CleanSpark Faces Bearish Sentiment as Bitcoin Miners Shift to AI Strategies

17.04.2026 37 times read 1 Comments

CleanSpark (Nasdaq: CLSK) is the Most Shorted Company in Mining and Bitcoin Reserves

According to a report by Cryptopolitan, CleanSpark (Nasdaq: CLSK) has the highest open short interest among mining companies, with 34.89% of its float being shorted. The average cover time for these positions is 4.71 days, indicating a significant bearish sentiment towards the company.

Despite recovering from local lows, the overall market sentiment surrounding mining, AI, and treasury bonds has not been sufficient to trigger a rally. CleanSpark was profitable in its mining activities in 2025, generating a revenue of $766.3 million and a net income of $364.5 million, but it may face losses due to the depreciation of its data centers.

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“The high open short interest suggests that the CLSK price is likely to fall, although short positions could trigger a short squeeze and subsequent rally in the short term.”

In summary, CleanSpark's current market position reflects a complex interplay of profitability and bearish sentiment, making it a focal point for investors.

Bitcoin Miners Under Pressure: "We Currently Have No Intention to Sell"

BTC-ECHO reports that Bitcoin miners have entered a "survival mode," having sold more Bitcoin in the first quarter of 2026 than in the entire year of 2025. Major mining companies, including CleanSpark, sold over 32,000 Bitcoin, surpassing previous records.

This surge in sales is attributed to deteriorating economic conditions, with many miners struggling to remain profitable. The current hash price is around $33 per petahash per second per day, which is below the threshold for many operators to break even.

“The sale of Bitcoin remains the quickest way to secure liquidity,” stated industry analysts.

In conclusion, the Bitcoin mining sector is facing significant challenges, with many companies forced to liquidate assets to cover operational costs.

Adam Back Sees Potential as Bitcoin Miners Shift to AI

BeInCrypto highlights that all major publicly listed Bitcoin miners are announcing plans to pivot towards artificial intelligence (AI). This shift could see the average Bitcoin revenue share of these miners drop from 90% to about 30% within the next two to three years.

Adam Back, CEO of Blockstream, argues that a declining hash rate could actually increase the margins for remaining miners, creating a balance as mining profits align with those from AI applications. However, this transition raises concerns about the long-term security of the Bitcoin network.

“While higher margins are beneficial for miners, the shift away from Bitcoin could weaken the security foundation of the blockchain,” Back noted.

In summary, the industry's pivot towards AI presents both opportunities and risks, potentially impacting the future of Bitcoin mining and its network security.

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This article is super interesting, but like, I dont really understand why CleanSpark is the most shorted company, I mean they made a lot of money in 2025 but still peeps r betting against them? Seems kinda crazy to me. Also, the whole thing about miners selling more bitcoin than before, it’s like how can they be profitable when they are selling off their assets? Doesnt that mean they are losing in the long run? ?

I see Adam Back is saying they are shifting to AI and that might help, but idk how AI will make bitcoin better or secure? Like he mentions something about the bitcoin foundation being weak and that sounds scary? Can we not just keep the miners mining for BTC and not turn to AI? Feels like a big jump and who knows what it will mean for the Bitcoin network in a few years. Like, less BTC might mean more price drops, right?

Like also, what if all miners just go for AI and leave bitcoin behind? Sounds kinda risky, like if everyone jumps ship on BTC, that could make things pretty rough for the people who still believe in it. Just seems like there’s too much change happening too fast! I hope CleanSpark can find a way to recover or heeeck, they might just flop if this bearish sentiment keeps up! ?

In the end, I just think it’s all a big gamble, and idk, kinda wish miners would just stick to what they no best. Anyone have thoughts on how AI can help with Bitcoin really? Or is it just a trend? ?‍♂️

Article Summary

CleanSpark is the most shorted mining company, reflecting bearish sentiment despite profitability; meanwhile, Bitcoin miners are selling assets to survive economic pressures and shifting towards AI. This transition poses risks for Bitcoin's network security while potentially increasing profit margins for remaining miners.

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