Meta and Microsoft plan to significantly increase AI spending in 2026, potentially benefiting Bitcoin miners

Foresight News reports that, according to CoinDesk, Meta and Microsoft both signaled increased AI investment in their Q4 earnings reports, which could benefit Bitcoin mining companies that have transitioned to AI infrastructure. Meta expects capital expenditures to be between $115 billion and $135 billion in 2026, higher than the market consensus of $110 billion. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella stated that Microsoft’s AI business has surpassed some of its core operations. Facing profit pressure from Bitcoin halving, increased competition, and rising energy costs, mining companies have begun shifting data centers to hosting AI and cloud computing machines. Iren (formerly Iris Energy) has signed a multi-year cloud service contract with Microsoft, while Cipher Mining (CIFR) has signed an agreement with Amazon to provide 300 MW of power capacity for AWS. Additionally, companies like Hut 8 (HUT) are accelerating their transformation. As a result, Iren’s stock price rose 4.9% on Wednesday, with a total increase of 47% since 2026, and Cipher Mining has gained 17% year-to-date.