STOCKHOLDERS' DEFICIT

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2024

Equity [Abstract]

STOCKHOLDERS' DEFICIT

12. STOCKHOLDERS' DEFICIT

Pre-emergence from Bankruptcy

Authorized Capital

As of December 31, 2023, the Company was authorized to issue 10.0 billion shares of common stock, $0.0001 par value. The holders of the Company’s common stock were entitled to one vote per share.

As a result of the Business Combination, all of XPDI’s Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock automatically converted into 30.8 million shares of Core common stock on a one-for-one basis. XPDI’s 8.6 million public warrants issued in its initial public offering (the “Public Warrants”) and 6.3 million warrants issued in connection with private placement at the time of XPDI’s initial public offering (the “Private Placement Warrants”) became warrants for Core common stock.

Following the Business Combination with XPDI, each share of common stock or warrant was converted to shares of Core common stock or a warrant to purchase shares of Core common stock based on an exchange ratio of 1.60015286880.

Equity Line of Credit

In July 2022, the Company entered into a common stock purchase agreement (the “Equity Line of Credit”) and a Registration Rights Agreement (the “Registration Rights Agreement”) with B. Riley. Pursuant to the Equity Line of Credit, the Company had the right to sell to B. Riley, up to $100.0 million of shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “ELOC Common Stock”), subject to certain limitations and conditions set forth in the Equity Line of Credit, from time to time during the term of the Equity Line of Credit. Sales of ELOC Common Stock pursuant to the Equity Line of Credit, and the timing of any sales, were solely at the Company’s option, and the Company was under no obligation to sell any securities to B. Riley under the Equity Line of Credit. The Equity Line of Credit was terminated as a result of the Plan of Reorganization and the obligations of the parties under the Equity Line of Credit were extinguished.

As consideration for B. Riley’s commitment to purchase shares of Common Stock at the Company’s direction upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Equity Line of Credit, upon execution of the Equity Line of Credit in July 2022, the Company issued 0.6 million shares to B. Riley with a fair value of $1.1 million at issuance which was recorded within other non-operating expenses, net on the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Operations and presented as equity line of credit expenses on the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. In addition, the Company reimbursed $0.1 million of reasonable legal fees and disbursements of B. Riley’s legal counsel in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Equity Line of Credit and the Registration Rights Agreement.

During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company issued 13.4 million shares under the Equity Line of Credit for a total sales price to B. Riley of $20.7 million is net of $0.6 million for the fixed 3.0% discount to the VWAP described above which was recorded within other non-operating expenses, net on the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Operations and presented as equity line of credit expenses on the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. During the year ended December 31, 2023, the Company did not issue any shares under the Equity Line of Credit. No shares of common stock were available to be issued under the Equity Line of Credit as of December 31, 2023, and the Equity Line of Credit was terminated as a result of the Plan of Reorganization.

Warrant Exercises

In March 2020, the Company issued warrants to the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors to purchase up to 6.4 million shares of the Company’s common stock at an exercise price of $0.84 per share (as amended). In March 2022, a warrant holder exercised their warrant to purchase 3.2 million shares in a cashless exercise resulting in 2.9 million net shares issued to the warrant holder after withholding 0.3 million shares for the exercise price.

In March 2020, the Company issued warrants to service providers in exchange for services provided related to the issuance of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock. The warrants were for an aggregate of 0.2 million shares at an exercise price of $4.27 per share.

During the year ended December 31, 2022, 4.4 million of the warrants were exercised in a cashless exercise resulting in 3.0 million net shares issued to the warrant holders.

There were no warrant exercises during the year ended December 31, 2023.

Convertible Note Exercises

As discussed in Note 8 — Convertible and Other Notes Payable, the Company issued $514.8 million of Convertible Notes in 2021 along with issuing an additional $31.4 million from issuance through December 31, 2022, as payment-in-kind interest on convertible notes outstanding. The Convertible Notes became convertible into common shares at the option of the holder at a conversion price equal to $8.00 per share upon the closing of the Merger Agreement with XPDI in January 2022. During the year ended December 31, 2022, $1.6 million of Convertible Notes were exercised resulting in 0.2 million shares issued to the holders of the Convertible Notes that were exercised. There were no exercises of Convertible Notes during the year ended December 31, 2023.

SPAC Vesting Shares

1.7 million common shares are subject to vesting requirements, as described further in Note 4 — Business Combination and Restructuring. These contingently issuable shares do not require future service in order to vest and do not result in stock-based compensation expense. The SPAC Vesting Shares are accounted for as an equity contract, and meet the criteria for equity classification. The Company has recorded the SPAC Vesting Shares within additional paid-in capital on the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2023.

Vendor Settlement

In March 2022, the Company issued 1.6 million shares of the Company’s common stock related to a vendor liability that had been assumed by the Company in July 2021 as part of the Blockcap acquisition. In addition, the vendor liability required settlement in cash based on the difference between the weighted average of the closing price of the Company’s common stock for each day there was a closing price during the thirty consecutive days immediately prior to the expiration of the lockup period (defined in the agreement as 180 days from the date from the closing of the XPDI merger) and the $21.3 million contractual amount of the liability. During the year ended December 31, 2022, we recorded $9.5 million, within Other non-operating expenses, net on the Consolidated Statements of Operations related to changes in the fair value of the vendor liability. There were no changes in the fair value of the vendor liability during the year ended December 31, 2023. As of December 31, 2023, the fair value of the liability of $18.1 million was recorded within Liabilities subject to compromise on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Equity Incentive Plans

At the Special Meeting in connection with the XPDI Merger, the stockholders of XPDI approved the Core Scientific, Inc. 2021 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2021 Plan”). Awards granted under the 2021 Plan may be incentive stock options (subject to satisfaction of applicable statutory requirements), non-qualified stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock and stock units, performance awards and other cash-based or stock-based awards. Awards granted under the 2021 Plan are subject to a minimum vesting period of at least one year commencing from the date of grant. Additionally, options granted under the plan must expire within ten years of the grant date and must be granted with exercise prices of no less than the fair value of the common stock on the grant date, as determined by the Company’s Board of Directors. Following the consummation of the Business Combination, the Company expects that its Board of Directors will make grants of awards under the 2021 Plan to eligible participants. The maximum number of shares of the Company’s common stock that may be issued under the 2021 Plan is 45.0 million shares. As of the Effective date of the Plan of Reorganization, the Company no longer grants equity incentive awards under the 2021 Plan.

Equity Rights Offering

On November 20, 2023, the Company commenced an equity rights offering (the “Equity Rights Offering”) of common shares of the reorganized Company (the “ERO Shares”) in an aggregate amount of $55 million. On the Effective Date, the Company issued 15,648,896 shares on account of the Equity Rights Offering in exchange for the cash proceeds. Also, on November 16, 2023, the Company entered into an agreement (the “Backstop Commitment Letter”) with the parties named therein (the “Commitment Parties”), pursuant to which the Commitment Parties agreed to severally and not jointly backstop $37.1 million of the Equity Rights Offering (the “Backstop Commitment”), subject to the terms and conditions of the Backstop Commitment Letter. The subscription period for the ERO expired on January 5, 2024. The Equity Rights Offering was oversubscribed and the aggregate subscriptions (including over subscriptions) exceeded the number of ERO Shares offered to be purchased as part of the Equity Rights Offering. The results of the

Equity Rights Offering rendered the previously arranged Backstop Commitment unnecessary, however, on the Effective Date, the Company issued 2,111,178 New Common Stock shares on account of the underlying backstop fee associated with the Backstop Commitment.

Emergence from Bankruptcy

As disclosed in Note 1 — Organization and Description of Business, on December 21, 2022, the Debtors filed the Chapter 11 Cases in the Bankruptcy Court seeking relief under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code.

On January 15, 2024, the Debtors filed with the Bankruptcy Court the Plan of Reorganization, and on January 16, 2024, the Bankruptcy Court entered the Confirmation Order.

On the Effective Date, the Plan of Reorganization became effective in accordance with its terms and the Debtors emerged from the Chapter 11 Cases. On the Effective Date, in connection with the effectiveness of, and pursuant to the terms of, the Plan of Reorganization and the Confirmation Order, the Company’s common stock outstanding immediately before the Effective Date was canceled and is of no further force or effect, and the new organizational documents of the Company became effective, authorizing the issuance of shares of common stock, par value $0.00001 per share (the “New Common Stock”). In accordance with the foregoing, on the Effective Date, the Company, as reorganized on the Effective Date and in accordance with the Plan of Reorganization, issued the: (i) New Common Stock, (ii) Warrants, (iii) CVRs, (iv) New Secured Convertible Notes, (v) Secured Notes and (vi) the GUC CVRs (each, as defined below). Such securities, rights, or interests were issued in reliance upon the exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) provided by section 1145 of the Bankruptcy Code.

On the Effective Date, all equity interests in the Company that existed immediately prior to the Effective Date were cancelled, including the Company’s then-existing common stock and warrants, and the Company issued or caused to be issued the New Common Stock in accordance with the terms of the Plan of Reorganization.

On the Effective Date, pursuant to the Plan of Reorganization, the Company issued or held in reserve as issuable:

•176,266,782 shares of New Common Stock;

•4,725,091 shares of New Common Stock held in reserve for disputed claims;

•180,241,211 Warrants, composed of 98,313,313 Tranche 1 Warrants and 81,927,898 Tranche 2 Warrants;

•51,783,625 CVRs; and

•GUC CVRs.

The 4,725,091 shares of New Common Stock held in reserve for disputed claims will be distributed in settlement of previously disputed claims which become allowed by the Bankruptcy Court. On the one-year anniversary from the Effective Date, or at such earlier date as all disputed claims are considered resolved, any reserved shares not distributed in settlement of previously disputed claims which become allowed will be issued to holders of the common stock immediately prior to the Effective Date. As these shares will be issued and only the recipient is contingent, the Company accounts for these shares as outstanding in its Consolidated Balance Sheets and in the Basic and Diluted Weighted average shares outstanding in its Consolidated Statements of Operations. Shares estimated by the Company to be issued to disputed claims are included in the gain on satisfaction of the GUC claims reported in Reorganization items, net.

New Common Stock and Preferred Stock

The Company is authorized to issue 10,000,000,000 shares of New Common Stock and 2,000,000,000 shares of preferred stock (the “Preferred Stock”), each having a par value of $0.00001 per share. The rights and preferences of the New Common Stock shall at all times be subject to the rights of the Preferred Stock as may be set forth in one or more certificates of designations filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware from time to time in accordance with the Delaware General Corporation Law and the Charter.

The Charter authorized the Board of Directors to provide for the issuance of a share or shares of Preferred Stock in one or more series and to fix for each such series (i) the number of shares constituting such series and the designation of such series, (ii) the voting powers (if any) of the shares of such series, (iii) the powers, preferences, and relative, participating, optional or other special rights of the shares of each such series, and (iv) the qualifications, limitations, and restrictions thereof. The authority of the Board of Directors

with respect to the Preferred Stock shall include, but not be limited to, determination of (i) the number of shares constituting any series, (ii) the dividend rate or rates on the shares of any series, (iii) the voting rights, if any, of such series and the number of votes per share, (iv) conversion privileges, (v) whether the shares of any series shall be redeemable, (vi) whether any series shall have a sinking fund for the redemption or purchase of shares of such series, (vii) the rights of the shares in the event of voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company and (viii) any other powers, preferences, rights, qualifications, limitations and restrictions of any series.

Incentive Plan

In accordance with the Plan of Reorganization, the Company adopted an equity-based management incentive plan on April 26, 2024 (the “Incentive Plan”). The Incentive Plan provides for the grant of non-qualified stock options, stock appreciation rights, shares of restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance awards, dividend equivalent rights and other stock-based awards.

The Incentive Plan provides for grants of up to 40,000,000 shares of the Company’s Common Stock in respect of awards, subject to adjustment as provided in the Incentive Plan, and limits the aggregate compensation that may be paid to the Company’s non-employee directors in respect of any single fiscal year (including awards under the Incentive Plan) to a total of $800,000.

The form of outstanding grants under the Incentive Plan currently includes RSUs and MSUs. The participants in the Incentive Plan, the timing and allocations of the awards to participants, and the other terms and conditions of such awards (including, but not limited to, vesting, exercise prices, base values, hurdles, forfeiture, repurchase rights and transferability) is determined by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors in its discretion, as plan administrator.

Under the Incentive Plan, certain executives have been granted MSUs which are subject to the achievement of market-based share price goals and the executives’ continued service until the relevant vesting date. The number of shares which vest as of the end of each measurement period on each vesting date are conditioned on the highest 20-day volume weighted average price of the Company's share price achieved during the tranche’s measurement vesting period since grant. The MSU vesting schedule is proportionate over a three-year service period where such proportions are identified as tranches with separate service conditions and measurement periods for the market conditions. If certain market-based share price goals are not met during certain tranche measurement periods, the ability to satisfy such goals apply in subsequent measurement periods and permit vesting if such market conditions are then met (and the service conditions are then satisfied). The following table presents additional information relating to each MSU award:

Share Price Goal		Incremental Units	Tranche Cumulative Units
December 31, 2024 Vesting:
$	3.14	144,041	144,041
$	5.00	144,041	288,082
$	8.00	144,041	432,123
$	10.00	144,041	576,164
$	12.00	144,041	720,205
$	14.00	144,041	864,246
December 31, 2025 Vesting:
$	3.14	144,041	144,041
$	5.00	144,041	288,082
$	8.00	144,041	432,123
$	10.00	144,041	576,164
$	12.00	144,041	720,205
$	14.00	144,041	864,246
December 31, 2026 Vesting:
$	3.14	144,041	144,041
$	5.00	144,041	288,082
$	8.00	144,041	432,123
$	10.00	144,041	576,164
$	12.00	144,041	720,205
$	14.00	144,041	864,246

Stock-Based Compensation

Stock Options—Stock options granted under the 2018 Plan were granted at a price per share not less than the fair value at the date of grant. Options granted vest over 4 years and are exercisable for up to 10 years. No stock options were granted during the years ended December 31, 2024, and 2023. Determining the fair value of stock options at the grant date required judgment, including estimating the expected term, expected volatility, risk-free interest rate, and expected dividends.

Expected Term—The Company’s expected term was determined using the simplified method and represents the midpoint between the vesting period and the contractual term of the awards.

Expected Volatility—The Company’s volatility factor was estimated using comparable public company volatility for similar terms.

Risk-Free Interest Rate—The Company based the risk-free interest rate used in the Black-Scholes option-pricing model on the implied yield currently available on US Treasury zero coupon issues with an equivalent remaining term. Where the expected term of the Company’s stock-based awards did not correspond with the term for which an interest rate was quoted, the Company performed a straight-line interpolation to determine the rate from the available term maturities.

Expected Dividends—The Company has no history of paying cash dividends and has no present intention to pay common stock cash dividends in the future; as a result, the expected dividend yield was 0% for the stock options that were granted.

A summary of stock option activity for the year ended December 31, 2024, is as follows (amounts in thousands, except per share amounts):

	Number of Shares	Weighted- Average Exercise Price		Weighted-Average Remaining Contractual Term (in years)	Aggregate Intrinsic Value
Options outstanding - December 31, 2023	22,575	8.88		6.9	$	—
Cancellation of common stock in connection with emergence	(22,575)	8.88
Issuance of new common stock in connection with emergence	2,257	88.84
Options outstanding - Effective Date	2,257	88.84
Granted	—	—
Exercised	—	—
Forfeited or cancelled	(1,888)	94.09
Expired	—	—
Options outstanding - December 31, 2024	369	$	62.12	3.6	$	372
Options expected to vest as of December 31, 2024	—	$	127.39	3.2	$	—
Options exercisable as of December 31, 2024	369	$	61.61	3.6	$	372

No options were granted or vested during the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023. As of December 31, 2024, total unrecognized stock-based compensation expense related to unvested stock options was immaterial.

Restricted Stock Units — RSUs granted in 2024 generally vest over a 3-year service period.

Market Condition Restricted Stock Units — See Incentive Plan above for the vesting conditions of the Market condition restricted stock units (“MSUs”).

A summary of RSU and MSU activity for the year ended December 31, 2024, is as follows (amounts in thousands, except per share amounts):

	Restricted Stock Units			Market Condition Restricted Stock Units
	Number of Shares	Weighted-Average Grant Date Fair Value		Number of Shares	Weighted-Average Grant Date Fair Value
Unvested - December 31, 2023	38,358	2.69		—	—
Cancellation of common stock in connection with emergence	(38,358)	2.69		—	—
Issuance of new common stock in connection with emergence	3,836	26.93		—	—
Unvested - Effective Date	3,836	26.93		—	—
Granted	20,914	6.70		2,843	6.07
Vested	(3,857)	15.71		(879)	6.11
Forfeited	(2,552)	16.42		(236)	3.99
Unvested - December 31, 2024	18,341	$	7.68	1,728	$	6.11

As of December 31, 2024, the Company had approximately $111.7 million of unrecognized stock-based compensation expense related to RSUs, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted average time period of 2.4 years, and an additional $7.4 million of unrecognized stock-based compensation expense related to MSUs for which some or all of the requisite service has been provided

under the service conditions but had market conditions that had not yet been achieved. The unrecognized stock-based compensation expense related to MSUs is expected to be recognized over a weighted average time period of 2.0 years.

Stock-based compensation expense for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022, is included in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Operations as follows (in thousands):

	Year Ended December 31,
	2024		2023		2022
Cost of revenue	$	7,950	$	5,050	$	25,779
Research and development	2,810		1,337		22,093
Sales and marketing	5,846		4,929		9,401
General and administrative	35,318		47,576		125,621
Stock-based compensation expense, net of amounts capitalized	51,924		58,892		182,894
Capitalized stock-based compensation1	487		—		—
Total stock-based compensation cost	$	52,411	$	58,892	$	182,894

1 Represents the amounts of stock-based compensation capitalized to property, plant, and equipment.