Share this article

KBW upgrades TeraWulf to outperform, sees AI pivot as catalyst for sharp growth

The bank raised its its price target on the shares to $24 from $9.50.

Updated Dec 31, 2025, 1:51 p.m. Published Dec 31, 2025, 1:51 p.m.
Racks of mining machines.
KBW upgrades TeraWulf to outperform, sees AI pivot as catalyst for sharp growth. (Shutterstock, modified by CoinDesk)

What to know:

  • KBW upgraded TeraWulf to outperform from market perform and lifted its price target from $9.50 to $24.
  • The bank said AI and HPC leasing will eclipse bitcoin mining as the company's main earnings driver.
  • Rapid EBITDA growth and valuation upside is expected as lease revenues scale.

Investment bank KBW upgraded TeraWulf (WULF) to "outperform" from "market perform" while raising its price target to $24 from $9.50.

The bank said the market is underestimating the earnings upside from the company’s shift away from bitcoin mining toward AI and high-performance computing (HPC) leasing.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Don't miss another story.Subscribe to the Crypto Daybook Americas Newsletter today. See all newsletters

"We think investors underappreciate the magnitude of the BTC mining to HPC leasing mix shift in 2026-2027 and robust growth catalysts on 646 MW net of visible HPC leasing pipeline through 2027," wrote analyst Stephen Glagola in the Wednesday report.

The shares were modestly higher in early trading Wednesday, at $11.18.

Bitcoin miners have increasingly pivoted to hosting AI and high-performance computing hardware in their existing data centers to boost profitability.

The analyst estimated that TeraWulf's existing leases could drive a 505% EBITDA compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2025 to 2027 and support multiple expansion from the stock’s current 13.8x EV/EBITDA valuation.

His bullish view centers on the firm's 646 megawatt HPC leasing pipeline through 2027 and the rapid erosion of mining’s importance to the business.

The bank expects HPC leasing to generate roughly two-thirds or more of TeraWulf's revenue in 2026 and the vast majority of contribution profit, with mining becoming largely immaterial by 2027.

The report said execution risk is lower than investors assume, citing secured financing for major build-outs, a track record of delivery and supportive debt markets. Recent share price weakness reflects sector-wide selling in bitcoin miners rather than company-specific fundamentals.

KBW said those discounts should narrow as lease revenues scale in 2026, driving cap-rate compression and valuation upside, with further optionality from new HPC deal announcements over the next year.

Read more: AI trade isn’t dead: An inside look into Wall Street's lucrative data center deals

AI Disclaimer: Parts of this article were generated with the assistance from AI tools and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy and adherence to our standards. For more information, see CoinDesk's full AI Policy.

More For You

KuCoin Hits Record Market Share as 2025 Volumes Outpace Crypto Market

16:9 Image

KuCoin captured a record share of centralised exchange volume in 2025, with more than $1.25tn traded as its volumes grew faster than the wider crypto market.

What to know:

  • KuCoin recorded over $1.25 trillion in total trading volume in 2025, equivalent to an average of roughly $114 billion per month, marking its strongest year on record.
  • This performance translated into an all-time high share of centralised exchange volume, as KuCoin’s activity expanded faster than aggregate CEX volumes, which slowed during periods of lower market volatility.
  • Spot and derivatives volumes were evenly split, each exceeding $500 billion for the year, signalling broad-based usage rather than reliance on a single product line.
  • Altcoins accounted for the majority of trading activity, reinforcing KuCoin’s role as a primary liquidity venue beyond BTC and ETH at a time when majors saw more muted turnover.
  • Even as overall crypto volumes softened mid-year, KuCoin maintained elevated baseline activity, indicating structurally higher user engagement rather than short-lived volume spikes.

More For You

Internet Computer climbs back to $3 as short-term momentum improves

ICP-USD, Jan. 2 (CoinDesk)

ICP pushed above the $3 level on rising activity, holding recent gains as traders reassess near-term direction.

What to know:

  • ICP rose about 2.7% to roughly $3.00, reclaiming a closely watched psychological level.
  • Trading activity increased during the move higher, accompanying the push through resistance near $2.95–$3.00.
  • Price has since stabilized just above $3, keeping attention on whether the level can hold as near-term support.