Why Most Bitcoin Miners Trade at Low Multiples: Key Insights for Crypto Traders

According to Lex Sokolin, referencing data and comments from @mikealfred and @Invst_Informant, most publicly traded Bitcoin miners are currently valued at low earnings multiples compared to traditional tech and energy stocks. This is primarily due to market concerns over Bitcoin price volatility, regulatory uncertainty, high operational costs, and the recent halving event, which has tightened miner profit margins (source: Lex Sokolin on Twitter, May 5, 2025). For traders, these low multiples may indicate undervaluation if Bitcoin prices recover or stabilize, but the sector remains high risk due to ongoing macroeconomic and regulatory pressures. Monitoring miner profitability and BTC network metrics is crucial for anticipating potential price movements in related crypto assets.
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From a trading perspective, the low multiples at which BTC miners are trading could indicate potential undervaluation, creating opportunities for investors in both stock and crypto markets. As of May 5, 2025, at 12:00 PM EST, Bitcoin’s trading volume on major exchanges like Binance spiked to 28,500 BTC in the BTC/USDT pair over the prior hour, a 15% increase from the previous hour, signaling heightened market activity, per Binance’s live data. Simultaneously, trading volumes for RIOT and MARA on the NASDAQ saw a 10% uptick, with RIOT recording 5.2 million shares traded and MARA at 8.1 million shares by midday, according to NASDAQ data. This cross-market volume surge suggests that institutional investors might be repositioning between crypto assets and related equities. For crypto traders, this could mean increased volatility in Bitcoin and altcoins tied to mining narratives, such as Litecoin (LTC), which saw a price of $65.20 with a 2% dip at the same timestamp on CoinMarketCap. The correlation between miner stocks and BTC price action offers arbitrage opportunities, particularly for those monitoring BTC/USD and miner stock futures. However, risks remain due to potential regulatory pressures on mining operations and energy cost fluctuations impacting miner profitability, which could further depress stock valuations if sentiment worsens.
Digging into technical indicators, Bitcoin’s Relative Strength Index (RSI) stood at 42 on the daily chart as of May 5, 2025, at 2:00 PM EST, indicating a neutral-to-oversold condition that could precede a reversal if buying pressure returns, per TradingView data. Meanwhile, the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) for RIOT stock showed a bearish crossover on the 4-hour chart, suggesting short-term downward momentum. On-chain metrics for Bitcoin reveal a net outflow of 12,300 BTC from miner wallets over the past week, as reported by Glassnode on May 5, 2025, hinting at selling pressure from miners possibly contributing to low stock multiples. In terms of market correlation, the Pearson correlation coefficient between Bitcoin’s price and RIOT stock over the past 30 days stands at 0.78, while MARA shows a 0.82 correlation, based on historical data from Yahoo Finance. This strong positive correlation indicates that BTC price movements are likely to continue influencing miner stock performance. Institutional money flow also plays a role, with recent filings showing a 5% increase in hedge fund holdings of MARA stock as of Q1 2025, per SEC data, suggesting some confidence despite low multiples. For traders, these data points highlight the importance of monitoring BTC’s support level at $60,000 and resistance at $64,000 alongside miner stock volume trends for entry or exit signals.
In summary, the low trading multiples of BTC miners reflect a complex interplay of operational challenges and market sentiment, directly impacting crypto markets through Bitcoin’s price dynamics and related altcoins. The strong stock-crypto correlation offers trading opportunities but also amplifies risks during bearish phases. As institutional interest in miner stocks persists despite low valuations, traders should remain vigilant about cross-market signals and macroeconomic factors influencing risk appetite. This scenario underscores the need for diversified strategies across crypto assets and related equities to capitalize on potential rebounds or hedge against downturns.
Lex Sokolin | Generative Ventures
@LexSokolinPartner @Genventurecap investing in Web3+AI+Fintech 🦊 Ex Chief Economist & CMO @Consensys 📈 Serial founder sharing strategy on Fintech Blueprint 💎 Milady