Will Marathon Patent Group Or Riot Blockchain Stock Grow More By 2022? (Update)

Every week, Benzinga conducts a sentiment survey to find out what traders are most excited about, interested in or thinking about as they manage and build their personal portfolios.

We surveyed a group of over 500 Benzinga investors on whether shares of Marathon Patent Group Inc MARA or Riot Blockchain Inc RIOT stock would grow the most by 2022.

Marathon Patent Vs. Riot Blockchain

Marathon is a digital asset technology company that mines cryptocurrencies, with a focus on the blockchain ecosystem. The company operates a proprietary data center in Hardin, Montana, with a maximum power capacity of 105 megawatts. 

Once fully deployed, Marathon will have 103,000 Bitmain S19 Pro Antminers in operation at this facility. The company also owns 2,060 advanced ASIC Bitcoin miners at a co-hosted facility in North Dakota.  

Our team reported the road to zero for the company was halted in March at $0.35 and had rallied to as high $5.25 in August, but fell back to end October at $2.16. While Bitcoin broke over $10,000 in August and kept going, buyers were cautious of Marathon.

But when the Bitcoin rally began to really accelerate in mid-November and December, so did Marathon. The stock nearly tripled in November, from $2.16 to $6.28, and doubled from there in December, when it peaked at $14.86 and retreated to end the year at $10.44.

Riot Blockchain builds, supports and operates a blockchain technologies ecosystem. The company is involved in digital currency mining operation, which uses specialized computers that generate digital currency, primarily Bitcoin. 

Riot also purchases and sells digital currencies, and provides accounting, audit and verification services for blockchain-based assets. The company developed TessPay, a payments ecosystem for component and sub-component supply chain settlements.

This week’s report saw 57% of respondents telling us they believe shares of Riot will grow more than Marathon by 2022.

Respondents noted there is a sufficient lack of publicly traded mining equities based in the United States. Given their popularity, it can be said Riot and Marathon are the two bitcoin mining equities most likely to reach midcap status this year. Many respondents said both firms will continue to capture retail and institutional attention in sympathy with Bitcoin’s current bull run. 

This survey was conducted by Benzinga in January 2021 and included the responses of a diverse population of adults 18 or older.

Opting into the survey was completely voluntary, with no incentives offered to potential respondents. The study reflects results from over 500 adults.

Photo courtesy of Riot Blockchain. 

This article has been updated to reflect the correct number of Bitmain S19 Pro Antminers.