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Commitments and Contingencies
 3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2024
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies Commitments and Contingencies
Service Agreements
On October 18, 2023, the Company entered into a Hosting Agreement with Joshi Petroleum, LLC (the “Joshi Hosting Agreement”) for rack space, network services, electrical connections, routine facility maintenance, and technical support of certain of the Company’s mining equipment. The Joshi Hosting Agreement has an initial term of three years with subsequent one year renewal periods until either party provides written notice to the other party of its desire to avoid and given renewal term at least 30 days in advance of the conclusion of the prior initial term or renewal period. As required by the Joshi Hosting Agreement, the Company paid a deposit of $0.3 million representing the last two months of estimated service fees. For the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, the Company incurred costs under the Joshi Hosting Agreement of $0.4 million and nil, respectively.
On April 4, 2023, the Company entered into a Master Hosting Services Agreement with Rebel Mining Company, LLC (the “Rebel Hosting Agreement”) for rack space, network services, electrical connections, routine facility maintenance, and technical support of certain of the Company’s mining equipment. The Rebel Hosting Agreement has a term of three years with subsequent one year renewal periods. As required by the Rebel Hosting Agreement, the Company paid deposits of $2.6 million representing the last two months of estimated service fees. For the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, the Company incurred costs under the Rebel Hosting Agreement of $1.5 million and nil, respectively.
On February 8, 2023, the Company entered into a Hosting Agreement with Lancium FS 25, LLC (the “Lancium Hosting Agreement”) for rack space, network services, electrical connections, routine facility maintenance, and technical support of certain of the Company’s mining equipment. The Lancium Hosting Agreement has a term of two years with subsequent one year renewal periods. As required by the Lancium Hosting Agreement, the Company paid a deposit of $0.2 million representing a partial payment towards the last two months of estimated service fees. For the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, the Company incurred costs under the Lancium Hosting Agreement of $0.8 million and nil, respectively.
In December 2022, the Compute North master agreement was assigned to GC Data Center Granbury, LLC (the “GC Data Center MA”) and has a term of five years from such assignment date. Under the GC Data Center MA, the monthly service fee is payable based on the actual hashrate performance of the equipment per miner type per location as a percentage of the anticipated monthly hashrate per miner type. As required by the service agreement, the Company paid a deposit of $0.5 million representing the last two months of estimated service fees. In the first quarter of 2024, the GC Data Center MA was assumed by Marathon Digital Holdings and will be referred to as the Marathon MA going forward. The Company incurred costs under the Marathon MA of $1.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024. The Company incurred costs under the GC Data Center MA of $1.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2023.
Hosting Sub-License
On October 5, 2021, the Company entered into a Sub-License and Delegation Agreement (“Hosting Sub-Lease”) by and between Gryphon Digital Mining, Inc. (“Gryphon”) and the Company, which assigned to the Company certain Master Services Agreement, dated as of September 12, 2021 (the “Core Scientific MSA”), by and between Core Scientific, Inc. (“Core Scientific”), and Gryphon and Master Services Agreement Order #2 (“Order 2”). The agreement allowed for approximately 230 MW of carbon neutral digital mining hosting capacity to be managed by Core Scientific as hosting partner.
On January 16, 2024, the Company reached a settlement agreement (the “Settlement Agreement”) with Core Scientific, which was approved by a United States Bankruptcy Judge on January 16, 2024 as part of Core Scientific’s emergence from bankruptcy, for $10.0 million of Core Scientific’s equity. The Settlement Agreement includes access to potential additional funds for interest as well as an additional equity pool if the value of Core Scientific’s equity decreases below plan value in the 18 months after the date of the Settlement Agreement commensurate with the other unsecured creditors. On January 23, 2024, the Company received 2,050,982 shares of Core Scientific Inc. common stock trading under the Nasdaq symbol CORZ, which is included in investment in equity securities at March 31, 2024.
Letters of credit
During the ordinary course of business, the Company provides standby letters of credit to third parties as required for certain transactions initiated by the Company. As of March 31, 2024, the Company has no standby letters of credit outstanding.
Litigation
The Company is, from time to time, subject to claims and suits arising in the ordinary course of business. The Company cannot predict the final outcome of such proceedings. Where appropriate, the Company vigorously defends such claims, lawsuits and proceedings. Paid expenses related to the defense of such claims are recorded by the Company as incurred and paid. On the basis of current information, the Company does not believe there is a reasonable possibility that a material loss, if any, will result from any claims, lawsuits and proceedings to which the Company is subject to either individually, or in the aggregate.
On April 7, 2023, the Company filed a suit against Gryphon in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. The Company alleges, among other things, that Gryphon materially breached its obligations to the Company, both its contractual duties under the Gryphon Master Services Agreement (the “Gryphon MSA”) dated August 19, 2021, and its fiduciary duties, including as a custodian of the Company’s assets. On August 22, 2023, Gryphon asserted counterclaims alleging breach of contract, breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, negligence in managing its computer systems, and defamation. On November 7, 2023, Gryphon voluntarily dismissed its defamation claim. Gryphon has amended its complaint several times, and on December 14, 2023, added a second breach of contract claim predicated on another alleged breach of the Gryphon MSA. On February 2, 2024, the Company filed a partial motion to dismiss the second breach of contract claim, the negligence claim, and the breach of the implied covenant claim for failure to state a claim. On February 16, 2024, the court so-ordered a stipulation agreed to by the parties dismissing the second breach of contract claim, the negligence claim, and the breach of the implied covenant claim with prejudice. The so-ordered stipulation expressly preserves the Company’s ability to seek the recovery of its costs and attorney’s fees incurred in connection with the dismissed claims. The Company disputes the allegations against it and intends to vigorously defend itself and to vigorously pursue its claims against Gryphon. At this preliminary stage, the Company believes that Gryphon’s claims lack merit; however, because this litigation is still at this early stage, the Company cannot reasonably estimate the likelihood of an unfavorable outcome or the magnitude of such an outcome, if any.
On March 19, 2024, the Company filed a separate lawsuit against Gryphon in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. The Company alleged that Gryphon converted Sphere’s certain digital assets after the termination of the Gryphon MSA. After the Company filed the lawsuit, Gryphon returned proceeds stemming from the sale of Bitcoin. The Company subsequently dismissed the suit without prejudice.