The Bull Case For GLXY With Duncan & Rittenhouse Research
The Bull Case For GLXY With Duncan & Rittenhouse Research
278 days agoEmpireBlockworks
Podcast1 hr 35 min
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Note: AI-generated summary based on third-party content. Not financial advice. Read more.
Quick Insights

Galaxy Digital (GLXY) offers a compelling investment at the intersection of institutional crypto adoption and the AI infrastructure boom. The company's primary value driver is its massive Helios data center, which has secured a high-margin, 15-year lease with AI cloud provider CoreWeave. Analysts suggest a current sum-of-the-parts valuation of $55 per share with a long-term price target of $100, representing significant upside. Beyond AI, its mature financial services platform is viewed as the "Goldman Sachs of crypto" and a prime acquisition target. Investors should monitor the upcoming August 5th earnings report for critical updates on the data center's expansion.

Detailed Analysis

Galaxy Digital (GLXY)

The podcast presents a comprehensive and very bullish case for Galaxy Digital, framing it as a deeply misunderstood and undervalued company with massive upside potential. The core thesis is that GLXY offers unique exposure to two of the biggest secular growth trends: institutional crypto adoption and the AI infrastructure boom.

The business is broken down into three main components:

  1. The Balance Sheet: A source of financial strength and a key competitive advantage.
  2. The Crypto Business: A mature, institutional-grade financial services platform, described as the "Goldman Sachs of crypto."
  3. The Data Center Business: The most exciting and misunderstood component, positioned to capitalize on the massive demand for AI-powered data centers.

Key Valuation Points & Price Targets:

  • One guest stated a personal long-term price target of $100 per share in the next few years.
  • A sum-of-the-parts analysis suggests a potential current value of $55 per share ($9 for the balance sheet, $16 for the crypto business, and $30 for the data center business).
  • The stock is currently trading around $26-$28.
  • Galaxy's upcoming earnings report on August 5th is a key date to watch for updates.

The Data Center Business (Helios)

This is presented as the primary driver of future value for Galaxy. The company is pivoting a massive Bitcoin mining site into a state-of-the-art AI data center.

  • Macro Trend: The AI boom has created an insatiable demand for power and data centers. Hyperscalers like Meta, Microsoft, and Google are spending over $100 billion each on this infrastructure. The biggest bottleneck is not chips or capital, but access to power, which Galaxy has secured.
  • The Helios Site: Galaxy owns the Helios site in West Texas, which has 800 megawatts (MW) of approved power. This is a massive and scarce asset.
  • The CoreWeave Deal:
    • Galaxy has signed a 15-year lease with AI cloud provider CoreWeave for 600 MW of the Helios site.
    • This deal is expected to generate $900 million in average annual revenue with extremely high EBITDA margins of ~90%.
    • CoreWeave has an option to lease the remaining 200 MW, which the speakers expect them to take.
  • Massive Expansion Potential:
    • Galaxy has already applied for an additional 1.7 gigawatts (GW) of power at the Helios site.
    • Management expects this to be approved in two tranches (800 MW and 900 MW), with the first tranche approval possible by the end of the year.
    • If fully developed, Helios would be one of the largest and most valuable data centers in the world, on par with facilities being built by Meta and Amazon.
  • Risk Factor: The primary risk is customer concentration, as the data center business currently relies on a single tenant, CoreWeave. However, the podcast argues that fears about CoreWeave's financial health are overblown, as its debt is tied to specific, secured customer contracts.

Takeaways

  • The data center business alone could be worth more than Galaxy's entire current market cap. The existing 800 MW deal has a present value estimated at $30 per share.
  • This is a play on the "picks and shovels" of the AI revolution. Galaxy owns the "power," which is the most critical resource.
  • Investors should watch for news on:
    • CoreWeave exercising its 200 MW option (deadline in September).
    • Regulatory approval for the 1.7 GW power expansion.
    • Updates on the construction timeline and financing, which is expected to be 80% debt and 20% equity (which Galaxy already has).

The Crypto Business

Galaxy is described as the only comprehensive, institutional-grade financial services platform in crypto, making it a prime acquisition target for a legacy institution like BlackRock or Goldman Sachs.

  • Trading & Lending: Galaxy operates a massive trading desk with nearly 1,400 institutional counterparties and over $10 billion in quarterly volume. They recently executed a $9 billion Bitcoin trade for a single whale. Their lending book is nearly $900 million.
  • Asset Management: The company has over $7 billion in assets under management (AUM) and $3 billion in staked assets, making them the 4th largest validator on Solana.
  • Infrastructure & "Sleepers":
    • Through its GK8 platform, Galaxy is involved in custody and tokenization.
    • Galaxy owns 33% of AllUnity, one of the first fully regulated Euro stablecoins. This is seen as a "sleeping giant" that could be worth billions on its own if it becomes the "Circle of Europe."
  • Valuation: A Goldman Sachs report valued this segment of the business at $6.4 billion, using a 35x P/E multiple, which is more in line with high-growth crypto companies than traditional banks.

Takeaways

  • This segment provides a holistic way to invest in the growth of the entire crypto ecosystem, from trading and lending to staking and tokenization.
  • The business is positioned to scale revenues significantly as institutional adoption increases, while costs are expected to remain relatively fixed, leading to high profitability.
  • The AllUnity stablecoin venture is a key, under-the-radar catalyst that is not currently priced into the stock.

The Balance Sheet

Galaxy's strong balance sheet is a critical differentiator that enables its growth and separates it from weaker competitors.

  • Composition: The company holds a strong liquid position of roughly $3.3 - $3.5 billion, consisting of:
    • ~$1.8 billion in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Solana (SOL), Hype (HYPE), and Sui (SUI).
    • $1 billion in stablecoins.
    • $500 million in cash from a recent raise.
  • Competitive Advantage: This financial strength allows Galaxy to fund the capital-intensive data center build-out without significant shareholder dilution, unlike struggling Bitcoin miners.

Takeaways

  • The balance sheet provides a stable foundation and the capital needed to execute on the massive data center opportunity.
  • Owning GLXY stock gives investors indirect exposure to a diversified portfolio of major crypto assets.

Bitcoin Miners (CORZ, WULF)

The podcast uses Bitcoin miners as a point of comparison to highlight Galaxy's superior position.

  • Sentiment: Generally bearish as long-term investments.
  • Context: Bitcoin mining is described as a "horrible business" historically, characterized by burning cash and massively diluting shareholders (TerraWolf (WULF) was cited as having tripled its share count).
  • Key Weakness: While many miners talk about pivoting to AI, they lack the strong balance sheets, credibility, and relationships to secure deals with hyperscalers. Galaxy has all three.

Takeaways

  • Galaxy is presented as a much safer and more credible way to play the "Bitcoin miner to AI data center" pivot theme.
  • Investors should be wary of the significant financial and execution risks associated with most publicly traded Bitcoin miners attempting this transition.
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Episode Description
Gm! This week, Duncan and Matt join Yano to dive into Galaxy the day before their quarterly earnings drop. In this episode, Duncan and Matt dive into Galaxy’s unique business model and how it’s perfectly positioned for the AI, crypto and datacenter narratives and how this will propel GLXY stock, as we move into the future.  -- Start your day with crypto news, analysis and data from Katherine Ross. Subscribe to the Empire newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/empire?utm_source=podcasts -- Follow Rittenhouse Research: https://x.com/RHouseResearch Follow Duncan: https://x.com/FloodCapital Follow Jason: https://x.com/JasonYanowitz Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod -- Join the Empire Telegram: https://t.me/+CaCYvTOB4Eg1OWJh -- SKALE is the next evolution in Layer 1 blockchains with a gas-free invisible user experience, instant finality, high speed, and robust security. SKALE is built different as it allows for limitless scalability and has already saved its 50 Million users over $11 Billion in gas fees. SKALE is high-performance and cost-effective, making it ideal for compute-intensive applications like AI, gaming, and consumer-facing dApps. Learn more at https://skale.space and stay up to date with the gas-free invisible blockchain on X at @skalenetwork -- Katana is a DeFi-first chain built for deep liquidity and high yield. No empty emissions, just real yield and sequencer fees routed back to DeFi users. Pre-deposit now: Earn high APRs with Turtle Club [https://app.turtle.club/campaigns/katana] or spin the wheel with Katana Krates [https://app.katana.network/krates] -- Ledn is the leading platform for Bitcoin-backed loans, offering a secure and transparent way to unlock liquidity without selling your Bitcoin. Ledn has issued over $9 billion in loans since 2018 and has never lost a single satoshi of client assets, earning a reputation as the name you can trust in the crypto space.Visit https://www.ledn.io to learn more. -- Chapters: (02:32) Unpacking Galaxy (06:35) Bitcoin Mining (14:01) Crypto Business (16:02) Ads (Skale, Katana) (17:32) Galaxy’s Products (24:43) Goldman Sachs’ Valuation (check) (31:58) Data Center Business (42:39) Ads (Skale, Katana) (44:10) Galaxy’s Business Evolution (53:40) Economics Explored (01:01:06) Data Center Developments (01:13:05) Ads (LEDN) (01:14:06) Challenges (01:26:55) GLXY Stock Analysis — Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.
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