 2 GW power portfolio is attractively positioned, however, the stock would need a catalyst in form of progress on securing an AI co-location partner for the Corsicana site."
CleanSpark (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CLSK#NASDAQ">CLSK</a>) and Iris Energy (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IREN#NASDAQ">IREN</a>) also received Outperform ratings with price targets of $20 each, down from $30 and $26, respectively, reflecting higher industry hash rates squeezing market share and cash flows. 
CLSK's target suggests a 170% upside from $8.01, while IREN's implies a 174.9% gain from $7.20. 
Marathon Digital (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MARA#NASDAQ">MARA</a>), rated Market-Perform, holds a $23 target, up from its $12.53 close, offering a 153.7% upside.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/03/44420122/donald-trump-calls-for-stablecoin-legislation-lauds-bitcoin-reserve-biden-got-a-fraction-of-their-value">Donald Trump Calls For Stablecoin Legislation, Lauds Bitcoin Reserve: &#8216;Biden Got A Fraction Of Their Value&#8217;</a>
Why It Matters: Bernstein's Bitcoin price forecast remains unchanged at $200,000 by Q4, providing a valuation floor for miners holding Bitcoin on their balance sheets.
The report cites a 30% hash rate increase since April 2024's halving, pressuring production, alongside strategic pivots to AI/HPC as key model updates. 
For CORZ, an additional 70 MW critical IT load contract with CoreWeave bolsters its $10 billion revenue potential over 12 years, though delivery delays push significant HPC revenue to 2026.
"We value CORZ using SOTP approach with 2 major components – 1. EV of the Bitcoin mining business; 2. EV of the AI data center business," the analysts explained, projecting AI/HPC to contribute 45% of CORZ's enterprise value by 2025. 
The firm expects CORZ to double its critical IT load to 1.3 GW by 2027, leveraging existing sites and new acquisitions like a 66 MW facility in Auburn, Alabama.
The report also details CORZ's power strategy, with 1.3 GW currently across 10 U.S. sites, allocating 900 MW to AI/HPC and 400 MW to mining. Recent expansions, including 70 MW at Denton and Muskogee, underscore its execution edge. 
Meanwhile, RIOT's vast power capacity awaits an AI partner to unlock its potential, while CLSK and IREN grapple with competitive hash rate pressures.
Despite miners' underperformance—lagging Bitcoin's gains in Q4 2024 and correcting more sharply in 2025—Bernstein sees long-term value. 
The interplay of AI infrastructure demand and Bitcoin's commodity cycle positions these firms for recovery, with CORZ and RIOT highlighted as compelling bets.
Read Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/03/44419298/why-the-future-of-stablecoins-like-usdt-usdc-looks-bright-report">Why The Future Of Stablecoins Like USDT, USDC Looks Bright: Report</a></li>
</ul>
Image: Shutterstock

Bitcoin Miners Core Scientific, Riot Platforms, CleanSpark, Iris Energy See Price Targets Slashed: Bernstein

Shares of crypto-linked stocks and Bitcoin miners are trading higher in sympathy with overall market sentiment after the Fed policy decision to keep rates unchanged.

This whale alert can help traders discover the next big trading opportunities.
Whales are entities with large sums of money and we track their transactions here at Benzinga on our options activity scanner.
Traders often look for circumstances when the market estimation of an option diverges away from its normal worth. Abnormal amounts of trading activity could push option prices to hyperbolic or underperforming levels. 
Below are some instances of options activity happening in the Information Technology sector: 
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>NVDA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$120.00</td>
<td>$26.4K</td>
<td>141.6K</td>
<td>106.2K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AAPL</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$212.50</td>
<td>$29.9K</td>
<td>7.2K</td>
<td>20.7K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>INTC</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$26.50</td>
<td>$53.2K</td>
<td>1.6K</td>
<td>4.5K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>QUBT</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$9.00</td>
<td>$50.7K</td>
<td>1.5K</td>
<td>3.1K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>PLTR</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>03/28/25</td>
<td>$82.00</td>
<td>$41.8K</td>
<td>1.1K</td>
<td>1.7K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MARA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/15/27</td>
<td>$17.00</td>
<td>$195.7K</td>
<td>1.5K</td>
<td>1.5K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>WDC</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>04/04/25</td>
<td>$43.50</td>
<td>$34.2K</td>
<td>1.1K</td>
<td>1.1K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>IREN</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$5.00</td>
<td>$56.0K</td>
<td>6.2K</td>
<td>1.0K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>LRCX</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>08/15/25</td>
<td>$75.00</td>
<td>$71.5K</td>
<td>598</td>
<td>842</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>DELL</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$95.00</td>
<td>$30.3K</td>
<td>2.0K</td>
<td>607</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h2>Explanation</h2>
These bullet-by-bullet explanations have been constructed using the accompanying table. 
• Regarding NVDA (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 3 day(s) on March 21, 2025. Parties traded 90 contract(s) at a $120.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 6 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $26.4K, with a price of $294.0 per contract. There were 141681 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 106245 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For AAPL (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>), we notice a put option trade that happens to be bullish, expiring in 3 day(s) on March 21, 2025. This event was a transfer of 95 contract(s) at a $212.50 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $29.9K, with a price of $315.0 per contract. There were 7252 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 20787 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding INTC (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/INTC#NASDAQ">INTC</a>), we observe a put option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 3 day(s) on March 21, 2025. Parties traded 555 contract(s) at a $26.50 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 3 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $53.2K, with a price of $96.0 per contract. There were 1694 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 4505 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For QUBT (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QUBT#NASDAQ">QUBT</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 3 day(s) on March 21, 2025. This event was a transfer of 483 contract(s) at a $9.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 8 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $50.7K, with a price of $105.0 per contract. There were 1522 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 3157 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding PLTR (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NASDAQ">PLTR</a>), we observe a put option trade with bearish sentiment. It expires in 10 day(s) on March 28, 2025. Parties traded 135 contract(s) at a $82.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $41.8K, with a price of $310.0 per contract. There were 1141 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1773 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding MARA (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MARA#NASDAQ">MARA</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 668 day(s) on January 15, 2027. Parties traded 412 contract(s) at a $17.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 24 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $195.7K, with a price of $475.0 per contract. There were 1570 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1523 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For WDC (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WDC#NASDAQ">WDC</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 17 day(s) on April 4, 2025. This event was a transfer of 236 contract(s) at a $43.50 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 18 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $34.2K, with a price of $145.0 per contract. There were 1100 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1100 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding IREN (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IREN#NASDAQ">IREN</a>), we observe a put option trade with bearish sentiment. It expires in 304 day(s) on January 16, 2026. Parties traded 500 contract(s) at a $5.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $56.0K, with a price of $112.0 per contract. There were 6245 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1065 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For LRCX (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LRCX#NASDAQ">LRCX</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 150 day(s) on August 15, 2025. This event was a transfer of 71 contract(s) at a $75.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 17 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $71.5K, with a price of $1006.0 per contract. There were 598 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 842 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding DELL (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DELL#NYSE">DELL</a>), we observe a call option trade with bullish sentiment. It expires in 3 day(s) on March 21, 2025. Parties traded 110 contract(s) at a $95.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $30.3K, with a price of $276.0 per contract. There were 2059 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 607 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
Options Alert Terminology 
 - Call Contracts: The right to buy shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Put Contracts: The right to sell shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Expiration Date: When the contract expires. One must act on the contract by this date if one wants to use it. 
 - Premium/Option Price: The price of the contract. 
For more information, visit our <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/blog/how-to-understand-option-alerts/">Guide to Understanding Options Alerts</a> or read <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/options">more news on unusual options activity</a>. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

DELL

LRCX

QUBT

10 Information Technology Stocks Whale Activity In Today's Session

MARA Holdings (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MARA#NASDAQ">MARA</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 5 years by 71.4% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 91.27%. Currently, MARA Holdings has a market capitalization of $4.49 billion. 
Buying $100 In MARA: If an investor had bought $100 of MARA stock 5 years ago, it would be worth $2,753.54 today based on a price of $13.22 for MARA at the time of writing.
<h3>MARA Holdings's Performance Over Last 5 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1742220010_0.png" alt="comp_fig" />
Finally -- what's the point of all this? The key insight to take from this article is to note how much of a difference compounded returns can make in your cash growth over a period of time.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

Here's How Much $100 Invested In MARA Holdings 5 Years Ago Would Be Worth Today

Shares of Bitcoin miners and crypto-linked stocks are trading higher amid a rebound in Bitcoin.

A top White House representative informed crypto leaders this week that the Trump administration is eager to increase <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/03/44258476/bitcoin-reserve-upgrades-crypto-but-paypal-ripple-stablecoins-lag-behind">its Bitcoin reserves</a> as part of a broader financial strategy.
Bo Hines, the Presidential Working Group on Digital Assets lead, shared with attendees of a confidential meeting hosted by the Bitcoin Policy Institute on Tuesday the government's intent to gather substantial Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) stocks, <a href="https://decrypt.co/309948/trump-admin-acquire-much-bitcoin-possible-white-house">according </a>to those present.
The session, following a public "Bitcoin for America" gathering, included key industry figures such as Michael Saylor of Strategy (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSTR#NASDAQ">MSTR</a>), Fred Thiel of Marathon Digital (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MARA#NASDAQ">MARA</a>), Nathan McCauley of Anchorage Digital, and David Bailey of Bitcoin Magazine, alongside senators Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tn.) and Bernie Moreno (R-Oh.).
When pressed on the specific amount the government might target, Hines responded with a lighthearted comparison to asking someone how many dollars they'd like, one participant relayed to Decrypt. 
A White House source later verified Hines' statement, noting that any Bitcoin purchases would be conducted without burdening taxpayers, aligning with a cost-neutral policy. 
This approach supports recent statements from senior officials advocating for additional Bitcoin acquisitions—currently around 200,000 BTC from legal confiscations—to enhance a strategic reserve established by Trump's recent directive.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/03/44309155/trump-administration-focused-on-real-economy-not-market-swings-says-treasury-secretary-bessent">Trump Administration Focused On Real Economy, Not Market Swings, Says Treasury Secretary Bessent</a>
During the discussion, a question arose about the administration's stance on the Bitcoin Act, a Senate proposal reintroduced by Lummis on Tuesday, which calls for acquiring up to one million BTC, valued at about $80 billion, and legally embedding the reserve. 
Hines reportedly turned to Lummis, seated nearby, and indicated the administration favors legislation to solidify the reserve and will work to ensure its approval in Congress. 
However, a White House representative clarified to Decrypt that Hines did not back any specific bill during the event. 
The proposal's cost-neutral claim is under debate, as it suggests using Federal Reserve funds from revaluing gold certificates—last updated in 1971 and now worth over 6,800% more due to gold's rise—to finance the purchases.
Read Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/03/44304170/trump-family-in-talks-to-acquire-stake-in-binance-as-former-ceo-changpeng-zhao-pushes-for-pardon">Trump Family In Talks To Acquire Stake In Binance As Former CEO Changpeng Zhao Pushes For Pardon</a></li>
</ul>
Image: Shutterstock

Trump Administration Signals Aggressive Cost-Neutral Bitcoin Accumulation Strategy

JP Morgan analyst Reginald Smith maintains MARA Holdings (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MARA#NASDAQ">MARA</a>) with a Neutral and lowers the price target from $23 to $18.

Price Target

Analyst Ratings

JP Morgan Maintains Neutral on MARA Holdings, Lowers Price Target to $18

Shares of crypto-linked stocks and Bitcoin miners are trading lower amid a decline in Bitcoin due to tariff uncertainty.

Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) miners just had one of their best quarters on record, but the real winners aren't <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/bitcoin-miners">just those mining</a> the most coins &#8211; it's those keeping costs in check.
JPMorgan analyst Reginald L. Smith breaks down the latest trends in the sector, upgrading IREN Ltd (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IREN#NASDAQ">IREN</a>) to Overweight while moving Cipher Mining Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CIFR#NASDAQ">CIFR</a>) to Neutral.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">A Record Quarter, But Who Benefited Most?</h2>
The fourth quarter saw four of the five major publicly traded bitcoin miners &#8211; Cipher, CleanSpark Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CLSK#NASDAQ">CLSK</a>), IREN, MARA Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MARA#NASDAQ">MARA</a>) and Riot Platforms Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RIOT#NASDAQ">RIOT</a>) &#8211; report record revenues and profits, largely thanks to Bitcoin's price surge. 
MARA led the pack in total coins mined (2,514 BTC), but IREN stole the show with a 65% increase in production quarter-over-quarter, bringing in 1,347 BTC.
Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/03/44287639/trump-appointed-sec-chair-could-fast-track-crypto-etf-approvals-xrp-solana-dogecoin-etfs-coming-by-june">Trump-Appointed SEC Chair Could Fast-Track Crypto ETF Approvals: XRP, Solana, Dogecoin ETFs Coming By June?</a>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Mining Costs: The Great Divide</h2>
Efficiency is key in Bitcoin mining, and IREN came out on top, producing BTC at the lowest all-in cash cost of ~$36,100 per coin. Riot, on the other hand, posted the highest cost at ~$72,400 per BTC—a steep price even with BTC averaging ~$83,300 in the fourth quarter.
Smith notes that MARA had the lowest cash SG&amp;A costs at $9,600 per coin, making it a lean operator despite its relatively high power costs ($52,400 per BTC).
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Hashrate Growth Takes A Breather</h2>
After an aggressive 180% increase in hashrate in 2024 &#8211; outpacing even network growth—the five miners are slowing down in 2025. CleanSpark and MARA are shifting toward more disciplined capital management, while IREN, Cipher, and Riot are evaluating hashrate expansion versus high-performance computing (HPC) opportunities. 
Riot and IREN have already trimmed their hashrate targets to free up capacity for HPC projects, with Cipher also considering reallocating resources.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">HPC: The Next Big Pivot?</h2>
Miners aren't just chasing bitcoin anymore. Smith sees HPC data centers as a key growth driver, with Cipher best positioned to strike a deal in the near term. IREN is constructing a 75 MW multi-tenant, liquid-cooled HPC data center, expected to go live in 2H25, though financing and tenant details remain unclear. 
Riot and IREN continue active talks with hyperscalers, but deals are taking longer to materialize.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Stock Ratings Shake-Up</h2>
Smith is upgrading IREN to Overweight with a $12 price target, citing its low-cost structure and strong production growth. 
CleanSpark, also rated Overweight, gets a revised $12 price target (down from $17) due to deteriorating mining economics. 
Meanwhile, Cipher moves to Neutral, as its 2025 hashrate target lags behind competitors, and capital raises appear likely. 
MARA and Riot remain Neutral and Overweight, respectively, with price targets of $18 and $13.
With miners slowing expansion, pivoting toward HPC, and managing capital more cautiously, 2025 is shaping up to be a year of strategic recalibration. Bitcoin's price will still dictate the sector's fate, but as Smith highlights, those with the lowest costs and diversified revenue streams will have the edge.
Read Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/03/44295050/peter-schiff-warns-americans-will-be-harmed-most-when-bitcoin-bubble-pops-says-us-has-biggest-crypto-lobby">Peter Schiff Warns Americans Will Be Harmed Most When Bitcoin Bubble Pops, Says US Has Biggest Crypto Lobby</a></li>
</ul>
Image: Midjourney

Analyst Color

Long Ideas

CIFR

Bitcoin Miners Ride The BTC Boom, But Costs Tell A Different Story: JPMorgan Analyst

This whale alert can help traders discover the next big trading opportunities.
Whales are entities with large sums of money and we track their transactions here at Benzinga on our options activity scanner.
Traders often look for circumstances when the market estimation of an option diverges away from its normal worth. Abnormal amounts of trading activity could push option prices to hyperbolic or underperforming levels. 
Below are some instances of options activity happening in the Information Technology sector: 
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>NVDA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$115.00</td>
<td>$84.4K</td>
<td>28.3K</td>
<td>16.2K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MSTR</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>04/17/25</td>
<td>$250.00</td>
<td>$380.0K</td>
<td>7.7K</td>
<td>7.3K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>PLTR</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>03/14/25</td>
<td>$77.00</td>
<td>$29.3K</td>
<td>1.2K</td>
<td>3.6K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AAPL</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>03/28/25</td>
<td>$220.00</td>
<td>$39.6K</td>
<td>3.9K</td>
<td>2.4K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AVGO</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$185.00</td>
<td>$31.5K</td>
<td>3.9K</td>
<td>1.0K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>SMCI</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>04/17/25</td>
<td>$35.00</td>
<td>$32.8K</td>
<td>10.3K</td>
<td>1.0K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>APP</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>05/16/25</td>
<td>$120.00</td>
<td>$74.8K</td>
<td>36</td>
<td>1.0K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MARA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$19.00</td>
<td>$28.4K</td>
<td>4.2K</td>
<td>425</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ASML</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>09/19/25</td>
<td>$680.00</td>
<td>$1.8 million</td>
<td>282</td>
<td>273</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CVLT</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$165.00</td>
<td>$29.3K</td>
<td>1.1K</td>
<td>172</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h2>Explanation</h2>
These itemized elaborations have been created using the accompanying table. 
• For NVDA (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 10 day(s) on March 21, 2025. This event was a transfer of 332 contract(s) at a $115.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 12 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $84.4K, with a price of $261.0 per contract. There were 28325 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 16246 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding MSTR (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSTR#NASDAQ">MSTR</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 37 day(s) on April 17, 2025. Parties traded 125 contract(s) at a $250.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 16 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $380.0K, with a price of $3040.0 per contract. There were 7775 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 7348 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For PLTR (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NASDAQ">PLTR</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 3 day(s) on March 14, 2025. This event was a transfer of 90 contract(s) at a $77.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 6 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $29.3K, with a price of $325.0 per contract. There were 1232 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 3653 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding AAPL (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>), we observe a put option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 17 day(s) on March 28, 2025. Parties traded 49 contract(s) at a $220.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 10 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $39.6K, with a price of $810.0 per contract. There were 3963 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 2451 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding AVGO (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AVGO#NASDAQ">AVGO</a>), we observe a put option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 10 day(s) on March 21, 2025. Parties traded 50 contract(s) at a $185.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 8 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $31.5K, with a price of $630.0 per contract. There were 3949 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1067 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding SMCI (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SMCI#NASDAQ">SMCI</a>), we observe a put option trade with bullish sentiment. It expires in 37 day(s) on April 17, 2025. Parties traded 90 contract(s) at a $35.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $32.8K, with a price of $365.0 per contract. There were 10312 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1037 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding APP (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/APP#NASDAQ">APP</a>), we observe a put option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 66 day(s) on May 16, 2025. Parties traded 277 contract(s) at a $120.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 38 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $74.8K, with a price of $270.0 per contract. There were 36 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1013 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For MARA (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MARA#NASDAQ">MARA</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 101 day(s) on June 20, 2025. This event was a transfer of 266 contract(s) at a $19.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 5 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $28.4K, with a price of $107.0 per contract. There were 4295 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 425 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding ASML (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ASML#NASDAQ">ASML</a>), we observe a put option trade with bullish sentiment. It expires in 192 day(s) on September 19, 2025. Parties traded 260 contract(s) at a $680.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $1.8 million, with a price of $7290.0 per contract. There were 282 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 273 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For CVLT (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CVLT#NASDAQ">CVLT</a>), we notice a put option trade that happens to be bullish, expiring in 10 day(s) on March 21, 2025. This event was a transfer of 18 contract(s) at a $165.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $29.3K, with a price of $1630.0 per contract. There were 1133 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 172 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
Options Alert Terminology 
 - Call Contracts: The right to buy shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Put Contracts: The right to sell shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Expiration Date: When the contract expires. One must act on the contract by this date if one wants to use it. 
 - Premium/Option Price: The price of the contract. 
For more information, visit our <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/blog/how-to-understand-option-alerts/">Guide to Understanding Options Alerts</a> or read <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/options">more about unusual options activity</a>. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

ASML

AVGO

CVLT

This whale alert can help traders discover the next big trading opportunities.
Whales are entities with large sums of money and we track their transactions here at Benzinga on our options activity scanner.
Traders often look for circumstances when the market estimation of an option diverges away from its normal worth. Abnormal amounts of trading activity could push option prices to hyperbolic or underperforming levels. 
Here's the list of options activity happening in today's session: 
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>NVDA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>03/14/25</td>
<td>$116.00</td>
<td>$166.0K</td>
<td>39.0K</td>
<td>20.5K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MARA</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>03/14/25</td>
<td>$14.00</td>
<td>$44.0K</td>
<td>2.6K</td>
<td>7.3K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CLSK</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>04/25/25</td>
<td>$12.00</td>
<td>$90.7K</td>
<td>16</td>
<td>3.6K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ORCL</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$160.00</td>
<td>$85.0K</td>
<td>4.0K</td>
<td>3.0K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AAPL</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>04/17/25</td>
<td>$205.00</td>
<td>$31.1K</td>
<td>8.7K</td>
<td>2.9K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MSTR</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$230.00</td>
<td>$47.5K</td>
<td>1.3K</td>
<td>1.8K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>DELL</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>09/19/25</td>
<td>$75.00</td>
<td>$36.2K</td>
<td>1.1K</td>
<td>1.6K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ON</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$55.00</td>
<td>$144.5K</td>
<td>4.7K</td>
<td>1.4K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AMD</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>04/17/25</td>
<td>$120.00</td>
<td>$30.0K</td>
<td>16.6K</td>
<td>1.1K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>S</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$15.00</td>
<td>$95.8K</td>
<td>1.2K</td>
<td>1.0K</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h2>Explanation</h2>
These bullet-by-bullet explanations have been constructed using the accompanying table. 
• For NVDA (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 4 day(s) on March 14, 2025. This event was a transfer of 2000 contract(s) at a $116.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 35 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $166.0K, with a price of $83.0 per contract. There were 39054 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 20552 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For MARA (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MARA#NASDAQ">MARA</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 4 day(s) on March 14, 2025. This event was a transfer of 500 contract(s) at a $14.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 13 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $44.0K, with a price of $88.0 per contract. There were 2660 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 7303 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For CLSK (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CLSK#NASDAQ">CLSK</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 46 day(s) on April 25, 2025. This event was a transfer of 2927 contract(s) at a $12.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 8 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $90.7K, with a price of $31.0 per contract. There were 16 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 3694 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding ORCL (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ORCL#NYSE">ORCL</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 11 day(s) on March 21, 2025. Parties traded 250 contract(s) at a $160.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 8 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $85.0K, with a price of $340.0 per contract. There were 4077 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 3065 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For AAPL (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>), we notice a put option trade that happens to be bullish, expiring in 38 day(s) on April 17, 2025. This event was a transfer of 100 contract(s) at a $205.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $31.1K, with a price of $311.0 per contract. There were 8703 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 2925 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding MSTR (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSTR#NASDAQ">MSTR</a>), we observe a put option trade with bearish sentiment. It expires in 11 day(s) on March 21, 2025. Parties traded 30 contract(s) at a $230.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $47.5K, with a price of $1585.0 per contract. There were 1346 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1844 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding DELL (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DELL#NYSE">DELL</a>), we observe a put option sweep with neutral sentiment. It expires in 193 day(s) on September 19, 2025. Parties traded 62 contract(s) at a $75.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 5 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $36.2K, with a price of $584.0 per contract. There were 1175 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1613 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For ON (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ON#NASDAQ">ON</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 11 day(s) on March 21, 2025. This event was a transfer of 139 contract(s) at a $55.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 9 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $144.5K, with a price of $1040.0 per contract. There were 4750 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1456 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For AMD (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMD#NASDAQ">AMD</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be bullish, expiring in 38 day(s) on April 17, 2025. This event was a transfer of 400 contract(s) at a $120.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $30.0K, with a price of $75.0 per contract. There were 16660 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1179 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding S (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/S#NYSE">S</a>), we observe a put option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 102 day(s) on June 20, 2025. Parties traded 1009 contract(s) at a $15.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 26 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $95.8K, with a price of $95.0 per contract. There were 1281 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1027 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
Options Alert Terminology 
 - Call Contracts: The right to buy shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Put Contracts: The right to sell shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Expiration Date: When the contract expires. One must act on the contract by this date if one wants to use it. 
 - Premium/Option Price: The price of the contract. 
For more information, visit our <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/blog/how-to-understand-option-alerts/">Guide to Understanding Options Alerts</a> or read <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/options">more about unusual options activity</a>. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

ORCL

BTDR

Shares of Bitcoin miners and crypto-linked stocks are trading lower amid a recent pullback in Bitcoin.

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