Cipher Mining (NASDAQ:CIFR) said its second-quarter 2026 business update reflected continued progress in its transition toward developing and operating data centers for high-performance computing, or HPC, customers. The company highlighted an accelerated delivery at its Black Pearl campus, an $810 million project financing for its Stingray project, and an expanded Texas development pipeline.
Chief Executive Officer Tyler Page said the company’s operating, contracted and future development portfolio totals approximately 5.3 gigawatts across 11 sites. That includes about 4.4 gigawatts of expected future developments, while the remaining capacity consists of contracted HPC projects and legacy Bitcoin mining operations in Odessa, Texas.
Black Pearl Delivery and Project Construction
Cipher said it delivered initial data center capacity at its Black Pearl site in August, two months ahead of the original schedule, following a lease amendment requested by its tenant. Rent has commenced at the facility, according to Page.
The rest of Black Pearl remains on its previously agreed delivery schedule. Phase 1’s remaining data halls are progressing through mechanical, electrical and plumbing fit-out, while Phase 2 is advancing through foundation, structural steel and underground electrical work. Cipher said it had secured approximately 96% of equipment needed across both phases.
At Barber Lake, Phase 1, consisting of approximately 168 critical IT megawatts, remains on track for rental payments to begin in October. The tenant has begun beneficial use of the site, including partial occupancy and deployment of network racks. Cipher said it has secured all equipment required to complete that project.
Construction at Stingray is also progressing, with earthwork, grading, pad preparation and underground electrical work underway. The company expects concrete foundations and steel erection to begin during the third quarter and anticipates delivery in the first half of 2027. About 75% of equipment for Stingray has been secured, Page said.
Stingray Financing and Liquidity
Chief Financial Officer Greg Mumford said Cipher completed an $810 million project-level senior secured notes offering in June to fund Stingray through substantial completion. The financing covered approximately 98% of project costs and reimbursed the company for $56.7 million in previously funded expenditures.
The notes carried a 6% coupon and were approximately eight times oversubscribed, according to Mumford. He said the transaction represented Cipher’s third project-level financing and its lowest coupon to date.
Cipher has now completed three project-level financings that fully fund its contracted projects through completion, Mumford said. The company’s notes are designed to amortize during the base terms of the underlying leases.
As of June 30, Cipher had aggregate corporate and project debt outstanding of just over $6 billion. It also had a four-year, $200 million revolving credit facility, including a $50 million accordion feature, with no cash borrowings outstanding on the facility.
Total unrestricted liquidity stood at $870 million at quarter-end, consisting of $832 million in unrestricted cash and cash equivalents and $38 million in Bitcoin. The company also reported about $3.7 billion in restricted project cash, including roughly $3.2 billion reserved for construction.
Mumford said the company did not expect to require additional equity based on its current forecasts and near-term commitments. During the question-and-answer session, however, he said future equity needs could depend on the pace of development spending and the size and timing of potential new lease agreements.
Second-Quarter Financial Results
Revenue for the second quarter was $25 million, down from $35 million in the first quarter. Mumford attributed the decline to the decommissioning of Bitcoin mining at Black Pearl as the company transitions toward contracted data center revenue.
- GAAP net loss was $268 million, or $0.65 per diluted share, compared with a $114 million loss, or $0.28 per diluted share, in the first quarter.
- The wider loss was primarily driven by a $150.5 million non-cash warrant remeasurement loss, compared with a $43.6 million non-cash gain in the prior quarter.
- Interest income was $36 million, reflecting higher average cash balances following Black Pearl and Stingray financings.
- Interest expense was $67 million, compared with $59 million in the first quarter, due in part to a full quarter of interest on Black Pearl Compute notes.
Total assets rose to $7.5 billion at June 30 from $4.3 billion at the end of 2025. Property and equipment increased to $2.13 billion, while construction in progress grew to $1.68 billion as Barber Lake, Black Pearl and Stingray moved forward simultaneously.
Pipeline Expansion and Texas Interconnection Process
Cipher added up to 1.1 gigawatts of potential future Texas capacity during the quarter, including an option on a new 900-megawatt site near San Antonio called Apollo and a planned 200-megawatt expansion at Stingray. Apollo has been submitted as a studied load in ERCOT’s Batch Zero interconnection process.
The company expects Reveille and Ulysses to add 270 gross megawatts in 2027, while Colchis, Mikeska and McLennan could add 2 gigawatts in 2028 and 2029. Page said Colchis, Mikeska and McLennan have land secured, deposits funded and required studies and executed facilities agreements submitted to ERCOT.
During the call, Page said a letter from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott could delay anticipated decisions in the ERCOT batch process. He said Cipher had completed water surveys and stood behind its submitted attestations, adding that the company believes its sites will remain well positioned as the process develops.
Page also said the company sees increasing value in capacity outside the batch process, citing 477 megawatts potentially available in 2027 at Odessa, Reveille and Ulysses. Cipher is in discussions with prospective tenants for those sites, though Page said the company is focused on securing favorable terms and counterparties rather than completing the first available deal.
At Odessa, Cipher operated 207 megawatts of Bitcoin mining capacity during the quarter, generating approximately 11.6 exahash per second at an average fleet efficiency of roughly 17.2 joules per terahash. The site mined approximately 346 Bitcoin in the quarter. Cipher said it does not anticipate additional capital investment in Bitcoin mining and is holding early-stage discussions with multiple parties about converting Odessa into an HPC site.
About Cipher Mining (NASDAQ:CIFR)
Cipher Mining Inc is a Nasdaq-listed bitcoin mining company that develops, owns and operates large-scale mining facilities across the United States. The company focuses on deploying advanced ASIC hardware and securing long-term low-cost power contracts to optimize bitcoin production. By strategically locating its sites in regions with abundant energy supply, Cipher Mining seeks to maintain a competitive cost structure and deliver efficient hashrate capacity growth.
Founded in 2021 and headquartered in Austin, Texas, Cipher Mining has pursued an integrated approach encompassing site development, equipment procurement and operations management.
