Bit Digital, Inc. Secures Site for New Tier 3 Data Center to Support Cerebras Colocation Contract

Rhea-AI Summary

Bit Digital (NASDAQ: BTBT) has secured a new data center site in Saint-Jérôme, Québec (MTL-3) to support its 5MW colocation agreement with Cerebras Systems. The facility spans 202,000 square feet on 7.7 acres and will be developed under a lease-to-own structure with a 20-year term and two 5-year extension options.

The development, managed through Bit Digital's WhiteFiber platform, involves retrofitting to Tier 3 standards with expected costs of CAD $55 million (approximately $40MM USD). The facility has a targeted go-live date of July 2025.

Under the previously announced February 2025 agreement, Cerebras has contracted for 5MW (IT load) of built-to-suit infrastructure for five years, with a right of first refusal for additional megawatt capacity at the site.

Positive

• Secured long-term lease-to-own agreement for strategic AI infrastructure
• Partnership with major AI infrastructure provider Cerebras Systems
• Guaranteed 5-year revenue stream from colocation agreement
• Expansion potential subject to utility approvals
• Fixed-price purchase option provides financial flexibility

Negative

• Significant capital expenditure of CAD $55 million required for development
• Return on investment dependent on single major client (Cerebras)
• Future expansion contingent on utility approval

Insights

Data Center Infrastructure Specialist

Bit Digital's acquisition of this Quebec data center site represents a strategic expansion into high-value AI infrastructure at a critical time in the market. The $40 million investment to develop a Tier 3 facility specifically demonstrates their pivot toward supporting specialized AI computing needs rather than just cryptocurrency operations.

The Saint-Jérôme location is significant as Quebec offers some of North America's lowest electricity rates and primarily hydroelectric power – crucial advantages for high-density computing operations. The lease-to-own structure with a 12-month purchase option provides financial flexibility while securing long-term site control through the 20-year lease term plus extension options.

Developing to Tier 3 standards indicates a focus on higher reliability (99.982% uptime) with redundant capacity components and multiple distribution paths – essential for AI workloads that require consistent operation. The rapid July 2025 targeted completion represents an accelerated 15-month development timeline, demonstrating the company's ability to quickly respond to market demand.

What's particularly notable is Cerebras' right of first refusal for additional capacity, suggesting both confidence in the partnership and potential for expansion beyond the initial 5MW agreement. This positions Bit Digital's WhiteFiber division as a specialized infrastructure provider in the competitive AI computing space rather than just a cryptocurrency mining operation.

Financial Analyst

This data center acquisition represents a significant strategic investment, with the $40 million development cost equaling approximately 12.6% of Bit Digital's current market capitalization. While substantial, this controlled expansion into purpose-built AI infrastructure diversifies the company's revenue streams beyond cryptocurrency mining – a crucial strategic pivot given the volatility of digital asset markets.

The lease-to-own structure offers favorable capital deployment flexibility. By deferring the full purchase cost while maintaining a fixed-price option, Bit Digital preserves near-term capital while securing long-term site control. The 5-year colocation agreement with Cerebras provides predictable revenue covering a significant portion of the initial investment period.

Most importantly, this transaction positions Bit Digital in the high-growth AI infrastructure sector, where demand currently exceeds supply. The company is leveraging its experience in power procurement and data center operations (developed through crypto mining) to serve the specialized needs of AI computing customers willing to commit to long-term contracts.

The expansion of the WhiteFiber computing platform demonstrates Bit Digital's evolution toward becoming an infrastructure provider with more predictable, contracted revenue streams compared to the highly cyclical cryptocurrency mining business. This model transformation, if successful, could justify a higher valuation multiple as investors typically value recurring, contracted revenue more highly than cryptocurrency mining returns.

NEW YORK, April 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Bit Digital, Inc. (Nasdaq: BTBT) ("Bit Digital" or the "Company") announced today that it has secured the rights to a new data center site in Saint-Jérôme, Québec ("MTL-3"), which is under development and will support the previously announced 5MW colocation agreement with Cerebras Systems ("Cerebras"), a leader in generative AI infrastructure.

The facility spans approximately 202,000 square feet on 7.7 acres and is being developed to support current contracted capacity, with future expansion potential subject to utility approvals. The transaction was executed under a lease-to-own structure, which includes a fixed-price purchase option exercisable within 12 months. The lease term is 20 years, with two 5-year extension options.

The project is being delivered through WhiteFiber, Bit Digital's high-performance computing platform. The facility is being retrofitted to Tier 3 standards, with development costs expected to total approximately CAD $55 million (approximately $40MM USD), and a targeted go-live date of July 2025.

"This milestone represents continued momentum in our strategy to deliver purpose-built AI infrastructure at scale," said Sam Tabar, CEO of Bit Digital. "Speed to market is a key differentiator in the AI infrastructure space, and this site reflects our ability to mobilize and deliver capacity on accelerated timelines. We're proud to advance our partnership with Cerebras while expanding our data center footprint in the greater Montréal region, a growing hub for AI innovation."

Cerebras has contracted for 5MW (IT load) of built-to-suit infrastructure under a five-year colocation agreement announced in February 2025. Under the terms of the agreement, Cerebras holds a right of first refusal (ROFR) for any additional megawatt capacity that becomes available at the site.

About Bit Digital

Bit Digital, Inc. is a global platform for high-performance computing ("HPC") infrastructure and digital asset production headquartered in New York City. The Company's HPC business operates under the WhiteFiber Inc. ("WhiteFiber") brand. Our operations are located in the US, Canada, and Iceland. For additional information, please contact ir@bit-digital.com or visit our website at www.bit-digital.com, or follow us on LinkedIn or X.

Investor Notice

Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. Before making an investment decision, you should carefully consider the risks, uncertainties and forward-looking statements described under "Risk Factors" in Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 (Annual Report). Notwithstanding the fact that Bit Digital Inc. has not conducted operations in the PRC since September 30, 2021 we have previously disclosed under Risk Factors in our Annual Report: "We may be subject to fines and penalties for any noncompliance with or any liabilities in our former business in China in a certain period from now on." Although the statute of limitations for non-compliance by our former business in the PRC is generally two years and the Company has been out of the PRC, for more than two years, the Authority may still find its prior bitcoin mining operations involved a threat to financial security. In such event, the two-year period would be extended to five years. If any material risk was to occur, our business, financial condition or results of operations would likely suffer. In that event, the value of our securities could decline and you could lose part or all of your investment. The risks and uncertainties we describe are not the only ones facing us. Additional risks not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also impair our business operations. In addition, our past financial performance may not be a reliable indicator of future performance, and historical trends should not be used to anticipate results in the future. Future changes in the network-wide mining difficulty rate or bitcoin hash rate may also materially affect the future performance of Bit Digital's production of bitcoin. Actual operating results will vary depending on many factors including network difficulty rate, total hash rate of the network, the operations of our facilities, the status of our miners, and other factors. See "Safe Harbor Statement" below.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release may contain certain "forward-looking statements" relating to the business of Bit Digital, Inc., and its subsidiary companies. All statements, other than statements of historical fact included herein are "forward-looking statements." These forward-looking statements are often identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "believes," "expects," or similar expressions, involving known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, they do involve assumptions, risks and uncertainties, and these expectations may prove to be incorrect. Investors should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors, including those discussed in the Company's periodic reports that are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available on its website at http://www.sec.gov. All forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these factors. Other than as required under the securities laws, the Company does not assume a duty to update these forward-looking statements.

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SOURCE Bit Digital, Inc.

FAQ

What is the size and cost of BTBT's new data center in Saint-Jérôme?

The facility is 202,000 square feet on 7.7 acres, with development costs expected at CAD $55 million (USD $40MM).

When will BTBT's new Tier 3 data center become operational?

The data center has a targeted go-live date of July 2025.

What are the terms of BTBT's colocation agreement with Cerebras Systems?

Cerebras contracted for 5MW IT load capacity under a five-year agreement, with right of first refusal for additional capacity.

What is the lease structure for BTBT's new Quebec data center?

It's a lease-to-own structure with a 20-year term, two 5-year extension options, and a fixed-price purchase option within 12 months.