CoinDesk Podcast Network THE MINING POD: The 2025 Hashies: Introducing Blockspace’s Annual Awards Show
Dec 30, 2025
The hosts kick off The Hashies, celebrating the highs and lows in Bitcoin for the year. They crown Daniel Roberts as the most ascendant BTC Mining CEO and Shayne Coplan in crypto. Notable deals are discussed, from the best (CoreWeave's headline-making acquisition) to the worst (Riot's failed takeover). Investor cultures are critiqued, highlighting IRON's community versus MARA's outdated base. They also touch on the biggest crashouts and most wrecked plays, including meme coins and struggling Bitcoin treasury firms. Valentin Rousseau's accurate hashrate prediction stands out, while extreme BTC price targets get a good laugh.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Iron Energy's AI-Driven Ascent
- Iron Energy's Daniel Roberts rode AI deals and GPU cloud contracts to explosive share gains.
- The Microsoft and Dell GPU agreements positioned IRON as a top AI-neocloud contender if executed.
Polymarket's Comeback And Mainstream Wins
- Polymarket and Shayne Coplan made a dramatic comeback after legal trouble and relaunch approval.
- Prediction markets became widely respected for election pricing and regained mainstream traction.
Failed Deal That Rewrote The Industry Playbook
- The CoreWeave/Core Scientific acquisition failed but catalyzed the industry's AI retrofit narrative.
- Its failure signaled investor belief that miners could extract greater value by keeping AI upside themselves.