HIVE launches first AI GPU cluster in Paraguay as miner expands beyond bitcoin

HIVE Digital Technologies said Wednesday that its first artificial intelligence GPU cluster in Paraguay is now running live workloads, marking an early step in the company’s effort to expand beyond its traditional bitcoin mining business.

The cluster, located in a data center in Asunción, is part of HIVE’s BUZZ AI Cloud platform and is currently processing training workloads tied to large language model research.

The deployment is designed as a proof-of-concept for running AI computing jobs across long distances, with model training initiated from New York and executed on GPU infrastructure in Paraguay. HIVE said the project will generate performance data on latency, throughput, and workload management that could inform a broader rollout of high-performance computing capacity in the country.

A research team from Columbia University is using the cluster in early testing to experiment with large language model training. According to the company, the project is non-commercial and aimed at benchmarking system performance as HIVE evaluates how its infrastructure handles AI workloads.

HIVE said the Asunción cluster is the first step in a phased plan to layer AI and high-performance computing infrastructure onto its existing energy footprint in Paraguay. The company currently operates about 300 megawatts of hydroelectric-powered infrastructure in the country, with another 100 MW under development.

Executives said the testing phase will help determine whether HIVE can expand additional data center capacity, with potential AI infrastructure buildouts extending through 2027.

Bitcoin miners pivot

The move comes as publicly traded bitcoin miners increasingly look for new revenue streams beyond traditional mining operations. While ASIC machines used for bitcoin mining cannot run AI workloads, many operators control large power contracts and data-center infrastructure that can be adapted for GPU clusters used in artificial intelligence training and inference.

HIVE has already begun repositioning parts of its business toward AI computing. Earlier this week, the company said it would phase down bitcoin mining operations in Sweden while expanding GPU data-center capacity in Canada through its BUZZ high-performance computing unit.

The strategy contrasts with some peers that have scaled back operations in Latin America. Bitfarms, for example, exited Paraguay earlier this year, selling its site as it pivoted toward AI and data-center development in North America.

Shares of HIVE were down less than 1% on Wednesday to around $2.20, according to The Block’s price data. The stock has mostly traded between $2 and $3 over the past four years, aside from short-lived spikes above $5 during crypto market rallies.