Bitcoin mining leader MARA Holdings announced on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, that it will acquire a 64% stake in Exaion, a French company focused on artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing (HPC).
Exaion is part of Électricité de France (EDF), one of the world’s largest producers of low-carbon energy. This $168 million deal marks MARA’s largest investment outside Bitcoin mining as it aims to expand into AI and cloud infrastructure.
MARA’s CEO and Chairman, Fred Thiel, explained the company chose to partner with Exaion instead of building AI facilities from scratch. “MARA and Exaion’s combined expertise would enable us to deliver secure and scalable cloud solutions built for the future of AI,” Thiel said.
MARA Expands into AI and Cloud Computing
This partnership allows MARA to enter the AI and cloud computing market quickly and effectively. The agreement also allows MARA to raise its stake to 75% by 2027 with an extra investment of $127 million in case of meeting the performance targets.
Exaion collaborates with such industry leaders as Nvidia and Deloitte to create energy-efficient HPC data centers and AI cloud services and has a strategy to expand abroad and serve businesses and governments.
The acquisition is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2025, pending regulatory approval. The decision follows the record highs in Bitcoin mining difficulty, which increases energy expenses and forces miners to seek alternative sources of income.
MARA is currently the largest Bitcoin miner by production and market value. In July, MARA mined 703 Bitcoin but faced competition from rival IREN, which produced 728 Bitcoin. Despite this, MARA’s revenue rose 64% year-over-year in Q2 to $238 million.
The company holds about 50,000 Bitcoin worth nearly $6 billion, making it second only to Michael Saylor’s Strategy.
Also Read: Iren Tops MARA in Bitcoin Production and Hashrate in July
