## A Solo Miner's Remarkable Achievement

A solo Bitcoin miner has achieved what many consider nearly impossible in today's competitive mining landscape—winning a full block reward worth approximately **$282,000** (3.13 BTC) on Thursday. This remarkable feat was accomplished with odds of about **1 in 30,000**, according to the administrator of the Solo CKPool service used by the miner.

## The Solo CKPool Advantage

The successful miner, identified only by the pseudonym "1Ng9~VoQz" with 270TH of mining power, utilized **Solo CKPool**—a specialized service designed specifically to help individual miners compete against massive mining pools. When using this service, miners pay a **2% fee** (about 0.062 BTC or $5,734 in this case) upon winning a block, but they avoid the substantial overhead costs associated with running full-scale, expensive Bitcoin mining operations.

## The Growing Challenge of Solo Mining

This victory represents the **fourth solo block win in just three weeks** for Solo CKPool-powered miners, though prior to this recent streak, the last successful solo block dated back to September. To date, Solo CKPool miners have collectively earned **5,553 BTC** through their efforts—a staggering total of approximately **$511 million** at current prices.

However, experts emphasize that **solo mining "is like playing the lottery"** in today's environment. This comparison becomes increasingly apt as Bitcoin's **hashrate continues its relentless upward trajectory**. The network's computational power now averages more than **1 ZH/S** in the last 24 hours, a significant increase from approximately **736 EH/S** on the same day last year.

## The Shifting Economics of Bitcoin Mining

As the economics of Bitcoin mining evolve, some publicly traded mining companies are redirecting their focus toward powering the **artificial intelligence boom**. In November, Bitfarms announced it would wind down its Bitcoin mining operation after sustaining a **$46 million loss**, opting instead to provide computing resources for the burgeoning AI industry.

## Current Market Context

Bitcoin's price remains relatively stable, recently trading at **$90,062** with minimal movement over the past 24 hours. This solo miner's success story emerges against a backdrop where individual miners face increasingly daunting odds, yet still occasionally achieve remarkable victories that capture the imagination of the cryptocurrency community.

A solo Bitcoin miner defied the odds and won a block reward worth around $282,000 with the help of mining service, Solo CKPool.

Against All Odds: Solo Bitcoin Miner Hits $282K Jackpot in 1-in-30,000 Victory

Some of the best growth stocks began as penny stocks, and uncovering small-cap companies can lead to substantial gains. If you're looking to invest just $3 in a promising opportunity, **Hive Digital Technologies** (HIVE) should be on your radar.

It's a crypto miner that has recently shifted focus to AI infrastructure. Investors who feel they missed out on **IREN** and **Cipher Mining** (CIFR) might find a ground-floor entry with this stock.

## Hive Digital Technologies is Expanding Its Mining Capacity

![bitcoin wallet](https://g.foolcdn.com/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fg.foolcdn.com%2Feditorial%2Fimages%2F843925%2Fgettyimages-2192542048-1200x675-128554e.jpg&w=3840&op=resize)

Image source: Getty Images

A crypto miner's hash rate is a crucial metric that affects how much **Bitcoin** (BTC) it can mine. A higher hash rate means more revenue and profits.

Hive Digital Technologies achieved an average mining capacity of 5.7 exahash per second (EH/s) in January. The company has built up its operations, reaching an average of 23.5 EH/s, with peaks like 25.4 EH/s in November.

This increase in EH/s allowed Hive Digital Technologies to nearly triple its **Bitcoin** production year-over-year, mining 290 Bitcoins in November. The company is producing significantly more Bitcoin and is well-positioned for a crypto rally, with plans to continue expanding its EH/s in 2026.

## AI Compute Demand is Surging

Currently, Hive Digital Technologies is more of a crypto stock, with crypto making up over 90% of its revenue. This segment quadrupled year-over-year in Q3.

However, the pivot to AI is gaining momentum. Its high-performance computing segment, focused on AI, saw revenue jump by 175% year-over-year in Q3.

Hive Digital Technologies has **Bell Canada Enterprises** (BCE) as an AI infrastructure client. The company's executives are prioritizing AI in 2026 and have a strong balance sheet to support further investments, with $136.7 million in total current assets and only $53.6 million in total current liabilities.

*Marc Guberti has positions in Cipher Mining, Hive Digital Technologies, and Iren. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Bitcoin. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.*

Hive Digital Technologies may be a steal at current levels

Unlock Millionaire Potential: How This $3 Crypto Stock is Pivoting to AI for Explosive Growth

**MicroStrategy** (MSTR) shares dipped on Thursday ahead of a potentially pivotal moment for the bitcoin-holding company. The Nasdaq is set to announce annual changes to the Nasdaq 100 index, tracked by the Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) with over $400 billion invested. This reconstitution comes as MSCI considers excluding companies whose primary business is acquiring bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies, which could oust MSTR stock from its indices.

The bitcoin price has climbed over the past 24 hours, possibly buoyed by Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell's dovish signals on Wednesday. MicroStrategy pared deep losses after **Robinhood's** (HOOD) monthly metrics indicated lower crypto trading activity, weighing on the sector.

## MSCI and Nasdaq 100 Criteria
Nasdaq added MicroStrategy to the Nasdaq 100 a year ago, with no indication of reconsideration. However, the Nasdaq 100 excludes financial firms, and MicroStrategy, in arguing for its place in MSCI indices, described operations similar to a financial firm. If Nasdaq reviews MicroStrategy's status, the annual adjustment might be the time to announce it.

In a letter to the MSCI Equity Index Committee, Executive Chairman Michael Saylor and CEO Phong Le argued that MicroStrategy merits inclusion because it isn't just a passive bitcoin accumulator but an operating company selling unique "digital credit instruments," using proceeds to buy bitcoin. They wrote that its business model, capturing the spread between capital cost and asset return, "is comparable to the centuries-old business models of banks and insurance companies."

MSCI said in September it would consult on treating companies funding digital asset purchases. On Oct. 10, it considered a rule excluding companies with at least 50% of assets in digital assets, noting similarities to investment funds. A decision is expected by Jan. 15.

Nasdaq hasn't commented on MSTR's eligibility ahead of the annual reconstitution. JPMorgan raised the possibility that other index operators could follow MSCI if it ousts MicroStrategy.

## MicroStrategy Capitalizes on Passive-Fund Demand
Saylor and Le highlighted JPMorgan research that MicroStrategy could have "up to $2.8 billion of its stock liquidated" if MSCI drops MSTR. JPMorgan estimates about $8.8 billion of MicroStrategy's $50 billion market cap is held by passive index funds tracking Nasdaq 100, MSCI, Russell, and CRSP indexes, including $1.7 billion from Nasdaq 100 funds.

For most companies, issuing common stock shouldn't affect valuation, but for firms like MicroStrategy using shares to buy bitcoin, they can grow market cap, increasing index weight and compelling passive funds to buy more shares. Potentially, there's no limit to MicroStrategy's index weighting if Saylor executes his plan: "We are going to buy all of it," he said this week.

## Bitcoin Price Impact
Without passive fund support, MicroStrategy might hit limits on crypto purchases, especially as it shifts to funding buys primarily with stock instead of high-interest preferred stock. This move comes amid concerns over convertible bond and preferred stock obligations possibly leading to bitcoin sales.

Anything restraining MicroStrategy's bitcoin buying is negative for the price, according to Saylor. At a Middle East bitcoin conference, he said, "bitcoin would probably be trading at $10,000 a coin right now" without MicroStrategy's accumulation.

Saylor and Le note MicroStrategy "has at times traded at multiples higher" than its bitcoin holdings, proving investors value their "financial acumen." However, MicroStrategy has shed most of its premium, with an enterprise value about 114% of bitcoin holdings.

Exclusion from MSCI could further erase the premium. If MSTR stock moves with bitcoin, it might dampen trading volume, making it harder to issue shares for more bitcoin buys. They also see MSCI's 50% threshold as unworkable, as a bitcoin price jump could push companies over it, compelling sales.

## MSCI vs. Trump
MicroStrategy's letter asserts MSCI's proposal "would undermine the federal government's goal of promoting digital assets while stifling innovation, impeding economic development and harming national security." They write that the Trump administration aims to facilitate digital asset investment for pension and 401(k) plans, but MSCI's proposal would deny access, moving billions away and undermining key goals.

## MSTR Stock and Bitcoin Price
Bitcoin briefly joined a gold and silver rally on Wednesday, topping $94,000 on Powell's dovish comments, but couldn't hold gains, possibly pulling back with Robinhood. After trading around $90,000 on Thursday, bitcoin bounced to $92,370 by early Friday.

MSTR stock dived 6% Thursday morning but finished 0.7% lower at 183.30. MicroStrategy is down 60% from its 52-week high and 55% since joining the Nasdaq 100. Robinhood and **Coinbase** (COIN), not in the Nasdaq 100 as financial firms, fell 9% and 2.2%, respectively.

The bitcoin price would be at $10,000 without buying by Strategy, CEO Michael Saylor says. Today's Nasdaq 100 update could slow those purchases.

Will Bitcoin Crash to $10,000? MicroStrategy's Fate Hangs on Nasdaq and MSCI Decisions

If you're looking to put $100 to work in the crypto market right now, you might be experiencing a case of sticker shock.

**Bitcoin**, despite its recent slump, is still trading close to $100,000. **Ethereum** is still trading above $3,000. And highfliers like **Solana** are still trading well above $100.

But not to worry, there's one bargain-priced cryptocurrency out there that's worth a closer look: **XRP**. Currently trading for just $2, XRP is an intriguing high-risk, high-reward crypto investment opportunity.

## How High Can XRP Go?

Within the near term, XRP has the ability to double in price. Earlier this year, XRP traded as high as $3.65, and it's not out of the question that it could soon make a run at its all-time high of $3.84.

If anything, that's a conservative estimate of just how high XRP might go over the next 12 to 24 months. According to Standard Chartered, XRP could be worth as much as $12.50 by 2028.

![XRP Stock Quote](https://g.foolcdn.com/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fg.foolcdn.com%2Fart%2Fcompanylogos%2Fmark%2FXRP.png&w=128&op=resize)

That might sound like pie-in-the-sky thinking, but it's actually based on the rising pace of institutional adoption for XRP. Known as "the banker's coin," XRP is primarily a bridge currency used to make efficient, low-cost, and extremely fast cross-border payments.

At one time, it was primarily individuals making these cross-border payments. They were sending money to family or friends abroad. For good reason, **Western Union** was among the early partners of Ripple, the company behind the XRP token.

However, it's now Wall Street banks and global financial institutions that are increasingly embracing XRP as a means to facilitate seamless cross-border money transfers. Blockchain technology has proven its worth as a means to transfer money globally quickly and efficiently, and XRP is at the forefront of this change.

![Young investor in blouse looking at smartphone in shock.](https://g.foolcdn.com/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fg.foolcdn.com%2Feditorial%2Fimages%2F846058%2Fshocked-investor-with-smartphone.jpg&w=3840&op=resize)

That's why price targets for XRP range as high as $100. These price targets are based on a view of the world in which the XRP blockchain ledger becomes the backbone of the modern financial system. In theory, this should lead to increased demand for the XRP token, which should push up its price over time.

Granted, the hype and buzz surrounding XRP has a tendency to get out of control. After all, in more than a decade, XRP has never once traded higher than a price of $4. So it's best to take $100 price targets with a grain of salt.

## How to Deploy $100 in XRP?

Prior to 2025, options for getting exposure to XRP were relatively limited. Investors typically had to sign up for an account with a major cryptocurrency exchange and then buy XRP in the spot crypto market.

But even that was challenging at times. After the SEC filed a lawsuit against Ripple in 2020, some U.S.-based cryptocurrency exchanges opted not to list the XRP token for trading out of an abundance of caution.

However, in August of this year, this SEC lawsuit against Ripple finally came to an end. Then, in November, a handful of new spot XRP exchange-traded funds (ETFs) launched.

All of these ETFs do only one thing: buy and hold XRP. So, by purchasing these ETFs, investors are getting 1:1 exposure to the price action of XRP. And they can do so via a regular brokerage account with the full blessing of U.S. regulators.

![XRP Stock Quote](https://g.foolcdn.com/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fg.foolcdn.com%2Fart%2Fcompanylogos%2Fmark%2FXRP.png&w=128&op=resize)

As a result, investors now have options for buying XRP. Instead of picking up 50 XRP tokens in the spot crypto market, they could, for example, use that $100 to buy five shares of the **Bitwise XRP ETF**. Or, they could just as easily buy spot XRP ETFs from the likes of Grayscale, Canary Capital, or 21Shares. By 2026, several more spot XRP ETFs are expected to start trading as well.

## Final Caveats for XRP Investors

That being said, investing in XRP via an ETF does not remove all risk from the equation. XRP remains a volatile and highly speculative cryptocurrency.

XRP is trading at a bargain price of $2 for a reason. It's coming off a bruising five-year legal battle with the SEC. It's facing new competition from stablecoins, which are digital currencies pegged 1:1 to the U.S. dollar. And it's dealing with the rise of new high-speed blockchains promising even faster and cheaper cross-border transfers.

That being said, a relatively modest investment could go a long way with XRP. If this high-risk, high-reward cryptocurrency ever delivers on its early promise, it could be the sort of home run investment that completely transforms a portfolio.

Currently trading at a bargain price of just $2, XRP boasts stratospherically high upside potential.

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