EDF sold 64% of Exaion, its subsidiary specialized in computing, cloud and blockchain with around 70 engineers, to US Bitcoin mining giant MARA Holdings for 148 million euros. Bercy authorized the sale on February 20, 2026, despite political outrage and a competing French offer worth 30 million euros plus 150 million euros in equipment. A lobbying disclosure filed with France’s HATVP confirms that consultancy Forward Global worked for MARA to obtain approval from the Ministry of Finance, with targets reaching up to the Élysée and Matignon. A former MARA Europe director is suing the company in New York since July 2026, claiming over 11 million euros in commissions and alleging that CEO Fred Thiel commented on Bercy’s green light with a « good job for the conquest of Gaul », accusations MARA calls « fabricated or totally unfounded ».
Source: Read the original article
