Wyoming moves to court AI data centers — and Bitcoin miners could feel the ripple Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon has signed Executive Order 2026-03, “Data Centers the Wyoming Way,” a statewide directive that aims to guide the growth of large data centers and advanced computing projects while protecting local resources. The order requires state agencies that permit, review or support major data center developments to promote responsible expansion — balancing water use, environmental impacts, workforce planning and residential power affordability. “As America races to build the infrastructure needed to support advanced computing, artificial intelligence and our nation’s rapidly growing digital economy, Wyoming is uniquely positioned to lead,” Gordon said. Why Wyoming is angling for AI dollars - Big tech is pouring money into AI infrastructure. Bloomberg estimates Alphabet, Amazon, Meta and Microsoft could spend roughly $650 billion on AI and data center buildout in 2026 alone, funding cloud services, model training and the compute systems that run large AI models. - Wyoming wants a slice of that investment, but the order signals the state won’t do it blindly — agencies must weigh power and water demands and local community impacts. Federal and market context - The White House also stepped up AI policy this week: President Donald Trump signed a June 2 executive order focused on advanced AI innovation, cybersecurity and national-security reviews, underscoring nationwide momentum to shape AI infrastructure and oversight. What this means for Bitcoin miners - Wyoming already courts crypto miners with abundant land, energy resources and miner-friendly policy. The new data-center framework could change how mining firms, cloud operators and AI companies compete for power, land and permits. - CleanSpark announced in 2024 that it had executed 75 MW of power contracts in Wyoming and completed acquisition of its first Wyoming mining site. That initial site reportedly offers 30 MW and was expected to add more than 2 EH/s to network hashrate, with a second site projected at 45 MW and roughly 3 EH/s. - Since the 2024 Bitcoin halving cut block rewards, several miners have diversified, marketing excess power capacity and facility space for AI, high-performance computing (HPC) and data-center hosting. Firms exploring or offering these services include IREN, Marathon Digital (MARA), Cipher Mining, Hut 8, HIVE Digital and TeraWulf. Wall Street’s changing lens - Bernstein recently began coverage of TeraWulf and Cipher as part of an “emerging AI infra” watchlist — a sign that some analysts now view miners not just as crypto producers but as power-backed infrastructure providers that can supply compute capacity to AI and HPC customers. Bottom line Wyoming’s executive order doesn’t single out Bitcoin miners, but it establishes a framework that could shape who wins access to the state’s power, land and local permits. For miners sitting on sizable energy contracts and data-center-ready sites, that could mean new revenue opportunities — but also new competition and oversight as Wyoming positions itself in the AI buildout.
Wyoming's AI Data-Center Rules May Impact Bitcoin Miners' Power and Profits
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Summary
Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon has signed Executive Order 2026-03, setting rules for data center growth. The policy asks state agencies to weigh environmental effects, water use, and power costs when approving projects. Major tech firms plan to invest $650 billion in AI and data centers this year, which could raise competition for energy and land with Bitcoin miners. CleanSpark and others already have power deals in the state, though some miners are shifting into AI and HPC services. Bernstein is monitoring firms like TeraWulf and Cipher. The move may influence liquidity and crypto markets, especially with the recent bitcoin ETF approval.
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