Bitcoin's price skyrocketed by 130% in 2024, surging from $42,300 in January to $98,600 by December 24.
Despite this impressive rise, a number of publicly traded Bitcoin mining companies struggled to see similar gains, with only 7 out of 25 showing positive returns. According to Cointelegraph, Core Scientific was the standout, experiencing a 327% surge, while other players like TeraWulf, Bitdeer, and Hut 8 also posted solid gains, ranging from 91% to 167%.
On the other side of the spectrum, many mining firms faced significant losses. Argo Blockchain and Greenidge were hit particularly hard, with their stock prices plummeting by 84% and 74%, respectively. Other firms, such as Mara Holdings and Bitfarms, saw declines of 12% and 44%.
The halving event in April, which reduced Bitcoin block rewards from 6.25 BTC to 3.125 BTC, played a major role in diminishing miner revenues. This led to a sharp drop in daily mining earnings, from over $100 million in April to just $42 million by late December.
Moreover, mining difficulty spiked by 50.7%, making the process more costly and competitive, which further impacted profit margins. For many companies, the mounting pressure to stay afloat led them to turn to stock offerings for relief. In total, Bitcoin miners raised over $2.2 billion in 2024, with the majority of the funds raised in the second and third quarters.
To bolster their financial positions, some companies like Mara Holdings and Hut 8 took the strategy of accumulating Bitcoin, hoping that holding more of the digital currency would provide better stability moving forward.
On Monday alone, U.S.-listed spot BTC ETFs recorded more than $250 million in outflows—the third straight day of withdrawals—suggesting a shift in sentiment as investors reassess their exposure.
In an effort to broaden its investor base, the ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF (ARKB) will undergo a 3-for-1 stock split on June 16, making shares more affordable for everyday investors.
Following a 6.4% pullback from its record high of $111,980, Bitcoin has stirred debate among analysts about what comes next.
Japanese investment firm Metaplanet has made another bold move in the crypto space, acquiring 1,088 more Bitcoins in its latest purchase, and pushing its total holdings to 8,888 BTC—valued at over $930 million at current prices.