IREN Unusual Options: $5.9M Pre-Earnings Positioning (Aug 26)
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π₯ IREN: Bitcoin Miner to AI Giant - Whale Drops $5.9M on Transformation Bet!
π August 26, 2025 | π₯ Extreme Unusual Activity Detected
π― The Quick Take
Someone just unloaded $5.9 MILLION into IREN options - a 9/10 EXTREME unusual score that's 2,050x larger than average! π With IREN up 118.83% YTD at $22.89, this whale is making a massive contrarian bet through PUT sells and CALL buys, signaling supreme confidence in the company's pivot from Bitcoin mining to AI infrastructure. This isn't just unusual - it's UNPRECEDENTED activity ahead of earnings on August 28th! π
π° Company Overview
IREN Limited (NASDAQ: IREN) is a vertically integrated data center company transforming from pure Bitcoin mining into a dual-revenue powerhouse combining crypto and AI infrastructure.
Key Facts: - π° Market Cap: $5.59 billion - π Industry: Data Center Infrastructure (Bitcoin Mining + AI) - π± Unique Edge: 100% renewable energy operations - π₯ Employees: 144 - π YTD Performance: +118.83%
The company operates massive data centers powered exclusively by renewable energy, currently mining Bitcoin at 50 EH/s while rapidly expanding into AI cloud services with 8,500 NVIDIA GPUs including the latest H100, H200, and Blackwell B200 models.
π° The Option Flow Breakdown
π What Just Happened
Let me break down these monster trades that hit the tape:
| Time | Symbol | Side | Type | Expiration | Strike | Premium | Volume | OI | Size | Spot Price | Option Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12:59:57 | IREN20270115P25 | SELL | PUT | 2027-01-15 | $25 | $4.8M | 5K | 94 | 5,000 | $23.19 | $9.60 |
| 12:12:36 | IREN20260320C40 | BUY | CALL | 2026-03-20 | $40 | $1.1M | 4K | 2.7K | 4,000 | $22.72 | $2.76 |
Total Premium: $5.9M across 9,000 contracts!
π€ What This Actually Means
Real talk: This trade scored a 9/10 EXTREME unusual score - that's "once in a lifetime" territory! π
Here's the translation for us regular folks:
Trade 1: The Put Sell ($4.8M Premium - BULLISH) - Collecting $9.60 per contract in premium - Obligated to buy IREN at $25 if assigned - Breakeven: $15.40 (33% below current price!) - Expiration: January 2027 (16 months away!) - Translation: This whale is so confident IREN won't crash, they're willing to guarantee buying at $25 for the next 16 months!
Trade 2: The Call Buy ($1.1M Premium - ULTRA BULLISH) - Paying $2.76 per contract - Right to buy IREN at $40 - Breakeven: $42.76 - Expiration: March 2026 (7 months away) - Translation: Same whale expects IREN to nearly DOUBLE from current levels!
Combined Analysis: - Unusualness: 2,050x larger than average IREN option trade! - This isn't hedging - it's a MASSIVE directional bet on IREN's transformation - The long-dated nature (2026-2027) suggests institutional confidence in the AI pivot
Translation: Someone with DEEP pockets just bet the farm that IREN's pivot from Bitcoin to AI will send this stock to the moon! π
π Technical Setup / Chart Check-Up

Looking at the YTD performance, IREN has been on an absolute tear:
Key Metrics: - π YTD Return: +118.83% - π Current Price: $22.89 - π 52-Week Range: $5.50 - $23.19 - πͺ Recent Volume: 19.0M daily average - π’ Volatility: High (crypto + AI = wild ride!)
Technical Levels: - π― Current: $22.89 - π‘οΈ Put Strike: $25 (9% upside to assignment) - π Call Strike: $40 (75% upside needed!) - π Support: $20 (psychological level) - π΄ Resistance: $25 (previous high area)
Translation: IREN has already more than doubled this year, but this whale thinks we're just getting started! π
πͺ Upcoming Catalysts
Buckle up! Here's what's about to drop:
π Q4 2025 Earnings - August 28, 2025 (2 DAYS AWAY!)
- Analyst expectations: $0.17 EPS on $171.95M revenue
- Earnings call at 5:00 PM ET
- Critical insights on AI expansion progress expected
π€ AI Infrastructure Expansion - Q4 2025
- 50MW liquid-cooled AI data center (Horizon 1) deployment
- 4,200 NVIDIA Blackwell B200 GPUs ($193M investment)
- $300-350M capital expenditure for AI development
- Annualized AI revenue run-rate: $26-28M (and growing!)
βοΈ Legal Victory - NYDIG Settlement Completed
- Confidential settlement resolved $105M equipment loan dispute
- Removes major operational uncertainty
- Clears path for aggressive expansion
ποΈ West Texas Mega Expansion - 2028 Target
- 2GW data center hub planned
- Leveraging abundant renewable energy
- Positioned to capture AI infrastructure boom
β‘ Bitcoin Mining Excellence
- 50 EH/s hashrate achieved (industry milestone)
- 15 J/TH efficiency (industry-leading)
- 728 Bitcoins mined in July 2025
- All-in cost: $41,000 per Bitcoin
π² Price Targets & Probabilities
Based on the massive option flow and transformation catalysts:
π Bull Case (35% chance)
Target: $40-$45 by mid-2026 - AI revenue explodes beyond expectations - Bitcoin continues rallying past $100K - Successfully captures dual-revenue synergies - This whale's $40 calls print massive gains!
βοΈ Base Case (45% chance)
Target: $28-$35 - Steady AI infrastructure buildout - Bitcoin mining remains profitable - Gradual revenue diversification - Stock grinds higher toward $30s
π° Bear Case (20% chance)
Target: $18-$22 - AI competition intensifies - Bitcoin price correction - Execution challenges in pivot - Still well above put assignment breakeven at $15.40!
π‘ Trading Ideas
π‘οΈ Conservative Play: "The Premium Collector"
- Strategy: Sell $20 puts, 30-45 days out
- Premium: ~$1.50-2.00 per contract
- Why it works: Collect premium with 13% downside cushion
- Risk: Assignment if IREN drops below $20
βοΈ Balanced Play: "Mini Transformation Bet"
- Strategy: Buy $25/$35 call spread for January 2026
- Cost: ~$2.50 per spread
- Max profit: $7.50 per spread (200% return)
- Why it works: Limited risk, solid reward if AI pivot succeeds
π Aggressive Play: "Follow the Whale"
- Strategy: Buy $35 calls for March 2026
- Cost: ~$3.50-4.00 per contract
- Why it works: Similar thesis to the whale, smaller size
- Risk: Total loss if IREN doesn't reach $38-39
β οΈ Risk Factors
Let's keep it real - here's what could go wrong:
- Execution Risk: Pivoting from crypto to AI isn't easy - many have failed
- Capital Intensive: Both Bitcoin mining and AI require massive CAPEX
- Bitcoin Volatility: Crypto revenue can swing wildly with BTC price
- Competition: Every miner is trying to pivot to AI
- Dilution Risk: May need to raise more capital for expansion
- Energy Costs: Despite renewables, energy price spikes hurt margins
π― The Bottom Line
Real talk: Someone just made one of the BIGGEST bets we've EVER seen on IREN - a $5.9 million position that's 2,050x larger than average! This isn't just unusual, it's EXTREME! π
Here's your action plan:
If you own IREN: - Hold through earnings on August 28th - this whale knows something - Consider taking profits above $30 - Watch the $25 level as key psychological resistance
If you're watching: - Earnings in 2 days could be the catalyst - Any dip toward $20 could be a gift - AI infrastructure story is just beginning
If you're bearish: - You're fighting a $4.8 million put seller - Wait for clear breakdown below $20 - This whale has 16 months to be right
Mark your calendar: August 28th earnings is THIS WEEK! Plus watch for Q4 AI data center launch updates! π’
Remember: When someone bets $5.9 million on a Bitcoin miner pivoting to AI, they either have inside knowledge about the transformation, or they're about to learn an expensive lesson. Given IREN's renewable energy advantage and early AI positioning, my money's on the former! π°
The fact that Wall Street analysts are raising targets with Canaccord at $23, B. Riley at $22, and Macquarie at $20 suggests the smart money sees what this whale sees - a unique play on both crypto AND AI infrastructure!
β οΈ Options involve risk and are not suitable for all investors. This whale-sized bet is extraordinary and not typical. Always do your own research and never invest more than you can afford to lose. Not financial advice - just one trader sharing what the big money is doing!
π‘ Join investors and traders who stopped guessing and started tracking institutional option flows. When whales move $25M+ in a single day, there's always a reason. See our premium daily analysis sample and proven flashback trades that caught major moves before they happened. Don't be the last to know.
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