Empery Digital sells 1,400 Bitcoin for $87.1M to fund AI data center pivot

Empery Digital sold 1,400 bitcoin at $62,200 each, raising $87.1 million to fund an AI data center investment and repay debt, the company disclosed Friday.

"Going forward, we plan to continue to allocate capital to similar hyperscaler-anchored opportunities," co-CEO Ryan Lane said in the filing.

The sale trimmed Empery's bitcoin holdings by 48% to 1,514 coins, worth about $97 million at current prices near $64,000. The company used $10 million of the proceeds to repay outstanding debt on July 7, with the remainder earmarked for a $65 million commitment to acquire a 25% stake in a Hunt Properties-affiliated venture that plans to convert a Midwest industrial site into an AI data center campus with up to 300 megawatts of power capacity.

EMPD shares rose as much as 4.2% to $3.95 in early trading before closing up 1.58% at $3.86, suggesting investors viewed the pivot from bitcoin treasury to AI infrastructure favorably. The stock remains down about 82% since the company launched its bitcoin treasury strategy last July, when it raised more than $500 million after shifting from electric powersports vehicles.

The sale follows months of pressure from Tice P. Brown, a near-10% shareholder who called on the company to abandon its bitcoin-buying strategy and demanded the resignation of the CEO and entire board. Empery had pivoted to a bitcoin-centric treasury in mid-2025 as the cryptocurrency pushed toward its all-time high of $126,080 set in October. The company held a peak of 4,081 bitcoin before offloading some holdings in March and April.

Empery is not alone in reversing its bitcoin accumulation strategy. Strategy — the largest corporate bitcoin holder — sold 3,588 bitcoin worth $216 million earlier this month to cover dividend payments on its Stretch perpetual preferred stock, which had fallen below its $100 par value to below $75. The sale marked a departure from Strategy's previous "never sell your bitcoin" position.

The shift by corporate bitcoin holders comes as capital rotates toward AI infrastructure and bitcoin trades well below its 2025 peak. Prediction markets show a 46% probability of bitcoin falling to $50,000, while Standard Chartered's Geoffrey Kendrick described the asset near $64,000 as a "screaming buy" and maintained a $100,000 year-end target. Empery said it has no plans to accumulate more bitcoin and may sell additional coins to fund other opportunities.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.