IREN (NASDAQ: IREN), the data center operator, experienced an 18% stock increase after revealing a $9.7 billion AI cloud services contract with Microsoft.
This five-year arrangement positions IREN as a supplier of NVIDIA GB300 GPUs to Microsoft, with a 20% prepayment included in the total value. The agreement reflects IREN’s shift from Bitcoin mining to AI-focused operations, drawing investor interest in its growth potential.
Contract Details and Deployment
The contract requires IREN to acquire GPUs and related equipment from Dell Technologies for about $5.8 billion. Deployment will occur in stages through 2026 at the company’s 750MW site in Childress, Texas, using liquid-cooled data centers for 200MW of IT load.
IREN plans to cover costs with current cash reserves, customer prepayments, operational funds, and new financing.
Leadership Perspectives
Daniel Roberts, IREN’s Co-Founder and Co-CEO, described the partnership as a milestone that showcases the company’s integrated AI cloud setup. He noted it expands access to hyperscalers and supports large GPU rollouts across IREN’s 3GW power assets in North America.
Jonathan Tinter from Microsoft praised IREN’s skills in managing full AI cloud systems and secure power, calling it a source of new opportunities.
Power’s Role in AI Growth
This deal highlights electricity’s role as a core element in AI development. Training large models demands vast power and hardware, areas where IREN excels from its mining background. By repurposing facilities for AI, IREN addresses bottlenecks in compute resources, making it central to tech progress.
The partnership signals intensifying competition among tech firms for AI tools. Microsoft and peers commit large sums to ensure GPU access, fueling demand for providers like IREN. This contract offers IREN steady income and affirms its strategy in AI infrastructure.
Market Reaction and Future Outlook
Market response shows confidence in IREN’s direction. The stock surge follows prior expansions, such as reaching 10.9k GPUs in August 2025. Analysts see this as part of a trend where former miners enter AI, tapping into high-margin services.
IREN’s Texas campus, with its scale, suits demanding AI tasks. Liquid cooling improves efficiency, reducing energy use while handling heat from powerful chips like the GB300.
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