Argo Blockchain plc, a global leader in cryptocurrency mining (LSE: ARB; NASDAQ: ARBK), is pleased to announce its results for the six months to 30 June 2023.

Highlights

●    Reduced non-mining operating costs and expenses by 21% in Q2 2023 compared to the prior quarter, resulting in a positive Adjusted EBITDA of $1.0 million for the quarter (Adjusted EBITDA of $2.3 million for H1 2023)

●    Reduced debt by $4 million during the quarter to $75 million as of 30 June 2023, a $68 million reduction from $143 million at 30 June 2022

●    Total number of Bitcoin and Bitcoin Equivalent ("BTC") mined during H1 2023 was 947, a 1% increase over the BTC mined in H1 2022, despite a 78% increase in the global hashrate from 30 June 2022 to 30 June 2023

●    Revenues of $24.0 million for H1 2023, a decrease of 31% from H1 2022, driven primarily by a decrease in Bitcoin price and the increase in the global hashrate and associated network difficulty

●    Net loss was $18.8 million for H1 2023, compared to a net loss of $39.6 million in H1 2022

●    The Company ended June 2023 with $9.1 million of cash and 46 Bitcoin or Bitcoin Equivalent (together, "BTC") on its balance sheet; post the period end, the Company raised $7.5 million in gross proceeds via a share placement in July 2023

Post-period highlights

●    Increased total hashrate capacity to 2.6 EH/s with the deployment of 1,242 BlockMiner machines at its Quebec facilities

●    Expect to deploy an additional 1,628 BlockMiners in the coming months, increasing the Company's total hashrate capacity to 2.8 EH/s

●    In July 2023, the Company raised $7.5 million of gross proceeds via a share placement with institutional and retail investors in the UK; the Company used a portion of these proceeds to repay approximately $1.8 million in debt, and the Company's debt balance at the end of July 2023 was $72 million

●    The Company is involved in advanced discussions to sell certain non-core assets, and it continues to evaluate options for further reducing debt

Fixed Price Power Purchase Agreement at Helios

During H1 2023, the Company achieved a mining margin of 42%, which is an increase from the mining margin in H2 2022 of 33%. One of the primary drivers of the improved mining margin was the establishment of a fixed price power purchase agreement ("PPA") at Helios in H1 2023, which covers a substantial portion of the facility's electricity load. In addition to providing greater certainty of power costs at Helios going forward, the fixed price PPA also allows the Company to generate power credits via economic curtailment. In Q2 2023, the Company generated approximately $1.1 million in power credits, and it expects to generate more significant power credits during Q3 2023 as a result of the continued heat wave in Texas.

Non-IFRS Measures

The following table shows a reconciliation of mining margin percentage to gross margin, the most directly comparable IFRS measure, for the six month periods ended 30 June 2023 and 30 June 2022.

The following table shows a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to net (loss) / income, the most directly comparable IFRS measure, for the six month periods ended 30 June 2023 and 30 June 2022.

Inside Information and Forward-Looking Statements

This announcement contains inside information and includes forward-looking statements which reflect the Company's current views, interpretations, beliefs or expectations with respect to the Company's financial performance, business strategy and plans and objectives of management for future operations. These statements include forward-looking statements both with respect to the Company and the sector and industry in which the Company operates. Statements which include the words "remains confident", "expects", "intends", "plans", "believes", "projects", "anticipates", "will", "targets", "aims", "may", "would", "could", "continue", "estimate", "future", "opportunity", "potential" or, in each case, their negatives, and similar statements of a future or forward-looking nature identify forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements address matters that involve risks and uncertainties because they relate to events that may or may not occur in the future, including the risk that the Company may receive the benefits contemplated by its transactions with Galaxy, the Company may be unable to secure sufficient additional financing to meet its operating needs, and the Company may not generate sufficient working capital to fund its operations for the next twelve months as contemplated. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Accordingly, there are or will be important factors that could cause the Company's actual results, prospects and performance to differ materially from those indicated in these statements. In addition, even if the Company's actual results, prospects and performance are consistent with the forward-looking statements contained in this document, those results may not be indicative of results in subsequent periods. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this announcement. Subject to any obligations under the Prospectus Regulation Rules, the Market Abuse Regulation, the Listing Rules and the Disclosure and Transparency Rules and except as required by the FCA, the London Stock Exchange, the City Code or applicable law and regulations, the Company undertakes no obligation publicly to update or review any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise. For a more complete discussion of factors that could cause our actual results to differ from those described in this announcement, please refer to the filings that Company makes from time to time with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority, including the section entitled "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 20-F.

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About Argo:

Argo Blockchain plc is a dual-listed (LSE: ARB; NASDAQ: ARBK) blockchain technology company focused on large-scale cryptocurrency mining. With mining facilities in Quebec, mining operations in Texas, and offices in the US, Canada, and the UK, Argo's global, sustainable operations are predominantly powered by renewable energy. In 2021, Argo became the first climate positive cryptocurrency mining company, and a signatory to the Crypto Climate Accord. For more information, visit www.argoblockchain.com.

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